Future of Australian Transport Infrastructure to 2040 and beyond (Part four)

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12 October 2017

Welcome to our final instalment in our series on the future of Australian Transport. We’ve spent the past three blogs discussing the findings from the Transport and Australia’s Development to 2050 and Beyond report released by the Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development.

In case you missed it, part one examined Australia’s current economic climate and the future of Australian roads for motorists if policies aren’t actioned. In part two, we explored the cool technologies available in improving transport infrastructure and in part three we looked at what the freight industry needs to keep moving forward.

In the final instalment, we’ll look at the key issues surrounding the top transit areas and discuss where to from here.

The transportation forecasts

• The cost of building and maintaining roads is increasing at a rate faster than funds being collected through charges and taxes
• The social cost of congestion in Australia’s major capital cities (particularly Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane) is expected to rise to $30 billion by 2030. Cars currently make up 75% of vehicles on our roads
• Australian transport is entering a “disruptive” period with emerging technologies, automation and a surge in the sharing economy
• Rail freight is expected to rise by 130% from its 2010 level and already accounts for half of the freight activity in Australia
• Public transport is expected to rise 32% by 2030
• Maritime is the backbone of Australia’s international trade, currently carrying 99% of trade, with container handling increase by 453% over the past two decades, placing major strain on Australia’s major port terminals
• Climate change and the surge in extreme weather event will increase the likelihood of direct damage to transport infrastructure as well as financial, economic and logistical consequences

Where do we go from here?

The report states that understanding our history, our key international, business and community partners are and staying on the pulse of technology will be critical to ensure our standard of living and our economy thrives to 2040 and beyond.

Some considerations include:

• Recognising opportunity for trade and investment
• As technologies merge into shared economies, we must challenge existing revenue models and urge policymakers and regulators to be responsive
• Growth in technology and innovative products will transform employment
• Understanding how extreme weather and potential natural disasters will affect designing, planning and locating transport infrastructure
• Working with local governance frameworks to better our regions and deliver planning outcomes that meet the demands of urban expansion

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