Travel-activity related impacts of office relocation : three case studies from Sydney.

The focus of this paper is on travel-activity and residential location impacts of firm relocation. Three case studies are examined that have involved complete relocation of functions to a suburban location in Sydney's expanding northwest sector and to the Australia Centre at Homebush Bay. Extensive surveys were undertaken after the move that sought detailed information on employees' travel-activity behaviour before and after the move. A major finding of the study is the significant change in travel behaviour which can occur when an organisation (or firm) undertakes workplace relocation - the major change being a shift in travel from public transport to car based travel. Overall, there was a 50 percent reduction in the use of public transport, and car use increased by 16 percent across all survey respondents. The overwhelming consensus among respondents using public transport following relocation was of increased trip disutility and increased inaccessibility to respective work sites - the main reasons given for shifting to car use. A second major finding of the study indicated that, despite no overall reduction in the number of non-work activities, the absence of activity opportunities at a major work site (Australia Centre at Homebush Bay) is linked to very significant shifts from public transport to car use, and to the purchase of vehicles by previous public transport users. Relocation from an activity rich to activity poor site leads to a rearrangement of activities where more employees choose to perform non-work activities outside of normal working hours - mainly to and from work - thereby contributing to traffic flows. The impacts of these changes are discussed in terms of current strategies that manage employment dispersal, and in terms of broader strategic policies that attempt to integrate transport-land use-environment decisions to encourage less reliance on the car for the journey to work across the metropolitan region. (Author/publisher) For the covering entry of this conference, please see ITRD abstract no. E205861.