Getting smart on transport could help us significantly reduce our greenhouse pollution. It’s a crucial part of achieving a safe climate for the future. It would also mean cleaner cities, healthier people and affordable living. That’s why Environment Victoria is campaigning for strong government action to clean up Victoria’s transport system. Click here to take action and help tell the government Australians want cleaner cars. Transport is responsible for 15% of Australia’s greenhouse pollution – second only to coal fired electricity – and most of this pollution comes from driving cars. Victorians are already voting with their feet, by switching to public transport where they can. As well as saving money, public transport, walking and cycling helps us get fitter and healthier. However, many families will continue to rely on at least one private car. With petrol set to become more expensive – as much as $8 a litre by 2018 – fuel efficient cars will help families cut both pollution and their petrol bills. The Victorian Government could make our transport greener and our cities cleaner by:
1. Planning Melbourne and Victorian towns for accessibility and sustainable transport: Through better planning of our cities, suburbs and towns, we could actually decrease the demand for travel by cutting the need for people to travel as far or as often.
2. Improving public transport: Victorians need a public transport system that is fast, frequent, reliable, safe, accessible, connected and that gets you where you need to go.
3. Active transport: We need to make cycling and walking easier especially in Melbourne’s middle and outer suburbs and across Victoria’s regional centres by investing in behaviour change programs and improved infrastructure.
4. More efficient cars: Australian cars use as much petrol today as they did in 1963. With a strong and mandatory standard for our cars we could make big cuts to our pollution and slash up to $700 a year from the average motorist’s petrol bill.
There’s lots of things you can do to green your transport choices. Skate over here to discover them. More resources
Read about the work Environment Victoria did to make transport an election issue in 2010. Pedal over here
And read our reflection on the role of public transport in the 2010 election campaign. Have a squizz