The growth and promotion of public transport is struggling to budge a stubborn majority of Australians who remain ‘wedded’ to the private car, researchers from the University of Sydney have reported.
A new survey from the university’s Institute of Transport and Logistics Studies found more than 82 per cent of respondents had travelled by private car in the prior month, compared to just 33 per cent who had caught a train or tram, and 36 per cent who had taken a bus.
Almost half of all respondents who had travelled by car, said they had used no other form of transport in the month in question.
“It may be another generation before we see a noticeable willingness to shed the private care and move to a mobility sharing culture,” ILTS director David Hensher said. “We continue to face a gargantuan challenge in getting people out of their cars.”
On a positive note, the March quarter survey also found 14 per cent of Australians believe transport in their local area will be better in one year’s time, up slightly from 12 per cent who said so in the 2018 March quarter.
Of car users who also caught public transport, Victorians more often used the train or tram over bus, 31 per cent to 21. Queensland car users more often used the bus over the train, 30 per cent to 21. NSW car users used buses and trains at the same rate, around 28 per cent each.