Major urban transport expenditure initiatives: where are the returns likely to be strongest and how significant is social exclusion in making the case?

Abstract

This paper explores whether the benefits from major urban transport spending increases are likely to differ greatly, depending on whether that spending prioritises light rail, a mode with growing interest and several new services recently developed in Australia, major road network improvement or provision of additional bus services. It does this through a series of case studies based on Sydney, using MetroScan, an integrated transport and land use strategic model system. MetroScan is the most sophisticated strategic integrated land use, transport and economic system evaluation model in Australia, with the capability of exploring dynamic interactions between transport improvements, residential locations and job locations, among other things. We specifically focus on the impacts of major transport initiatives on reducing risks that people will be socially excluded because of poor mobility opportunities.