Understanding the impacts of commuting: research report for stakeholders

Abstract

This research report summarises the key findings of a project that is investigating the impacts of commuting on people’s lives. This project is the first of its kind to explore how commutes are changing people; how commutes are impacting on people’s work and home lives; how commutes are impacting on people’s longer term plans; and how the negative impacts of commuting are responded to by a range of diverse stakeholders. There are important economic productivity and public health reasons for understanding how commutes are impacting on people’s lives. However, improving the wellbeing of city workers and their families is an important objective in itself. Research was conducted with commuters and stakeholders in Sydney, Australia. It aims to be useful for those involved in making cities better for their inhabitants. The findings of this project increase our understanding of how life in our cities is undergoing change. They will be used to engage key industry stakeholders, policymakers and politicians on current issues of urban transportation.