1. Transport for Sustainable Cities
Emmerson Richardson, Sinclair Knight Merz
Peter Newman, Curtin University
1

2. A Definition of Sustainable Transport
> A sustainable transport system:
o Allows the basic access needs of individuals and societies to
be met safely in a manner consistent with human ecosystem
health, and within and between generations
o Is affordable, operates efficiently, offers choice of transport
mode, and supports a vibrant economy
o Limits emissions and waste within the planet’s ability to absorb
them, minimises consumption of non-renewable resources,
limits consumption of renewable resources to the sustainable
yield level, reuses and recycles its components, and minimises
the use of land and the production of noise
2

3. Liveable/ Sustainable Cities
> Great places for social, cultural
and business exchange
> Great public places – to walk
around or stay a while
> Diverse mixed uses – leisure,
education, retail, employment and
a mix of housing types
> Preserve heritage and create new
urban art
> A human scale of urban design –
active interesting streets
> Easy to access and move around
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4. Transport for Sustainable Cities
> Complement and fit the urban
form
> High capacity access without
high numbers of cars
> A walkable city – safe, secure,
comfortable and convenient
> A transit city – more than a city
with transit
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5. What are the Drivers for Change?
> Climate change
> Road congestion
> Health and fitness
> Affordable living
> Road safety
> Peak oil
Less dependence on and use of cars
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6. Transport and Climate Change
> Currently 14% of emissions for
transport
> High growth in transport
emissions in Australia:
o 28.4% growth (1990 – 2004)
o 60.5% estimated growth (1990-
2020) under BAU
> UK + 26.4% (1990 – 2002)
> USA + 27.6% (1990 – 2004)
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7. Transport and Climate Change – International
Comparisons
AUSTRALIA UK USA
Population 20.1 million 60.3 million 296.4 million
Total greenhouse gas
565 mt/yr 656 mt/yr 7147 mt/yr
emissions
Total greenhouse gas 28.1 t/yr 10.9 t/yr 24.1 t/yr
emissions per person 100% 39% 86%
Greenhouse gas from 2.07 t/yr 1.04 t/yr 3.95 t/yr
cars per person 100% 50% 191%
Analysis of data supplied under UN Framework on Climate Change, 2004
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8. Melbourne/ London Comparison
Source: Bus Association Victoria Transport Emissions Report
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9. Impact of Road Building on Delay – America’s
20 Biggest Cities
Source: Urban Transport Monitor (1999)
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10. Impact of Public Transport on Travel
Demand – America’s 50 Biggest Cities
Increase/Decrease Compared to Bus Only System Cities
Large Rail System Small Rail System Bus Only System
Indicator
( 7 cities ) ( 16 cities ) ( 27 cities )
Public Transport Ridership
+ 500% + 50% 0%
(kms per person)
Car Driver Travel
- 20% - 10% 0%
(kms per person)
Traffic Safety
(Deaths per 100,000 - 35% - 15% 0%
persons)
Source: Rail Transit in America – A Comprehensive Evaluation of Benefits; Litman, T (2004)
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11. Road Safety
> Worldwide, over one million people die each year from road
crashes and many millions more are injured
> More Australian lives lost in road crashes than the more
than 100,000 Australians killed in wars
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12. Peak Oil
> Driving up prices and impacting on affordability
> Impact on house prices and the economy
> Could result in real shortages – rationing
Australia Petroleum Trade Deficit (12 month running totals), June 2002 to March 2008
Source: A Road Map for Alternative Fuels in Australia: Ending our Dependence on Oil.
Report of Jamieson Group to NRMA Motoring Services, July 2008
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13. Implementing a Sustainable Transport Plan
> High Capacity/ High Frequency Public Transport
> Mixed Use/ High Density Around Transit Nodes (TODs)
> Sustainable Mobility Management of Road Traffic
> Changing Vehicles and Fuels
> Radical Restructure of the Transport Budget
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14. Public transport
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15. A Paradigm Shift for Public Transport –
A Transit City Approach
> High speed rail on major corridors
> Light rail in inner areas and day activity corridors
> Deliver capacity to move 4 times passengers by 2030
> High frequency (less than 10 minutes) all day
> Integrated bus/ rail systems
> More people in walking distance of major routes
> Major investment required
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16. Potential Travel Scenario – Perth
Year 2008 Year 2030 Change in
Trips/ Day
Population 1.5M 2.2M
Total Trips/ Day 5.25M 7.7M 2,450,000
Car Driver Trips 3.05M (58%) 2.80M (36.4%) (250,000)
Car Passenger Trips 1.05M (20%) 1.16M (15%) 110,000
Public Transport Trips 0.32M (6%) 1.28M (16.6%) 960,000
Walking & Cycling Trips 0.84M (16%) 2.47M (32%) 1,630,000
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17. PUBLIC TRANSPORT PASSENGER
KILOMETRES PER CAPITA VERSUS
CAR PASSENGER KILOMETRES PER
CAPITA
Lifestyles and
30,000
city form
change with
Annual car passenger
kilometres per capita
25,000 y = -4576Ln(x) + 40753
20,000
2
R = 0.4973 it...
15,000
10,000
5,000
-
0.0 2000.0 4000.0 6000.0 8000.0
Annual per capita public transport passenger
kilometres per capita

19.  People living in TODs have 50% less
car use and save 20% of their
household income due to one less car.
 Value retained in down times and good
in up times.

20. Annual Vehicle Km per Household, 2004
Outer
suburbs
residents,
particularly
those away
from rail
lines, drive
much more
than inner
suburbs 2.3 – 7.6
7.6 – 10.1
residents. 10.1 – 12.6
12.6 – 15.0
15.0 – 18.4
18.4 – 24.5
24.5 – 39.0
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34. TRAVEL SMART
- Creating a more resilient
transport culture....
• Developed from German Werner
Brog, applied first in Perth, then UK
now US.....
• Individualised marketing based on
direct intervention with
householders receiving educational
materials on alternatives to the car.
• Bikers and bus drivers become
eco-coaches...

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39. Biofuels for
farmers....
Eg from OIL
MALLEE
Carbon
Accredited

40. Good for remote freight
and ecotourism

41.  Only
option for heavy vehicles; CNG
buses have shown how to do it. Australian
technology used to convert Mumbai and Chenai buses.
 Australia has 77% of its population on
natural gas distribution system.
 Can convert biomass to natural gas.
 Leads into Hydrogen economy.

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47.  4,400 tonnes ghg
 $86 million infrastructure
savings($86,000 per block)
 $250 million in annualised transport
savings over 50 years.
 Health savings...
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