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Innovative Local Transport

Community Transport of the Future

This project investigates the systemic issues, opportunities and barriers for overcoming transport disadvantage and enhancing community transport in Australia.

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Putting the ‘Community’ into Community Transport

- New research exploring the future of Local and Community Transport

Providing equitable and accessible transport options for those that need it most is a huge issue already and is only growing more acute as our aging population increases and our health policies focus more on living in place targets for disabled and older people.

This research project was developed by ITS Australia through the iMOVE CRC with our research partners the Institute of Governance and Public Policy at UTS and project partners Transport for NSW, Transport & Main Roads QLD, Department of Transport WA and Department of Transport Victoria. It was fully funded through iMOVE supported by the Commonwealth Government.

Investigating all aspects of Community Transport operations across Australia, their critical role, and the challenges they and their customers face, this research has clarified some hesitations around technology, highlighting the advantages and the importance of reciprocal partnerships for technology adoptions.

With almost 1 in 4 Australians projected to be over 65 by 2057 Community Transport users are a growing and complex stakeholder group with challenging needs and expectations and in 2020 the Commissioner for Senior Victorians published a report which found 92% of seniors rated personal mobility as critical to health, social wellbeing, and independence.

Community Transport customers have had some resistance to technology adoption previously, but this has seen to be reduced with increased exposure – COVID19 impacts have accelerated this acceptance, particularly with regard to cashless payment.

Technology can provide the pathway to improve access to and enhance services available to those that need them, both now and into the future, and technology is increasingly permeating community transport.

Key Innovations
Source: IPPG


While transport innovation goes from strength to strength, significant challenges remain in harnessing this to enhance transport inclusion – including systemic complexities, jurisdictional differences, and lingering barriers to innovation.

PROJECT OVERVIEW:

  • Holistically assess the current policy, funding and service delivery ecosystems for community transport (and adjacent or equivalent services) across Australian jurisdictions.
  • Consider how the features of the current policy and delivery landscape may impact the current and potential availability, choice, efficiency and flexibility of transport services, as well as the quality of services and customer experiences.
  • Identify opportunities, barriers, and international learnings for making better use of innovative technologies to enhance services.
  • Develop insights on systemic, cross-cutting issues to inform future policy and delivery approaches.

    92% of seniors rated personal mobility as critical to health, social wellbeing, and independence

    2020 Commissioner for Senior Victorians Report

    Participants

    Department of Transport Western Australia
    Transport for NSW
    Queensland Department of Transport & Main Roads
    Victorian Department of Transport and Planning
    University of Technology Sydney
    IMOVE Australia

    Project Background

    Transport disadvantage can be the result of many complex geographical, social, economic, cultural, built environment and other factors – but essentially refers to difficulties associated with accessing transport. It is typically due to a combination of:

    • poor access to fixed public transport infrastructure and services
    • lower frequency services
    • challenges accessing services for mobility
    • affordability or other reasons
    • high car dependence and costs of car travel
    • the need to travel further distances to access jobs and services

    Specific subgroups of the population (e.g. families with young children, people with a disability, Indigenous Australians and vulnerable lower-income groups), as well as by those living in specific geographical areas (e.g. outer-urban ‘fringe’, inner-regional, and more rural/remote areas of Australia) are most likely to experience transport disadvantage.

    Like many developed countries, Australia has a high median age with a relatively large proportion of its population aged 65 and over. With population projections indicating significant growth the profile of the older population is also projected to change. In 2017, 15% of Australians (3.8 million) were aged 65 and over; this proportion is projected to grow steadily over the coming decades.

    While transport disadvantage can be a particular challenge for those living in regional and remote areas – where populations may be lower and more dispersed, with fewer services and less infrastructure – it also remains a major challenge in urban areas. The Commonwealth Government’s State of the Environment 2016 report highlighted evidence of transport disadvantage challenges in outer urban areas (see figure below).

    Accessibility to public transport, capital cities, 2011

    Accessibility to public transport, capital cities, 2011

    Further 2018 research by Infrastructure Australia also demonstrated that Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, for example, each have over 1 million people in outer urban areas who are not within a reasonable walking distance of medium- to high-frequency public transport (representing 42%, 64% and 80% of the population in those areas, respectively).

    Project Objectives

    This research undertakes to deliver a study to inform government policy and investment and help enable government and industry to bring technology advances to market to improve local and community transport outcomes.

    The key objectives of the project are to:

    • Conduct a holistic review of policy, funding and service delivery ecosystems for enabling transport inclusion in Australia, as well as opportunities and barriers for making better use of innovative technologies, and develop insights to inform future policy, investment and delivery.
    • Provide evidence-based analysis, insights and guidance on strategic whole-of-government issues, options and priorities for enabling and accelerating innovative, flexible, cost-effective and accessible transport services, which are aligned to community needs.
    • Establish an effective collaborative approach to deliver involving multiple government, university, technology industry and transport service providers, and additionally engage a diverse range of stakeholders to inform the research.
    • Publish the research in an industry paper to promote and inform further work and discussion, with a view to helping government and industry bring forward innovative solutions that address community needs and unlock the benefits of technology in the near term to enhance transport inclusion.
    Source: iStock - Selfie taken by man using a wheelchair with a friend

    Source: iStock - Selfie taken by man using a wheelchair with a friend

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