Current network opportunities and challenges
The current transport network performs comparatively well. The network moves people and goods reliably and efficiently throughout our city and region. Commuters in the ACT and Queanbeyan experience low to moderate road congestion and public transport crowding compared with other Australian cities. Yet as our population grows, as lifestyles change, and as we recover from the impacts of COVID-19 there will be challenges to our transport network, without further investment and innovation.
COVID-19 travel trends and recovery
Canberrans changed their lifestyle and travel habits considerably in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a community we worked together to take the necessary steps needed to manage the pandemic and keep everyone safe. As a result, we saw unprecedented changes in the way Canberrans travel.
Travel trends – public transport and personal car use
Over the period between March and May 2020 there was a significant drop in overall travel demand in Canberra, as Canberrans limited themselves to essential travel.
Traffic volumes on Canberra’s arterial roads fell by around 40% over the period, before gradually returning to around 85% of regular volumes by June 2020. Echoing this, patronage on public transport fell by around 80% on the same period in 2019, before a gradual return to just over 40% of regular patronage by June 2020. These trends reflect what has been experienced in other Australian capital cities.
Travel trends – cycling and walking
While the available count data shows cycling levels were also down overall, this data tends to be focused on commuting journeys. In contrast, observations from Canberra’s cycle businesses were that many more Canberrans than ever before were purchasing and repairing bikes. Google community mobility data also reveals that trips within residential areas increased by 10% and trips within parks spiked by 50% over the period between March and June 2020. Given local trips tend to be made by walking and cycling, it is likely these modes experienced a slight increase over the period due to walking and cycling being readily accessible ways to exercise during the period. It is also likely people had more time for walking and cycling within their local community as they saved time on commuting to and from work.
Transport recovery
As we transition beyond COVID-19 and restrictions are relaxed, certain trends will likely be retained, and new trends will emerge. We have an opportunity to make the most of trends which contribute to Canberra’s liveability, such as the increase in cycling and walking. We also have the challenge of addressing trends that may be detrimental to Canberra’s liveability, such as any potential surge in personal car use or any ongoing reduction in public transport use.
We will continue to monitor travel trends closely and adapt our management of the transport network to lock in gains in cycling and walking, welcome people back to public transport and mitigate against excessive personal car use, where viable alternatives are available. The ACT Transport Recovery Plan will identify specific measures to achieve a sustainable and healthy transport transition to enable us all to make the most of what Canberra has to offer once more.
Growing demand for travel, especially public transport
Due primarily to population growth, by the 2030s the Canberra region will generate almost one third more trips. This growth in travel demand is consistent with a long-term trend seen across Australian cities. While COVID-19 will impact growth in the short-term, over the long-term the factors driving growth in travel demand will likely remain current. Travel by public transport is forecast to grow at a significantly faster rate than car use. The number of daily boardings on public transport will double by the 2030s reflecting the trend seen in other Australian cities and given the majority of people walk to public transport, we will also see walking increase.
Investments made in light rail and buses over recent years are already seeing results. Infrastructure Australia predicts that public transport use will increase due to investment in light rail and higher urban densities. They predict this will “increase the proportion of Canberrans for whom the
decision not to use or even own a car, and to use public and active transport instead, will be a natural one”.
Investment in better public transport, cycling and walking, as well as intelligent management of our roads and proactive embrace of on-demand services will be needed if congestion on our roads and crowding on our public transport is to be managed throughout the COVID-19 transport recovery and in the coming decade.
Changing lifestyles and diverse travel patterns
As Canberra’s population is becoming more diverse, so too is the demand for travel. Traditionally transport has been geared towards people’s needs in peak periods. Changing patterns of work and lifestyles means that there is now greater demand for travel outside of peak periods, particularly on weekends.
Changing work patterns
The growth of flexible work arrangements, working from home, contract work, casual, and part-time work mean more people are travelling to work outside peak periods and on weekends. Technology enables us to work anywhere and more of us are working from home or from multiple locations more regularly. Our response to COVID-19 has brought forward these trends. Working from home will become part of the way Canberrans do business. This will reduce the need for travel overall, saving people time and money and giving people more choice over when and how they travel. It will have the greatest impact on travel demand during peak periods and may lead to the spreading of peak travel demand to shoulder periods outside the peak. This will help mitigate against congestion and crowding in the short-term.
Working from home will also lead to a greater demand for flexibility in transport fares and timetables. For example, weekly tickets and peak timetables may no longer be well aligned to some traveler’s needs as less people carry out a peak hour, 5-day a week commute. Transport will need to adapt to cater to more diverse work patterns.
Changing lifestyles and expectations
The way we use our free time is also changing. Household roles of men and women are evolving, and the trip patterns of young families are becoming more complex. New centres for entertainment and socialising are emerging based around varied, accessible transport options. We are seeking out services which fit conveniently with our lives, be that travelling to them at a time that suits or having them come to our homes. Our time is becoming ever more precious, raising our expectations of the reliability of our transport choices.
COVID-19 has also meant Australians have increasingly moved online. Disruptive services such as on-demand food delivery, personal shopping, television and music subscription services and new retail payment platforms have all built customer experiences that are seamless and instantaneous.
