A poll of more than 2,000 Australians has found widespread support for replacing all petrol and diesel powered buses with an electric fleet by 2030, as well as more investment in foothpaths and cycleways.

The YouGov People and Transport National Poll 2022, commissioned by the Climate Council, also found there’s interest in riding electric bikes, with more than two thirds of respondents saying they’d be try one out if offered as a free trial.

The Climate Council says the results of the survey should dispel perceptions that Australians aren’t ready to embrace net-zero solution like introducing clean public transport and encouraging more walking and bike riding.

“Australians are excited about the prospect of clean, renewable-powered electric buses and want streets that are safe and pleasant to walk around in,” it says in a preface to the report.

“Governments have an opportunity to harness this enthusiasm.”

More investment in bike paths, cycleways backed

A total of 2,163 respondents from Queensland, NSW, Victoria and SA conducted an online survey between between May 31 and June 8, 2022.

Almost 70 per cent of respondents said state and local government should be spending more in footpaths and bike lanes, with more than 60 per cent saying the two per cent of transport budgets currently allocated to this isn’t enough.

Eighty per cent said they think governments need to invest more in public transport and 65 per cent wanted to see  all diesel and petrol buses replaced with renewable-powered electric buses by 2030 at the latest.

According to the poll, the top three reasons for investing in renewable powered electric buses were to improve air quality, reduce dependence on foreign oil and cut use of fossil fuels.

The survey showed more than a quarter of people surveyed never used public transport, but almost 70 per cent said they’d use it more often if services were more frequent, better connected, safe and reliable.

NSW was the biggest supporter of more government spending on public transport and renewables-powered electric buses, with 82 per cent backing more investment in public transport.

It also had the most electric bike supporters, with 69 per cent saying they take up an opportunity form state or local government to try one out for free.

NSW also has the highest use of public transport, but seventy-two per sent of NSW residents said they’d use public transport more often if services were better.

Boosting public transport budgets

The Climate Council used the launch of the report this week to call for states and territories to  allocate at least half their transport budgets to public transport, and 20 per cent to initiatives that boost walking and bike-riding.

It also wants to see governments encourage private electric bike uptake through government-funded try-before-you-buy programs.

Findings:

• 80 per cent of Australians think governments should invest more in public transport
• 67 per cent think governments should invest more in footpaths and bike lanes
• 70 per cent think public bus fleets should be electrified as quickly as possible, manufactured here and powered by renewable energy
• State governments currently allocate less than two per cent of transport budgets to footpaths and bike lanes. 60 per cent of respondents in the states surveyed said this wasn’t enough.

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