• Greenhouse and the transport sector.
• Urban air quality.
• Transport efficiency, including vehicle efficiency and design.
• Urban design and its relationship with transport
• Social equity in the transport sector.

In its considerations of achieving ESD in the sector the Working Group examined the greenhouse threat, impacts on urban amenity and interurban transport; the contribution that vehicle technology and alternative fuels can make to a more ecologically sustainable transport sector; urban systems; options for more sustainable interurban transport; policy and policy instruments.

Key recommendations:

Although a central focus of the Group s work was on the transport sector's contribution to reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, recommendations will bring a wider range of ESD benefits.

The Working Group recommends that:

• comprehensive information, education and consultation programs to improve community understanding of, and participation in, the transport related aspects of ESD;
• all governments to take account of ESD in their decision making regarding investment in transport infrastructure;
• studies to be undertaken as to how best incorporate the full economic, social and environmental cost into energy prices in Australian transport.

taxes and tradable emissions:

• the merits of a carbon tax and a tradable emissions scheme in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, including attention to international competitiveness, and equity issues, to he examined;
• concessions within the existing fringe benefits tax (FBT) system that encourage the provision of company cars be eliminated and the elimination of sales tax exemption for governments in the purchase of new vehicles.

fleet cars:

• governments to downsize car fleets, improve fleet management, and encourage the use of public transport as part of salary packages.

air quality and emissions:

• comprehensive air quality studies be carried out in all major Australian population centres to provide a basis for determining the most effective means of achieving air quality objectives;
• vehicle emission and fuel consumption testing facilities be maintained, developed or established;
• more comprehensive new and tighter emission limits be introduced for diesel and petrol engine vehicles;
• development and improvement of programs to detect and rectify vehicles emitting visihle smoke.

consumption rates:

• all new cars to be labelled to indicate fuel consumption rates as achieved under a properly audited test;
• all advertising in relation to the sale of new vehicles make specific reference to the fuel consumption figures.

urban densities and urban forms:

• work to increase the level of understanding of urban planners and managers in the general community of the ways in which the social, economic, lifestyle and environmental benefits of higher urban densities and alternative urban forms in Australian urban communities can be achieved;
• subsidies on greenfield suburbanisation be phased out to achieve full cost pricing of urban development;
• inappropriate regulations and processes preventing re-urbanisation be removed;
• particular attention be paid to redevelopment of land around key public transport nodes to include dense housing and home commercial activity so that travel is minimised and public transport facilities are made more inherently attractive and safe;
• demonstrations of housing systems and urban villages be provided incorporating affordable and higher density housing at appropriate locations that can minimise or reduce travel;
• policies be finalised and implemented immediately to ensure that affordable housing for all housing groups (in particular for low-income households and groups in need) is in locations accessible to public transport, employment, and other essential community facilities, and that the need for travel is lessened.

bicycles:

• a national cycle strategy which is integrated into nation transport planning be developed and implemented.

urban public transport:

• governments and public transport authorities to identify and implement measures to encourage greater use of urban public transport services;
• work towards improving the operational efficiency of urban public transport servlces.

freight transport:

• existing urban transport and land-use planning arrangements be reviewed to achieve better integration;
• environmental impact assessment be applied to transport policies, programs and projects as an essential part of transport planning and decision making;
• the establishment of a representative consultative group or process involving government, industry, unions and other stakeholders to examine the problems faced by the car industry, the road freight industry, and others affected by proposed policy changes, to assist in making the transition necessary to meet ESD goals.

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