Victorians are driven by cars

John Ferguson

THE car is king: new analysis shows per capita vehicle travel is almost nine times that of public transport.

As Cabinet finalises the Victorian Transport Plan, the Brumby Government research shows that personal vehicle travel in Victoria dwarfs that of trams, trains and buses.

A survey of 17,000 households shows that vehicle trips continue to climb. The average Victorian travels more than 9000km a year as either a driver or passenger.

But public transport, though growing in popularity, is attracting patronage of just over 1000km each year.

As a percentage of motorised trips, public transport has, however, climbed from just under 10 per cent between 1994 and '99 to about 13 per cent in 2008.

The figures show that fewer people are using private vehicles to drive into the CBD. But the overwhelming number of trips by Melbourne residents are in cars.

The Victorian Integrated Survey of Travel and Activity data is being used by Cabinet to help it decide how to respond to the Victorian Transport Plan.

The Herald Sun reported this month that a $700 million road bypassing Frankston and slashing travel times for thousands of motorists will be built next year.

The Victorian Integrated Survey of Travel and Activity study, conducted over 12 months from May last year, excludes professional driver travel such as taxis and trucks.

Each member of 17,000 households was asked to fill in a diary for every day of the year covering all forms of travel, from cars to walking the dog.

Read the original article at HeraldSun.com.au