1345.4 - SA Stats, Jul 2007  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 31/07/2007   
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Image: Environment ENVIRONMENT - USE OF TRANSPORT IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA

The effects of greenhouse gas emissions on the environment appear to be of growing concern as evidenced by the frequency of discussion in the general press. In Australia, the transport sector is the third largest source of greenhouse gas emissions and is one of the sectors contributing to emissions growth in this country. In 2004, transport contributed 14% (76.2 megatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent) of Australia's net greenhouse gas emissions, with road transport accountable for 89% of this (68.1 megatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent). Passenger cars alone were estimated to be responsible for contributing 61% of all emissions from road transport (41.7 megatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent) (DEH 2006).

MAIN FORM OF TRANSPORT USED ON USUAL TRIP TO WORK OR STUDY
According to Australian Bureau of Statistics data published in Environmental issues: People's views and practices, March 2006, (cat. no. 4602.0), the majority (83% or 549,000) of South Australians aged 18 years or over who worked or studied used private motor vehicles (as driver or passenger) as the main form of transport to their place of work or study. This was higher than the proportion for Australia (80%) but lower than the proportions for Western Australia (87%), Tasmania (84%) and Queensland (84%). The lowest proportion was reported for New South Wales (75%).

In 2006, only 11% of South Australians aged 18 years and over who were working or studying used public transport as their main way to get to work or study, compared with 14% Australia-wide. New South Wales had the highest proportion of people who used public transport for this purpose (19%), followed by Victoria (14%).

Between 1996 and 2006, the proportion of South Australians who used private motor vehicles as their main form of transport to work or study has remained the same, with the proportion who used public transport increasing slightly from 10% to 11% over this period.


MAIN FORM OF TRANSPORT USED ON USUAL TRIP TO WORK OR STUDY — March 2006


Graph: Main Form of Transport Used on Usual trip to Work or Study - March 2006
Source: Environmental issues: People's views and practices, March 2006 (cat. no. 4602.0)


In 2006, 75% of South Australians aged 18 years and over drove a passenger car as their main form of transport to work or study, more than that for Australia (72%). This was second highest after Western Australia (79%).

Car pooling was not overly prevalent. Only 4% of South Australians aged 18 years and over reported being a passenger in a car on a usual trip to work or study, behind the Australian Capital Territory, Queensland and Tasmania (all 6%).

In 2006, of those South Australians who drove a motor vehicle to work or study on a usual basis, 80% reported they did not take a passenger on a usual trip to or from work or study. This meant that on average, on a usual commuting day, four vehicles in five transported only one person. While this state level seem large, it was similar to the levels reported for Victoria (86%), Western Australia (82%) and New South Wales (81%).
USE OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT

In 2006, 11% of South Australians aged 18 years and over who worked or studied used public transport as their main form of transport. Since 1996, the proportion who used public transport as their main form of transport has increased by 1%.

Of those South Australians who used public transport as their main form of transport to work or study, nearly half (48%) said they used public transport because they found it convenient, comfortable and less stressful than other forms of transport, while 43% used it because of cost. South Australians were much more likely to use public transport for cost reasons compared to the rest of the country (28%).

Concern for the environment was not a major factor for choosing to use public transport. Only 5% of South Australians who used public transport to get to work or study cited this as a reason they used it, although this was nearly twice the proportion who cited this as a reason nation-wide (3%).

REASONS FOR USING PUBLIC TRANSPORT ON USUAL TRIP TO WORK OR STUDY — March 2006


Of those South Australians aged 18 years and over who worked or studied and did not use public transport for their regular commute to work or study, the main reasons given for not using public transport were the lack of a service either at a convenient time (28%) or no service at all (25%). While this was similar nationally, the lack of services at a convenient time was an issue for more in South Australia (28%) than nationally (25%).

Nearly one quarter (22%) of South Australians in this reference population preferred the comfort or privacy in their own vehicle.

REASONS FOR NOT TAKING PUBLIC TRANSPORT TO WORK OR STUDY — March 2006

Graph: Reasons for Not Taking Public Transport to Work or Study - March 2006
Source: Environmental issues: People's views and practices, March 2006 (cat. no. 4602.0)


REFERENCES:

Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2006, Environmental issues: People's views and practices, March 2006 (cat. no. 4602.0)
Australian Greenhouse Office, Department of the Environment and Heritage (DEH), May 2006, National Greenhouse Gas Inventory 2004