As Canberrans return to travel and transport we will have higher expectations of similarly seamless, fast, flexible services that anticipate and meet our needs and preferences. Mobility as a service presents great opportunities for transport to tailor itself to Canberrans’ personal travel preferences.
Car-free and car-light lifestyles
Increasingly people are wishing to live a car free lifestyle or reduce the number of cars in their household. Around 38% of households have one car and around 5% of Canberra’s households have no car.
Younger generations increasingly prefer to pay for a transport service on-demand than own a car. If Canberra is to maintain its edge and remain attractive in the ever-competitive knowledge economy, we must build a transport system that enables people to live the lifestyle they choose equitably whether that includes car travel or not. Factors that support a car-light lifestyle include diverse housing options in accessible locations, high quality public transport, cycling and walking, access to car share and on-demand services.
Better access to real-time transport information is also changing travel patterns. When people have quality, real time information for all transport types, they can make more efficient and effective transport choices.
Growing need for physical accessibility
Canberra’s population is ageing and there is a greater need for physical accessibility. In 2016, 12% of our population was aged 65 or over, with that figure expected to continue to rise. We are also a relatively young population and are home to many young families. Older people and young families need accessible transport options, as they are more likely to have a mobility impairment or to be travelling with prams and luggage.
Accessible and inclusive transport, not only benefits people with a disability, it provides a higher level of service for all Canberrans (including people with prams, carrying shopping and luggage), and helps to build Canberra’s reputation as a city welcoming and open to all. Incorporating design principles that will make our transport network accessible to all people, regardless of age, disability or other factors will benefit the 77,300 people with a disability living in the ACT, as well as each member of the community.
Modernising our bus fleet and improving our walking and cycling infrastructure will provide greater access and choice of employment and services for people who are mobility impaired. Good quality public transport and walking environments will also facilitate the provision of a wider range of housing choices in Canberra’s suburbs. This will enable people to more easily age in the place they live and to access housing that meets their needs throughout their lives.
A focus on health and wellbeing
Physical activity and travel
Canberrans enjoy one of the highest standards of health and wellbeing in the world and have the highest life expectancy in Australia. However, the increased prevalence of chronic conditions presents a challenge to this. Physical inactivity is the second largest contributor to the burden of disease in the ACT, only behind smoking.
Using active forms of transport such as walking, cycling or public transport, builds physical activity into daily routines. Research from the ACT has demonstrated that neighbourhoods which support walking and cycling, with local services and amenities and healthy food within walking distance, help achieve lower rates of obesity.
A connected transport system, where walking and cycling is commonplace, even for part of a journey, will go a long way to improving the health and wellbeing of Canberrans.
Clean air and travel
Clean air is an important part of keeping a city healthy. Canberra has some of the best urban air quality in the world. Smoke is the main air pollutant in Canberra, and when our air quality deteriorates, it is primarily due to an increase in fine particulate air pollutants such as PM2.5. These are solid particles suspended in the air which are so small they can get deep into the lungs and into the bloodstream. Exposure to PM2.5 over long periods can cause adverse health effects including reduced lung function and the development of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.
A study by ACT Health from May 2014 to July 2015 revealed that the two main PM2.5 sources across Canberra were traffic and wood burning – about 60% and 30%, respectively, of the total PM pollution.
As the accompanying graph illustrates, throughout 2020, Canberrans have experienced both the best and worst of air pollution and active travel scenarios. The intense bushfires burning across South East Australia throughout late 2019 and early 2020 brought to Canberra months of smoke pollution and days when Canberra’s air pollution was amongst the worst in the world. Walking and cycling levels dropped to record low levels. Just months after this, the decrease in motor vehicle traffic associated with COVID-19 and combined with the seasonal lack of smoke from residential wood burning created some of the cleanest air quality levels on record and record high active travel levels were recorded.
We now have an opportunity to maintain reduced PM2.5 levels by decreasing car use and increasing the use of walking, cycling and public transport. Switching to zero emissions technologies such as electric vehicles is a further way to decrease pollution in our air.
Public transport and health beyond COVID-19
Following COVID-19 there may be a reluctance to use public transport due to a perceived risk of being exposed to COVID-19, or another contagious disease. While it was necessary to advise people to avoid public transport during the height of the pandemic, this does not mean that public transport is inherently unsafe. As we move beyond COVID-19, so too can we transition to the safe use of public transport once more. The ACT Transport Recovery Plan will guide us through this transition.
We must also consider that public transport brings with it the proven health benefit of increased incidental physical activity as we travel to and from services. Without this incidental physical activity Canberra’s population would be more susceptible to non-contagious diseases such as heart-disease, stroke and obesity.
For the long-term health benefit of all Canberrans, we will make a healthy transport transition to a new normal that puts walking, cycling and public transport at the centre of a connected city.
Need for more transport choice
People living in Canberra’s outer suburbs will continue to seek more transport choices. Clever transport coordination and use of new technology will create new travel opportunities. While we know many Canberrans have good access to employment, education and services via our transport system, some people do not. For those living in Canberra’s outer suburbs transport choice can be limited. This can be a problem for those who cannot afford the costs of driving or are unable to drive due to mobility impairment.
