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A New 50 Year Transport Plan for Perth

Emmerson Richardson

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What are the Drivers for Change?

> Climate change

> Road congestion

> Health and fitness

> Affordable living

> Road safety

Less dependence on and use of cars

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We Have a Choice – North American West Coast Comparison

Which is the most liveable city?

City and Public Transport Mode Share

Comment

Vancouver (British Columbia)

8% to 9%

Vancouver has put a reasonable effort into developing its public transport system over most of the last 50 years and has generally not built urban freeways within the inner city area.

Portland (Oregon)

About 5% Portland changed direction in the 1970s and has greatly increased investment in public transport since that time.

Los Angeles (California)

2% to 3%

Los Angeles allowed its rail system to be removed and its public transport system generally to fall into disrepair, whilst it invested heavily in major road systems. More recently, it has begun re-investing in rail based public transport.

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What has Munich Done Right?

> Invested heavily in regional rail (S-Bahn) and subway (U-Bahn) since 1970 – four new U-Bahn lines since 1972

> 517 kms S-Bahn, 138 kms U-Bahn (with 100 stations) in addition to traditional rail and bus routes

> Targeted investment to public transport

> One of the most vibrant cities in Europe

Annual per capita Investment in Infrastructure (Euros)

Public transport Roads Roads plus

public transport

Munich 221 (65%) 121 (35%) 342

Manchester 32 (18%) 149 (82%) 181

Glasgow 23 (11%) 216 (89%) 239 Source: WS Atkins, 2001

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How does Munich Compare with Like Sized Cities?

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Melbourne – A Tale of Two Cities

Where do Melbournians aspire to live?

Melbourne Mode Share 1997-1999

Region Car Driver Car

Passenger Public

Transport Walk Only Other

All Melbourne 43.7% 23.1% 6.6% 25.6% 1.0%

Inner 24.6% 9.7% 15.8% 48.3% 1.6%

Middle pre 1960 43.3% 21.5% 6.6% 27.5% 1.1%

Middle post 1960 49.8% 24.4% 4.6% 20.2% 1.0%

Outer Stable 49.9% 28.2% 3.6% 17.5% 0.8%

Outer Growing 49.6% 30.7% 3.1% 15.8% 0.8%

Source: VATS 1997/1999

2/3

1/3

2/3

4/5

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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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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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Source: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change - 4th Assessment Report, 2007

“The scientific evidence is now overwhelming: climate change presents very serious global risks and it demands an urgent global response”

Stern Review: The Economics of Climate Change

“The threat from climate change is perhaps the greatest challenge facing our world. Without decisive and urgent action, it has the potential to be an economic disaster and an environmental catastrophe.”

Former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair (March 2007)

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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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Australia: Emissions by Vehicle Type

BTRE Report: 2002

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Transport and Climate Change – International Comparisons

AUSTRALIA UK USA

Population 20.1 million 60.3 million 296.4 million

Total greenhouse gas emissions

565 mt/yr 656 mt/yr 7147 mt/yr

Total greenhouse gas emissions per person

28.1 t/yr100%

10.9 t/yr39%

24.1 t/yr86%

Greenhouse gas from cars per person

2.07 t/yr100%

1.04 t/yr50%

3.95 t/yr191%

Analysis of data supplied under UN Framework on Climate Change, 2004

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Greenhouse Emission Characteristics – International Comparisons

Region or Country

Total private transport CO2 emissions per

capita (kg/person)

Total public transport CO2 emissions per

capita (kg/person)

Total passenger transport CO2 emissions per

capita (kg/person)

% of passenger transport CO2

emissions from public transport

USA cities 4322 83 4405 1.9%

Australian/New Zealand cities

2107 119 2226 5.3%

Canadian Cities 2348 74 2422 3.1%

West European cities

1133 134 1269 10.6%

High income Asian cities

688 162 825 19.7%

Source: Kenworthy, JR: Transport Energy Use and Greenhouse Gases in Urban Passenger Systems: A Study of 84 Global Cities

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Melbourne/ London Comparison

Source: Bus Association Victoria Transport Emissions Report

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Road Congestion

> A major and growing concern in large cities

> Warren Centre Market Research (Sydney) found:o Most important transport problems;

• 42% traffic congestion• 12% lack of public transport• 11% reliability of public

transporto Most favoured transport solutions

(public and decision makers);• reduce traffic rather than build

more freeways• improve public transport even

at expense of roads budget

> Private cars with low occupancy are a major cause of congestion

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Impact of Road Building on Delay – America’s 20 Biggest Cities

Source: Urban Transport Monitor (1999)

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Impact of Public Transport on Travel Demand – America’s 50 Biggest Cities

Increase/Decrease Compared to Bus Only System Cities

Indicator Large Rail System

( 7 cities )

Small Rail System

( 16 cities )

Bus Only System

( 27 cities )

Public Transport Ridership

(kms per person) + 500% + 50% 0%

Car Driver Travel (kms per person)

