The Climate Council commissioned survey suggests Australians want to see a complete zero-emissions transition of bus fleets as soon as possible
A new poll from the Climate Council of more than 2,000 Australians says that eight out of 10 people believe governments must invest more in public transport, particularly sustainable options.
The report also says that seven in 10 are keen to see Australia’s entire bus fleet electrified and run on renewable energy as soon as possible.
The Climate Council commissioned the People and Transport National Poll 2022, which was conducted by YouGov, as it found that more than two-thirds of Australians think sustainable transport should include more footpaths and bike lanes across the country.
“A cleaner, more efficient and affordable transport system is what Australians want and it’s also crucial for our climate,” Climate Council CEO Amanda McKenzie says.
“Transport is Australia’s fastest growing source of greenhouse gas emissions and our country’s second biggest source of climate pollution.
RELATED ARTICLE: New battery electric buses hit Cairns
“Seeing more Australians choose public transport alongside the switch to electric vehicles is essential to cut costs for households and drive down Australia’s emissions.”
The survey polled 2,163 Australians aged 18 to over 65 and also found that:
- Seven in 10 (70 per cent) Australians agree we should electrify our public bus fleets as quickly as possible, manufacture and power them here with our sun and wind
- In NSW and Victoria, eight in 10 agree that the government should invest more in public transport, while seven in 10 people from Queensland and South Australia echoed these sentiments
- NSW has the highest support (73 per cent) for electric buses powered by renewables
This public opinion supports the momentum gathering around the electric transition, heightened by the new Fuel Efficiency Standards.
The Climate Council is also calling for Australian governments to:
- Allocate at least half of its transport budgets to public transport
- Encourage private electric vehicle uptake
- Convert state and territory bus fleets to clean, quiet and zero-emissions buses