Equality of access to the jobs and the services we all need means that wherever you live in Canberra you have control and flexibility over how and when you travel. Exploring innovative options such as Park and Ride, Bike and Ride and on-demand services, will not only widen transport choice for people living in Canberra’s outer suburbs and emerging greenfield areas, but also support equitable access for all Canberrans, regardless of where they live.
Finding ways to cost effectively expand the provision of non-traditional public transport through demand responsive services in Canberra is essential to ensure that public transport continues to meet the needs of all Canberrans.
Factors influencing mode choice
Generally, people make decisions on how to travel based on facts, perceptions and habits but they also make travel choices based on personal values such as for health or environmental reasons.
Increasing and improving available information and working to improve perceptions of public transport, cycling and walking, can help open new travel choices to people and support affordability by creating greater choice.
Emerging autonomous vehicle technology
Autonomous, or self-driving, vehicles are emerging technologies that have the potential to significantly change how we use vehicles. When used as shared vehicles on a subscription service they will create new travel opportunities for Canberrans and support car free lifestyles. Forecasts of the availability of differing levels of autonomous vehicles
are varied at present, however it is likely that autonomous vehicles will also be electric. The ACT Government has partnered with IRT Kangara Waters Retirement Village to run a successful trial of an autonomous shuttle bus on a publicly accessible road. We will continue to work with partners to undertake trials of autonomous vehicles to ensure the ACT is ready to embrace this technology as it matures.
Zero Emissions Travel
Climate strategy principles
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions from transport is a key part of the ACT Government’s response to climate change. Now that the ACT has reached 100% renewable electricity, transport emissions are the largest source of emissions, accounting for about 60% of all ACT emissions. The ACT Climate Change Strategy 2019-2025 sets out pathways for reducing transport emissions by reducing car use and encouraging a shift to walking, cycling and public transport.
Zero emissions public transport
The ACT Government is transitioning public transport to zero emissions by 2040. The detailed plan to achieve zero emissions public transport is outlined in the Transport Canberra Zero Emissions Transition Plan (the Plan). Light rail already runs on 100% renewable electricity, and accounts for around 20% of trips across our public transport network. The Plan will see the replacement of all diesel and CNG buses to zero emissions by 2040, with no new non-zero- emissions buses purchased after 2025. The Plan sets out the significant infrastructure requirements to support zero emissions buses including depots and charging equipment.
Workforce planning and training are also a significant part of the transition plan, and the ACT Government is committed to ensuring that all workers are trained to work with zero emissions technology to make sure that there is a just transition.
Private and commercial vehicles
The ACT’s Transition to Zero Emissions Vehicles (ZEV) Action Plan 2018-2021 sets a clear direction for the ACT to accelerate and support the uptake of ZEVs, including battery electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and electric bikes. The Plan calls for: at least 50% of all newly leased ACT Government fleet passenger vehicles to be ZEVs in 2019-20, increasing to 100% from 2020-21 (where fit for purpose). As identified in the ACT Climate Change Strategy 2019-2025, the ACT Government will also identify new actions to support the uptake of zero emissions vehicles from 2021 onwards.
The ACT Government will continue to encourage the uptake of zero emissions vehicles by exploring and trialling financial incentives. The ACT already has Australia's most generous financial incentives for the purchase and registration of ZEVs providing a full stamp duty exemption, for the first time a ZEV is purchased, and an ongoing annual vehicle registration discount of 20%. ZEVs can use ACT transit lanes from 1 July 2019 to the end of 2023. Under the ACT Climate Change Strategy 2019-2025, the ACT Government will also investigate regulatory options to encourage the uptake of zero emissions vehicles in commercial vehicle fleets. In addition, road rules were amended in 2019 to now facilitate the safe use of new micro and personal mobility options, such as electric scooters.
Zero emissions freight
Zero emissions freight vehicles are a less mature industry, but an important next step in reducing transport emissions. To foster new approaches and emerging technologies, Government will investigate ways to develop partnerships with industry to trial zero emissions freight options. We will continue to work with our partners in the Commonwealth Government to encourage the uptake of electric vehicles and with NSW Government on regional charging infrastructure to support Canberrans travelling interstate by electric vehicle.
Encourage walking, cycling and the use of public transport
Walking and cycling offer a zero emissions transport option with health, air quality and wellbeing benefits.
We will encourage walking and cycling by continuing to improve infrastructure and walkability. In addition, the ACT Government will implement measures to encourage the uptake of electric bikes, which offer a solution for longer trips and make cycling more accessible to a wider section of the community.
We will continue to prioritise improving public transport services and supporting infrastructure, including buses, Light Rail Stage 2 and connecting services. To achieve mode shift, public transport will connect seamlessly with quality walking and cycling infrastructure, and last kilometre solutions such as on-demand transport, car share, Bike and Ride and Park and Ride. When services connect seamlessly together, an expanded range of travel options is unlocked and greater choice, flexibility, comfort and convenience is achieved. In that way, one seamless network can cater to many different journeys.
