Inner-city Melburnians are almost twice as likely to use public transport as residents from middle and outer suburbs
September 10, 2012
Inner-city Melburnians are almost twice as likely to use public transport as residents from Melbourne’s middle and outer suburbs, according to an Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) report.
The recent ABS report shows in the past month 57 percent of people living in Melbourne Metropolitan Transport Zone 1 used public transport, compared to only 29 percent of people living in Zone 2.
“While a similar number of people in Zone 1 and Zone 2 used public transport three to seven days per week, Zone 1 patrons were more likely than Zone 2 patrons to use public transport one to two days a week – 28 percent and 16 percent respectively,” an ABS statement says.
About 21 percent of Zone 2 patrons were low frequency users – less than once a month – compared to seven percent of Zone 1 patrons.
The report also
shows more than half of public transport patrons in Zones 1 and 2
cite the main reason they used public transport was
that it was more convenient than their own transport, was less stressful, or it reduced travel time.
Less than one in ten people responded that it was cheaper than their own transport.
Of those people in Zones 1 and 2 who did not use public transport in the past month, 75 percent say
the
main reason
they don’t use public transport is that they use their own car for convenience, comfort or privacy reasons.
The report also shows 51 percent of people aged 18 to 34 used public transport in the past month, compared with 32 percent of people aged 35 years and over.