UNSW research has found people who move into apartment blocks near railway stations don’t use the train any more than they did previously. Researcher Catherine Ellis discovered they are already high public transport users and one of the main reasons they moved was to be closer to the train.

However, the way to encourage more environmentally sustainable travel behaviour is to ensure developments at transport hubs include a mix of shops and apartments so more people will walk to get their shopping. Another effective way to reduce car travel is to increase public transport services, which according to the study findings also encourages more positive travel behaviour.

Just over a decade and a half ago, Sydneysiders made seven times more trips by bicycle than they do now. Today, only 1% of people cycle each day and 0.6% use a bicycle to commute to work. However, when you consider that 36% of Sydney households own at least one bicycle it’s obvious that the growth in cycling as a regular means of transport has enormous potential. Among the barriers are government policy and infrastructure.

A UNSW study by Stuart Ardlie shows Sydney can become bicycle-friendly, like cities in Holland and Denmark, if the right infrastructure and promotion of cycling is put in place. A key factor is the widespread provision of dedicated bicycle paths. Cycling becomes feasible when trips to work, schools and shops or public transport hubs, are less than 5 kilometres. Ardlie’s study shows that by building bicycle paths and promoting cycling as a regular means of transport, even car-obsessed Sydneysiders will use bicycles more.


For more information about UNSW research, please visit the UNSW Research website