SOME ASPECTS OF THE OUTLOOK FOR URBAN TRANSPORT

This paper was presented to the workshop on the future of urban passenger transport in Australia, Canberra, 1978. A major problem confronting transport planning authorities is the continuing low density urban expansion and the accompanying dispersion of travel movements throughout urban areas. Major factors influencing the growth pattern for urban transport demand in Australia are identified to be population, real incomes, real fares, service levels and car ownership, and the implications of these factors are discussed. Demand levels for private motor car transport are expected to increase and patronage levels on public transport are expected to decline less rapidly than indicated by simple extrapolation. In order to better understand the nature of the urban passenger transport task and the problems associated with it, it is important to know the distribution of urban transport demand by mode, time of day and trip purpose. For abstract of a summary report of the workshop see IRRD no. 236740.