- 20% - 10% 0%

Traffic Safety

(Deaths per 100,000 persons)

- 35% - 15% 0%

Source: Rail Transit in America – A Comprehensive Evaluation of Benefits; Litman, T (2004)

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Health and Fitness

> 60% of Australian adults overweight or obese (2.5 times higher than 1980)

> 25% of Australian children overweight or obese

> US Surgeon General: “be physically active for at least 30 minutes (adults) and 60 minutes (children) on most days”

> Walking (or cycling) as a part of transport can make a difference

> WA TravelSmart found improving health and fitness was one of two major motivators to use cars less

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Affordable Living

> Cost of running a car is expensive

Source: RACWA Website (2007)

* Excludes parking costs

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International Comparison – Expenditure on Travel

Source: Kenworthy and Laube (2001) Millennium Cities, Database for Sustainable Transport

City or Region

Total private passenger

transport cost as a percentage of

metro GDP

Total public passenger

transport cost as a percentage of

metro GDP

Total passenger transport cost

as a percentage of metro GDP

Australian average 12.2% 1.2% 13.4%

US average 11.2% 0.6% 11.8%

Canadian average 12.9% 0.9% 13.7%

West European average

5.6% 1.8% 7.4%

Asian average 3.6% 1.3% 4.9%

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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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Transport Vision - 2060

> Fast, frequent public transport

> Car travel – an important choice mode

> Reduced congestion in city/ town centres

> More efficient freight movement

> Walking and cycling – modes of choice

> Better, safer cycling networks and a quality walking environment

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Integrated Policy and Planning Framework

> Most cities have developed transport strategies with a theme of reducing car dependence and improving public transport

> No large city in Australia has publicly committed to a plan to implement its strategy

> There needs to be a commitment to ensuring future infrastructure development supports agreed policy positions

> Establish principles for public transport planning

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An Integrated Land Use Development and Transport Planning Approach

> Urban Developmento High to medium density in

walking catchments of stationo Permeable network of streets

that connect communities and retain planning robustness

o Mix of uses to encourage walking and reduce driving

o Integrate public transport into city development (stops, stations, vehicles, priority routes)

o A human scale of urban design with active street fronts and great public places

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An Integrated Land Use Development and Transport Planning Approach> Transport Planning

o Connectivity before capacity in road/ street design

o Streets not roads in town and regional centres

o Permeable, legible street networks with good walking and cycling access

o Parking and other demand management measures to restrain car use

o Public transport first for access to city and regional centres

o Major roads generally outside town centres to provide access to industrial and car based uses

o TravelSmart (behaviour change) programmes to encourage travel change

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The need for a Long Term (50 Year) Plan

A long term plan is needed now. It must:

> Be capable of meeting projected long term travel needs

> Address the community’s quality of life objectives – specifically drivers for change

> Ensure efficient use made of existing infrastructure by increasing people and freight moving capacity through adaptation and renewal

> Assess short term projects for compatibility with long term objectives

> Be funded and implemented continually and progressively

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Key Ingredients of a Long Term Plan for Perth

> Increase the capacity and frequency of the existing public transport system on an annual basis

> Plan and construct new railways, busways and light rail systems

> Increase the percentage of public transport services operating on priority routes

> Accelerate the development of safe, quality walking and cycling routes within and between centres

> Plan and develop high density mixed use communities around transit stations

> Limit major urban road construction

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Increase Capacity of Existing PT System

> Increase number of rail cars on existing lines on an annual basis

> Increase capacity of the bus system on an annual basis

> Enable PT peak spreading by increasing frequency and capacity of bus system feeding rail during shoulder periods – particularly the 6:00 – 7:30 pm period

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New Major Infrastructure Projects

> Extend NS Railway to Yanchep (including bus interchange and bus feeder systems) – by 2015

> Introduce Stage 1 of Perth Inner City Light Rail – UWA to East Perth – by 2015

> Introduce a network of busways or priority bus systems linking centres – from 2015 (e.g. Cannington to Fremantle via Murdoch)

> Plan and extend inner city light rail system – from 2015

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Accelerate the Development of Network City

> Substantial expansion of residential and mixed use development around rail stations, e.g. Maylands, Bayswater, Claremont, Cottesloe

> Remove zoning constraints within 1km walking distance of major rail stations on NS railway, e.g. Warwick and Whitfords

> Create special TOD precincts along established and establishing transit corridors, e.g. Beaufort Street, Stirling Highway, Rockingham Station to Rockingham Beach corridor

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Limit Major Urban Road Construction

> Place a moratorium on major urban road construction except where:o there is a genuine need and priority for freight vehicleso the road construction is primarily for public transport on priority

routes

> Consider reallocation of road space from general traffic to public transport priority along important community activity corridors

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Concluding Comments

> We are moving along an unsustainable path in our city development and our transport planning

> Perth, like most other Australian cities, has accepted sustainable transport planning strategies, but is doing too little and moving too slowly to make any real difference

> We need to move quickly to develop and implement a long term sustainable transport plan for Perth