Cycling mode share in 2016
ANALYSIS
Riding to work is a great way to commute. The ABS Census includes one question regarding this: 3% of Canberrans cycled to work in 2016 on the census day.
Of those that did not work from home, approximately 84% of Canberrans commuted to work in a private motor vehicle on the ABS Census day in 2016.
ABS Census 2016
Figure 1: Cycling made up only 3% of the commuters on census day in 2016.
The percentage of people using a particular mode of transport; the ACT has targets to achieve a mode share of 7% by walking, 7% by cycling and 16% by public transport of all journey to work trips by 2026. “
Building an Integrated Transport Network: Active Travel (ACT Government, May 2015)
ABS Census 2016
“For example, when it came to commuting, given population increases from 2011 to 2016, the Census recorded increases in numbers for each of the four most common ways (modes) that people in the ACT travelled to work,” Ms Kindermann said. “However, while car use remained by far the most common, as was the case nationally, it had the lowest percentage increase of 5 per cent. The Census recorded that the largest increase was for the bicycle (15 per cent) followed by walking (14 per cent) and then the bus (11 per cent). This pattern is generally in contrast to the national picture.”
2016 Census: Australian Capital Territory; MEDIA RELEASE, 23 October 2017, 141/2017
The people that are employed have to get to work.
| Census | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|
| Employed persons | 205,628 | 195,891 |
****2016 Census: Australian Capital Territory; MEDIA RELEASE, 23 October 2017, 141/2017
This is how they do it. The question considers “single method of travel only”. In other words, pick one only. Active travel encourages us to combine different modes of transport in one trip: walking, cycling, bus, car. Park and Ride is an example. Ergo, this is an inferior survey question.
Method of Travel to Work
| 2016 | 2011 | |
|---|---|---|
| Car (as driver or passenger) | 143,093 | 135,733 |
| Top 3 other methods | ||
| 1. Bus | 12,226 | 11,054 |
| 2. Walked only | 9,305 | 8,165 |
| 3. Bicycle | 5,366 | 4,673 |
****2016 Census: Australian Capital Territory; MEDIA RELEASE, 23 October 2017, 141/2017
Cycling made up only 3% of the commuters on census day in 2016. By international standards, this is low. By Australian standards, it is quite good. Other Australian cities, though, do better with public transport.