Transport in the context of sustainable development aims to simultaneously promote the goals of economic development, environmental protection, safety, and access and equity. A brief review is made of the Commonwealth Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD) Working Group on Transport and its recommendations. The paper then presents the main themes of national approaches to transport and sustainable development in the United Kingdom and the USA, with a view to considering their applicability in the Australian context. These themes have emerged from data analysis as well as through consultations conducted in early 1998 by the Commonwealth Department of Transport and Regional Development with a range of Government and non-government bodies in the UK and United States. Suggestions on approaches and on priority actions suitable for the Australian context are made: the need for national leadership with bipartisan support and a collaborative federal approach; the need for public participation and strong stakeholder involvement; the formulation of an appropriate public education program; and funding mechanisms to ensure change. Specific actions include: different methods to measure "progress"; integration of transport with planning and environmental regulation; more reliable data and models; inclusion of freight and passengers as well as non-motorised transport; and a package of policy instruments that form the basis of long-term solutions for transport. (A)
Samenvatting