Smart City focus to include transport technology
A collaborative of over 380 transport sector organisations have recommended to the Federal Government that transport be a key factor in the National Cities Performance Framework (NCPF).
The NCPF supports the Australian Government’s Smart Cities Plan, and is an Australian first of its kind, bringing together critical data to track city performance, supporting government to better target, monitor and evaluate policy for cities.
Parking Australia, ITS Australia, Australia and New Zealand Driverless Vehicle Initiative (ADVI), ClimateWorks Australia and the Electric Vehicle Council have collaborated in a submission to Federal Government to raise awareness of the role transport plays in Smart Cities.
The Smart Transport and Mobility Systems Report joint submission recommends Government considers seven input indicators, reflecting a ‘best steps forward’ approach, including:
- Consideration of smart transport and mobility systems in all major city and transport planning activities.
- Electric Vehicle charging infrastructure deployment plan.
- Real time monitoring of congestion points and economic bottlenecks.
- Open real time dynamic road traffic data availability.
- Open real-time dynamic public transport data availability.
- High speed low latency data network coverage.
- Mobile ticketing for public transport, including booking and payment by third parties.
Parking Australia Chief Executive, Lorraine Duffy commented that the collaborative submission has reinforced the benefits and opportunities for connecting infrastructure that provides for a clean, frictionless transport experience.
“A smart city approach enables parking to be one of the solutions to congestion through reduction in vehicular circulation whilst transforming journey planning and vehicle emissions.”
The group has offered to meet with the Hon Angus Taylor MP, Assistant Minister for Cities and Digital Transformation, to discuss the detail of the joint submission and to provide further insight into the significance of transport and electric mobility into the National Cities Performance Framework.
ITS Australia Chief Executive Susan Harris says the joint submission is consistent with the findings of the ITS Australia Report Smart Transport for Australia.
“Transport is a central component of a Smart City. It enables people and goods to move about. Transport technology must be integrated into the planning of any city or regional centre”.
ADVI Centre of Excellence Executive Director, Rita Excell, said future decisions made using today’s approach are likely to have far-reaching and costly consequences because they fail to consider the advent of driverless vehicle technology.
“To achieve a clean, shared and accessible transport system it is critical for planners to embrace a coordinated and proactive approach which considers driverless vehicles as part of integrated future mobility patterns – both in a passenger and freight context”.
Climate Works Australia Head of Implementation, Scott Ferraro, said that smart transport and mobility systems are critical in reducing greenhouse gas emissions at lowest cost.
“Emission from our transport system are projected to grow, and Smart Cities can play a key role in providing some of the most cost effective solutions to ensure we can deliver on our commitments under the Paris Agreement.”
Electric Vehicle Council, CEO, Behyad Jafari, said a co-ordinated approach encouraging the swift transition to electric road transport is a crucial first step towards enabling future transport solutions.
“The benefits of electrification are especially important to our cities by making road transport quieter and cleaner”.