Use of Powered Two-Wheelers in an Australian Capital City

Abstract

Increasing concerns about traffic congestion, safety, availability of energy sources, and environmental issues such as pollution and climate change have led to growing interest in sustainable urban transport. Because these challenges have arisen from the rapid growth of motor vehicle ownership and use in urban areas, most of the focus has been on motorcars. In contrast, the role, use, and sustainability impacts of motor scooters and motorcycles—collectively called powered two-wheelers (PTWs)—have received relatively little attention from the transportation profession. Sales of PTWs in Australia have grown rapidly during the past decade, but little is known of their usage patterns. Insights into the trip and vehicle characteristics of PTWs observed in the central business district (CBD) of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, are presented. An extensive patrol survey was undertaken in Melbourne's CBD to gain insight into the role of PTWs as a mode of transport. How a range of transport planning information can be gained by combining data from a large-scale observational survey with other data sets is illustrated. The parking patrol survey provided details of the accumulation and parking durations of PTWs on footpaths and in median parking areas. Combining the observational data with land use, registration, census, and public transport data allowed the development of relationships between trip generation, production, and journey distance. Such information has potential relevance in the context of developing policies related to the provision and pricing of PTW parking facilities as well as managing pedestrian areas in Melbourne's CBD.