4602.2 - Household Water and Energy Use, Victoria, October 2011 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 04/09/2012   
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MEDIA RELEASE
4 September, 2012
Embargoed: 11.30 am (Canberra time)
136/2012
More inner city Melburnians used public transport than outer Melburnians

People living in Melbourne's Zone 1 are more likely to have used public transport in the last month than people living in Melbourne's Zone 2, according to a recent report released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

More than half (57%) of people living in Melbourne Metropolitan Transport Zone 1 used public transport in the last month, significantly higher than the proportion of people living in Zone 2 (29%).

The report found that over half (51%) of people aged 18 to 34 used public transport in the last month, compared with a third (32%) of people aged 35 years and over.

While a similar number of people in Zone 1 and Zone 2 used public transport three to seven days per week, Zone 1 patrons were more likely than Zone 2 patrons to use public transport one to two days a week (28% and 16% respectively).

Zone 2 patrons (21%) were more likely to be low frequency users - less than once a month - than Zone 1 patrons (7%).

The report also found that:
  • Over half (55%) of public transport patrons in the total of Zones 1 and 2 responded that the main reason they used public transport was that it was more convenient than their own transport, was less stressful or it reduced travel time. Less than one in ten (9%) of people responded that it was cheaper than their own transport.
  • Of those people in Zones 1 and 2 who did not use public transport in the last month, 75% responded that main reason they did not use public transport was they used their own car for convenience, comfort or privacy reasons

Further details are in Household Water and Energy Use (cat. no. 4602.2), available for free download from www.abs.gov.au.

Media notes:
  • Melbourne's public transport network is divided into two main Metropolitan Public Transport Zones. Zone 1 covers the city centre and most inner suburbs of Melbourne, while Zone 2 covers most of the outer suburbs. The Metropolitan Public transport Zone boundaries are based on the Victorian Fares and Ticketing Manual as at October 2009 [http://ptv.vic.gov.au/fares-tickets/victorian-fares-and-ticketing-manual/victorian-fares-and-ticketing-manual/#1], have been published for statistical purposes only and have no role in fare compliance.
  • When reporting ABS data you must attribute the Australian Bureau of Statistics (or the ABS) as the source