People and Transport National Poll 2022: Results

10.11.22 By
This content is more than one year old

Australians want transport options that are better for our hip pockets and climate.

The transport sector is Australia’s third-largest source of greenhouse gas emissions. What’s more, transport emissions are still growing – unlike other sources like electricity which are on a downward trend.

There are several important steps to decarbonising Australia’s transport system. Getting more electric vehicles (EVs) onto our roads is an important part of the puzzle, while encouraging more uptake of clean public transport, walking and bike-riding will also play a big role. These important solutions should be front and centre in the conversation about how we move around in a net-zero future, but there’s often a perception that Australians won’t embrace them. 

The Climate Council’s latest national poll shows this couldn’t be further from the truth. Australians are excited about the prospect of clean, renewable-powered electric buses and want streets that are safe and pleasant to walk around in. Governments have an opportunity to harness this enthusiasm – alongside the switch to EVs – to ensure we drive down transport costs for households and Australia’s emissions at the same time.

Key findings:

Australians want more public transport and infrastructure for walking and bike-riding

Why do Australians want more public transport and infrastructure for walking and bike-riding?

The top three reasons for state and territories to invest in public transport are:

The top three reasons for state and territories to build new bike lanes and footpaths are:

The top three reasons for state and territories to invest in renewable-powered electric buses:

Download the report for state-specific key findings on page 2, and state-specific report sections

The Climate Council is calling for states and territories to:

1. Allocate at least half (50%) of their transport budgets to public transport and 20% to initiatives that boost walking and bike-riding in line with best practice and the community’s needs.

2. Encourage private electric bike uptake through discounts at point of sale and government-funded try-before-you-buy programs.

3. Convert state and territory bus fleets to clean, quiet and zero-emission buses.


Survey Information

The People and Transport National Poll 2022 was undertaken by YouGov, commissioned by the Climate Council, surveyed 2,163 people (between 31st May-8th June 2022).

Survey was based in QLD, NSW, VIC, SA and WA, between the ages of 18 to over 65.

The survey asked respondents:

Methodology

The Climate Council commissioned YouGov to run a national survey on public transport, which was in the field between May 31 and June 8, 2022. The survey was conducted via an online survey with a total sample size of 2163 adults. The figures have been weighted and therefore are representative of all Australian citizens (aged 18+) with a minimum of 500 people taking part in Queensland and in South Australia.