I agree with Rhosty, rapid rail is practical.
To try to adapt to solve the car congestion/parking problems is like
trying to solve the horse droppings problem in 19th century London.

Actually they did solve it with the Underground !

For starters in Sydney take out two lanes of the cars all the way
along Pacific Highway to lane Cove and replace with short two or
three car light rail where it, could continue on along through Lane Cove
and along Victoria Rd, using one lane each way of the present road.

By the time the politicians recovered from the shock of the proposal
petrol will be approaching the CSIRO's predicted $8 a litre and no one
will be able to afford to drive their car to work.

We will NEVER run out of oil but we will be importing 100% of the fuel.
It is just that it will be unaffordable except to go shopping once a week.
Our usage of the motor car is about to change dramatically and it will
mainly be used for short distance, say 20km +, convenience trips.
Ideal parameters for an electric car.

Boy you are a cynic Pericles, but have to agree with that.

However I can't agree with you Bazz. You only have to look at the developing catastrophe that is the tramway on the gold coast, & the total catastrophe of trying to get anywhere in Melbourne not serviced by a direct connection with their infernal trams, to see that is a dreadful idea.

Remember I have paid for those roads with my fuel tax, & the bloody subsidy necessary to get anyone to ride any form of public transport these last 40 years. I am not interested in giving up some of my road & to pay even more subsidy to another catastrophe, of public transport.

If you are right, & oil becomes unavailable for private cars, the loss of revenue from fuel excise would make the subsidizing of trams, or any other form of public transport, totally unaffordable. Charge the true cost of running the damn things, even without the interest on the cost of building the infrastructure, & no one other than over paid public servants will be able to afford them.

As with Rhrosty's bikes, they will be utterly useless for the child care/school run of working mothers/fathers, & become yet another white elephant. They would be as much use as Brisbane councils bikes, none at all.

Hasbeen,
I know from experience what a pain the trams are in Melbourne.
I cannot comment on the Gold Coast as I have not seen it.
However we are not talking about road sharing with this system.

Also remember there will not be so many cars and trucks involved.
It will not happen overnight but there will be a climb from the present
price up to a higher price by the end of the decade. Like yourself I
think we are in for some really nasty business and employment events
that the politicians do not seem to be ready to tackle.
True, I think that is the fault of the people generally as they are
unable to accept reality.

Very expensive petrol will change everything.

What about parking at the airports and more importantly public hospitals.

Parking charges have become a significant source of revenue for public hospitals, although some sub contract the service out to other parking service providers that serve as a nice little revenue stream for these private companies.

Airports ? Are still in operation ?
I thought they had closed down, or did it move to Badgeries Creek ?