Common Urban Myths About Transport

Melbourne’s transport plans should be based on fact, not ideology.
---Wayne Kayler-Thompson, VECCI Chief Executive, 2008

For every complex problem, there is a solution that is simple, neat, and wrong.
---H.L. Mencken (1880-1956)

There seems to be a lot of disinformation being put out about transport here in Melbourne.
---Professor Vukan Vuchic, on a visit to Melbourne, 1994

Myths About Freeways

Wrong Ideas About Traffic

• Freeways relieve traffic congestion
• Freeways reduce pollution
• A continuous freeway network will eliminate bottlenecks
• The purpose of freeways is to bypass congested areas
• Freeways are needed for cross-suburban travel
• There's only one river crossing from Melbourne's West
• They're not just freeways, they're Integrated Transport Corridors
• Roads and public transport complement each other - they don't compete
• We need big roads anyway, even for sustainable transport

Wrong Ideas About Economics

• Freeways are for freight, not commuters
• More freeways will promote economic growth
• Freeways are cheap
• The objective of transport planning is providing more mobility

Wrong Ideas About Safety

• Freeways are safer than arterial roads
• Spending more money on roads makes us safer

Myths About Public Transport

"People Won't Use It"

• 'Real' people don't use public transport
• People who own cars won't use public transport
• No-one uses public transport, so it's pointless trying to improve it
• Public transport can't be improved until there's demand for it
• The system is fine: people just have to change their behaviour
• Women's needs are too flexible and diverse for public transport
• Public transport isn't viable in Melbourne because it doesn't snow here

"It Won't Work"

• Public transport can't work unless it runs from door to door
• Fixed rail lines are too inflexible for today's planning needs
• Viable public transport requires high population densities
• Melbourne's outer suburbs aren't suited to public transport use
• Public transport only works for trips to the city centre
• Public transport is a subsidy to rich city workers
• Train lines to the suburbs are pointless, as most travel is local
• Public transport doesn't help with traffic congestion
• You can't take six kids and 10kg of rice on public transport, so it's pointless
• Trams have more greenhouse emissions than cars
• Trams are inflexible and hold up traffic, and should be replaced with buses
• Trams cause more casualty crashes on streets where they run
• Public transport doesn't really save energy
• Public transport can't possibly be as fast as driving
• Public transport is obsolete, and progress demands we abandon it

"We Can't Afford It"

• Public transport is expensive to run
• Public transport is a failure because it requires public subsidies
• Public transport is a subsidy from poor suburbanites to rich central-city workers
• More money is spent on public transport than on roads
• We'd have to spend heaps of money on infrastructure
• We can't have Doncaster trains because there's no room for them
• We can't have Rowville trains because there's no room for them
• Public transport is too expensive compared with roads
• We can't improve public transport because we need the money for hospitals
• Public transport makes housing unaffordable
• Bringing back tram conductors and station staff would send fares through the roof
• Heavy rail costs too much; we should build light rail instead
• We can't have airport trains because the Citylink contract forbids it

Misreading What People Want

• Park-and-Ride facilities will encourage public transport use
• Making public transport free will encourage use
• People just want faster and more punctual services; they don't care about frequency
• 'Super expresses' will encourage more public transport use
• Trains and trams are obsolete and should be replaced with Maglev / Light Rail / Monorails / Trolley buses / this year's trendy technology
• Self-driving cars will make public transport obsolete
• Light rail is an effective, inexpensive alternative to new train lines
• Tram passengers benefit from fewer tram stops
• Trams will function better if stops are relocated to mid-block locations
• The purpose of tram priority is to stop trams running late
• If people have to transfer, they won't make the trip
• Smartcards encourage public transport use and reduce fare evasion
• Periodical tickets are inflexible; per-trip fares are better for users
• Multimodal zone-based fares are unfair; we should be charged by distance
• Melbourne's fares are comparatively cheap

Myths About Cars

Cars and People

• Car travel is popular, so we should provide more roads
• The motor car is the ultimate freedom machine

Cars and the City

• Melbourne's outer suburbs are irredeemably car-dependent
• Self-driving cars will make traffic a thing of the past

Cars and the Environment

• Cars are becoming more fuel efficient
• Planting 17 trees per year will cancel out your car's environmental impact
• It's just as effective to promote carpooling as to provide public transport
• Cars are more efficient than public transport because they never run empty
• Alternative fuels will come to the rescue
• Freeways reduce pollution
• Cars have lower greenhouse emissions than trams
• Cars aren't the biggest greenhouse polluters, so there's no point focussing on them

The Cost of Cars

• Motorists pay more in taxes and fees than is spent on roads
• The only solution to high petrol prices is to cut fuel tax
• Subsidising car use promotes social equity
• Roads cost the government less than public transport
• Small cars are unsafe and should be avoided

Public Transport Users Association (Victoria, Australia)

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The public transport advocacy group for Victoria, Australia

Last modified: 28 November 2015