19 October 2018
Media Release
Brisbane commuters are having to waste more time planning for traffic jams than ever before, according to a damning report on road congestion by the Australian Automobile Association (AAA).
The ‘Road Congestion in Australia’ report found that unpredictability of travel time on Brisbane’s roads worsened more in the last 12 months (increasing by 1.2%) than any other State Capital. That increase means there is now a variation of almost 22% between journey times for trips in and around Queensland’s capital.
The resulting element of unpredictability is forcing drivers and passengers to allocate more and more time for journeys, which significantly impacts productivity and the economy. Whether driving their own vehicle, travelling by taxi or bus, or attempting to deliver freight, Queenslanders in the South East corner are wasting increasing amounts of time, money, and patience on clogged up roads.
The impact this has on the national economy is eyewatering, with the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics estimating that congestion hit the economy for $16.5bn in 2015. However, that figure pales in comparison to the estimated $27.7bn to $37.3bn it will be costing Australia by 2030 if nothing is done.
A large portion of the blame for worsening congestion in and around Brisbane can be attributed to the unchecked numbers of booked-hire vehicles which have been allowed to flood Queensland’s roads in recent years. From a standing start of no such vehicles, services such as UberX are now responsible for more than 15,000 extra vehicles cruising the State’s roads, hunting for fares.
Taxi Council of Queensland (TCQ) CEO, Blair Davies, believes there is an obvious first step for the State Government to take in combating the worsening congestion on Brisbane’s roads.
“Placing a cap on the number of booked-hire vehicles which can operate on Queensland roads has to be first cab off the rank in any congestion-busting strategy. We already have an oversupply of these vehicles. Implementing a cap has no real downside for booked-hire consumers and only upside for the drivers trying to make a living from these services,” said Mr Davies.
“It’s like hitting the emergency stop button on a conveyor belt that’s out of control. It may not fix the problem but it will stop the mess being created getting any worse. Deciding not to issue any more booked-hire vehicle licenses would give the Government much needed breathing space to work through some of the tougher options it will need to look at to decongest South East Queensland roads.
“We know that unlike its drivers, Uber desperately doesn’t want to see the Government cap booked-hire vehicles. It’s already started proposing congestion taxes to overseas cities looking to follow the lead of New York, which introduced a cap in August. We would simply say to the State Government that taxing Queenslanders to avoid inconveniencing a company like Uber is plainly the wrong priority,” continued Mr Davies.
“Congestion is a huge problem that will continue to get worse unless the Government acts, and acts quickly. More public transport services, better roads and possibly even targeted taxation will have a part to play in the solution, but each of them will take time to implement. Capping booked-hire vehicles, like New York has done, is a part of the solution that does not require any lead time, and can begin having a positive impact immediately.”
Ends