Sitting in traffic to cost city $6bn by 2020
The Age
Friday March 5, 2010
THE cost of bumper-to-bumper traffic in Melbourne is set to double by 2020, with gridlock sapping $20.4 billion from the national economy by then if action isn't taken.This bleak assessment is contained in a new government report that paints a picture of increasing traffic congestion and high transport emissions, urban sprawl and surging population growth in the first half of this century.Melbourne's congestion cost €” currently estimated at $3 billion €” is projected to be $6.1 billion by 2020, a 103 per cent increase.The cost is a measure of productivity lost when people are stuck in traffic. The hot spots nationally are Brisbane, Perth and Sydney, with Melbourne coming in fourth.The report is to be released today by Transport Minister Anthony Albanese and says car dependency in cities is increasing at a rate faster than population growth, creating gridlock and making households hostage to rising oil prices.It also confirms that Melbourne's population will hit 7 million by 2056. The report's release could open a new battle front with the states, after the minister signalled that Canberra wants to play a more active role in urban planning and public transport provision.Mr Albanese is expected to call for a "collaborative" approach to deal with future transport policy challenges. In the report, he emphasises the Commonwealth's inherent interest in cities. Urban policy under John Howard was largely left to the states and local governments."In the tradition of Labor governments, the Rudd government has renewed engagement with our nation's cities," Mr Albanese says. "That tradition goes right back to the Whitlam government."The report has been compiled by the Major Cities Unit of Infrastructure Australia.
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