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Turning Japanese: Victoria's public transport

By Stewart Prins - posted Thursday, 18 December 2008


For a moment, it seemed like John Brumby was turning Japanese.

The Premier’s Victorian Transport Plan, launched on December 8, was heavily focused on the need to build a more comprehensive public transport network in Melbourne.

If you’ve ever been to Japan, you’ll know what travelling on a comprehensive public transport network can be like. It seems like you’re never far away from a train station or bus depot. Everything seems to run on time - and frequently.

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Of course, Japan has some natural advantages over Australia when it comes to running public transport. Tokyo-Yokohama itself has over 31 million people - the most populous urban area in the world. That makes a huge difference in terms of economies of scale.

Indeed, that’s why Tokyo is one of the few places where public transport actually makes money, without any need for government subsidy of capital or operating expenses.

Just as important, however, is the simple fact that Japan has invested in the infrastructure it needs to make its cities work efficiently and effectively.

There are more than 120 train lines running through the Tokyo-Yokohama area, and over 1,200 stations. A number of different companies operate sections of the network - but commuters can switch between trains easily using a network-wide smartcard ticketing system.

Almost of the commuter rail network is separated from the freight network. Rail is simply the easiest way to get around the city. It’s been estimated that 57 per cent of all trips in Tokyo are taken on public transport. It might sound self evident, but you can’t catch a train if there is no train to catch.

Tokyo works for public transport commuters because the infrastructure is there, it is convenient and it is accessible.

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Melbourne is, of course, a mere township compared to the mega-city that is Tokyo-Yokohama. The city cannot expect to achieve the same economies of scale, but it can learn from the Japanese experience.

The benefits of investing in public transport infrastructure are there for all to see. Tokyo-Yokohama shows us that we can continue to grow without choking on exhaust fumes and traffic congestion, and without endless urban sprawl. We can build more sustainable cities built around a more efficient transport system.

In Melbourne, however, the argument about investment in transport infrastructure has too often been sidetracked by competing agendas.

Some academics and anti-development commentators have repeatedly claimed there is no need for new rail infrastructure in Melbourne. According to this theory, the secret to improving transport is not to build new rail lines, but to sack the Department of Transport and replace it with a group of 30 Swiss transport planners.

Thankfully, the argument about transport infrastructure appears to be over, and the anti-development crowd has lost. The Brumby Government has declared that it will invest heavily in public transport infrastructure - new train lines, a CBD rail tunnel, new trains and new trams.

The much-awaited South Morang extension will finally go ahead, and new development opportunities will be unlocked along the “Tarneit Link” corridor. The State Government will also step up its investment in feeder bus networks, including the orbital SmartBus network.

These projects will take time to deliver, and construction of the new lines and tunnels will cause temporary disruptions.

Questions remain about how these projects will be funded. Government surpluses are rapidly disappearing, and private investors cannot access cash. Even State Governments are now finding it hard to borrow money.

The media will be watching the Brumby Government like a hawk to make sure it delivers these projects on time and on budget.

In the long-term, these projects will prove vital to the city’s future. They will ensure the city can continue to grow and prosper.

There will be many more debates to come and many more battles to fight as Melbourne comes to grips with the challenges of being a global city in the 21st century. It will need to find ways of dealing with growth, and addressing issues like greenhouse gas emissions, without sacrificing those things that make Melbourne such a wonderful place to live.

Melbourne does not need to become Tokyo. But it does need to live within itself, and it does need to adapt to the changing world around it. Continuing to invest in public transport infrastructure will help Melbourne to achieve both of those goals.

And in doing so, Melbourne can show the way for other Australian cities as they face the challenges of climate change, transport congestion and oil reliance.

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About the Author

Stewart Prins is a transport consultant and former Ministerial Adviser to the Victorian Government.

Other articles by this Author

All articles by Stewart Prins

Creative Commons LicenseThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

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