Last week, we conducted a quick poll via Twitter and email to get a feel for the potential impacts of the train disruptions on commuters. We asked a simple question: Are you going to avoid public transport? We received 170 responses, 48 on Twitter and 122 via email.
Compared to 2016 Census data regarding travel to work mode in Greater Sydney, we observed that the disruptions would have had a significant impact on travel patterns. While the percentage of people that usually work at home is 4.4%, around 18% of the respondents indicated that they would avoid public transport by working from home. The percentage of commuters that would cycle or walk also increased (12% vs 4.7%).
The chart below shows a comparison between our results and the Census data:
It is important to highlight the strong limitations of the poll as the survey consisted of a single question with limited alternatives. Therefore, it is not our intention to promote these results as a definitive proof of the impacts generated by the disruptions to Sydney Trains. Instead, our objective is to use the data to reflect on the possible solutions for reducing traffic in our cities.
While looking at these results, some questions popped up on our minds:
Is working from home an initiative that should be encouraged by government and organisations?
What can be done to encourage those who chose to cycle/walk to do it more often?
Image credit: ABC