Australians are already changing their travel habits. As fuel prices have soared, more than half of motorists have cut their driving in the past month, according to a national survey of 1,800 NRMA members.<\/p>\n
Those who can are embracing alternatives \u2013 including swapping their car for a bike, working from home<\/a> and jumping on a tram to the shops \u2013 to reduce fuel costs and help the environment without buying an electric car.<\/p>\n Transport is Australia\u2019s third largest source of climate pollution. Government forecasts suggest it will be the biggest source of emissions by 2030. Each litre of petrol puts about 2.3kg of carbon dioxide \u2013 roughly equivalent to the weight of a house brick \u2013 into the atmosphere, according to the National Transport<\/a> Commission.<\/p>\n Why do we travel?<\/p>\n In Australia\u2019s big cities, the majority of trips are still done by car, says Dr Liam Davies, an associate director at the Institute for Sensible Transport. Access to alternatives, like public transport or bike trails, depends on where people live<\/a>, with outer suburbs and regional areas often less well served than the inner city.<\/p>\n Studies of travel in Sydney and Melbourne have found about 20% of trips are for work, 21% to drive someone else ( such as dropping off or picking up children from school), 19% for social or recreational purposes, and 19% for shopping.<\/p>\n For people who want to leave their car at home, how far they travel will often dictate the best alternative. \u201cMost people will find a comfortable walk at about one kilometre, and a comfortable bike ride at about four kilometres. Once you\u2019re over either of those distances, public transport becomes the most comfortable option \u2013 or the motor vehicle,\u201d Davies says.<\/p>\n Getting on board with public transport<\/p>\n Daniel Bowen, a campaigner with the Public Transport Users Association, says an increase in people travelling by bus, train or tram benefits everyone \u2013 and not just those who have the option of using public transport.<\/p>\n \u201cFor society at large, one less car off the road means less pollution, less traffic congestion,\u201d he says. \u201cAnd for the people who don\u2019t have a choice [not to] drive, then that obviously helps them if there are fewer cars on the road.\u201d<\/p>\n A Metro train at North Melbourne: public transport is looking increasingly attractive thanks to the high cost of fuel. Photograph: Joel Carrett\/AAP<\/p>\n He says while no one would claim that the public transport system is perfect it can be a time saver and an efficient way to travel for people who have the option. Google Maps and other journey planning apps can help with checking available routes and estimating how long a trip will take.<\/p>\n \u201cYou can often use the time on public transport productively to read, to doom-scroll, ring up friends or answer emails,\u201d he says, activities that can\u2019t \u2013 or shouldn\u2019t \u2013 be attempted while driving.<\/p>\n Driving less has significant environmental, social and health benefits too.<\/p>\n A petrol or diesel powered vehicle emits between 150 and 300 grams of CO2\/km. Emissions from taking public transport can be zero. Davies says that is especially the case with electric trams, trains and buses. But even a diesel bus has lower per person emissions than a car. Walking and cycling are essentially \u201ccarbon free\u201d.<\/p>\n Motor vehicles also produce particulate pollution that can be bad for human health, exacerbating asthma and other respiratory problems. Studies have shown urban noise from roads adds to our stress and disturbs wildlife.<\/p>\n Getting back on the bike<\/p>\n The not-for-profit Bicycle Network has seen a spike in interest since fuel prices started rising and interest rate hikes pushed up living costs.<\/p>\n Pedal power: cycling to work or the local shops is one way of saving money during the fuel crisis. Photograph: Jessica Hromas\/The Guardian<\/p>\n The network\u2019s chief executive, Alison McCormack, says most people have access to a bike and about two-thirds of Australians want to ride more often but worry it\u2019s unsafe. There are some great cycling paths<\/a>, but she says there are also gaps in cycling networks that make riding a bike more difficult.<\/p>\n McCormack encourages people to \u201cjust start\u201d. \u201cGet your bike out of the shed and make sure it\u2019s roadworthy.<\/p>\n She says the key things to remember are \u201cABCD\u201d: check there is air in the tyres, the brakes work and the chain is oiled. Then do \u201ca little drop test\u201d \u2013 dropping your bike and catching it to see if anything rattles. \u201cIf you\u2019ve got concerns about any of those, go to your local bike shop.\u201d<\/p>\n Take your bike for a spin around the block and build on that, she says. Swap out one or two trips to the shops, or to work. \u201cOnce you master that, the whole world opens up.\u201d<\/p>\n Neighbourhood bike shops and community groups can provide local information about the best and safest routes. Workplaces can help by providing end-of-trip facilities, such as bike storage, showers and lockers.<\/p>\n