Public transport options are best when they each have their own space rather than add to the congestion like trams and trucks crawling uphill in low-low gear as others with slightly more powerful engines pull out to pass and take half a day doing it!

Congestion would be rapidly and markedly reduced if tax reform sent employment and business out rather than concentrating it in an overcrowded overpriced middle.

Transport options that don't add to congestion include monorail particularly that which uses centre nature strip on commuter highway. Underground is all but empty and could be exploited in various ways. Including vacuum tubes that deliver freight directly to the residence from a central hub.

Moving walkways and exclusive bike lanes protected by a raised concrete barrier. All do that. As do parking buildings that allow parking space to become exclusive bikeways.
Alan B.

Jobs growth in the outer city would seem to create greater car dependence since the commuter now has to take a zigzag route. Much has been made of the need for low wage night shift workers (e.g. nurses, hotel staff, security guards) in the CBD who live way out of the city. Electric cars may be too pricey and flat dwellers may not have a good parking spot for charging. If the commute was say 70 km the battery should have plenty left after the 140 km round trip plus grocery shopping.

Country towns do seem to be getting some night life and after hours eateries. Whether that and cheaper housing will overcome longer drive times is not clear. Part time is another factor; little point in a long commute for less than a half a days work.

Most low value work in metro areas is local; people tend not to commute far to it. Because of the short distances involved, it doesn't usually result in much congestion, and it often is within cycling distance.

However the high value work tends to be clustered in a few locations. Some of it is suburban (often around universities) but the CBDs are by far the biggest clusters. And that's because they are the most accessible places, because the transport networks are focussed on getting people to them. Indeed having good transport links to the CBD is often a major factor in a city's international competitiveness.

Suburb to suburb transport must not be neglected, but we shouldn't make the mistake in considering that to be synonymous with roads. I'm certainly not denying the need for better suburban road links, but rather than dismissing public transport as inconvenient (as Ross has done) it needs to be made convenient. As our cities grow, we need a public transport network that can get us from anywhere to anywhere.

Cars have significant negative externalities. It is disappointing to see people like Ross still mistake acknowledgement of that for "Demonising the car".

Great to see an intelligent article talking facts rather than dreams.

I wonder which planet Aidan inhabits, it sure can't be this one. Quote, "Most low value work in metro areas is local; people tend not to commute far to it. Because of the short distances involved, it doesn't usually result in much congestion, and it often is within cycling distance'.

Just which city has low cost housing with in cycling distance. God greens just won't believe their dream of everyone back on bicycles is a pile of garbage.

Alan mate, surely the catastrophe we see that developed just trying to get a little glass fiber, [or copper wire for that matter], connected to each house for the NBN does indicate that a vacuum tube delivering freight to houses is so far beyond our capacity & financial ability to deliver. Pie in the sky is the only description for such a plan, as is any plan for human powered transport for major commuting.

Taswegian perhaps still possible for Hobart. I established myself 20+ kilometres from the nearest supermarket about an hour south of Brisbane 26 years ago. Today my village has grown from 400 to 2600, a 50,000 satellite city is building quickly 10 kilometres towards Brisbane, & the commute is 40 minutes longer.

We have no public transport, water or sewerage, & do not want them, but it might not suit most.

It is the CBDs we need to eliminate, not find ways of perpetuating last centauries life style.

Urban arterial road that are miles and miles of moving roadblocks, ought to have their traffic control traffic light systems replaced by underpasses and overpasses. And there needs to be more strategically located parking stations with excess capacity.

This is how you move people and commuter traffic. A good commuter train system is mandatory, and if adequately equipped, will allow them to become productive places for work, study or doing business. And the opposite of the real economic effects of congestion!
Alan B.

Hasbeen,
I did not specify "low cost housing" and did not consider it to be a prerequisite. And I certainly didn't imply everyone could cycle, nor even that they should if they could. My reference to cycling was merely to point out the false assumption Ross made about what journeys were being made in the outer suburbs.

But just which city DOESN'T have low cost housing within 5km of outer suburban jobs?
(And yes, I know what counts as "low cost" varies, and that some outer suburban areas are too hilly for cycling to be a practical option for many).