POPULAR WORDS

The world's biggest travel survey - TravelSmart - has been launched to encourage people in 70,000 homes in Brisbane's northside to use public transport.

The $4.2 million partnership between the Brisbane City Council (which runs Brisbane Transport buses), Queensland government (CityTrain) and the federal government's Greenhouse Office aims to reduce car traffic growth along congested Lutwyche Road into the city.

The suburbs targeted are also along the new northern Busway and Airport Link tunnel bypass tollroad.

Queensland Transport minister Paul Lucas says the two projects will take through traffic out of the suburbs, but also greatly speed up public transport into the city.

He says the new projects will ensure that public transport passengers will have a faster trip into the city than by car - and TravelSmart will be personally introducing residents to this.

In the year to March 2006, bus patronage in Brisbane increased by nearly 20 percent, due largely to increased services along the city's two busways plus the introduction of the Translink simplified ticketing and route planning systems.

TravelSmart, which was developed in Perth, was trialed in Indooroopilly last year and has resulted in a 9 percent reduction in single vehicle use in that congested middle suburb. Last year TravelSmart conducted surveys in 10,000 homes in the outer growth suburbs of Redlands and slashed 25 million kms of car travel in the shire.

In the year to March 2006, bus patronage in Brisbane increased by nearly 20 percent, due largely to increased services along the city's two busways plus the introduction of the Translink simplified ticketing and route planning systems.

TravelSmart, which was developed in Perth, was trialled in Indooroopoilly last year and has resulted in a 9 percent reduction in single vehicle use in that congested middle suburb. Last year TravelSmart consucted surveys in 10,000 homes in the outer growth suburbs of Redlands and slashed 25 million kms of car travel in the shire.


TravelSmart consultants have begun visiting homes in northern subrubs to help them plan better travel habits.

Details at www.transport.qld.gov.au/travelsmart