An e-update of transport news and articles received at NCOSS.

How to ease a women’s fear of transportation environments

Mineta Transport Institute (US) 7 December, 2009 | The relationship between women's fear and the built environment has been the subject of research with clear findings that women feel unsafe in many public spaces including transportation environments.
website: apo.org.au/research/how-ease-womens-fear-transportation-environments

Web Site: Social Research in Transport (SORT) Clearinghouse

The Institute of Transport Studies (ITS) at Monash University, Australia, have developed a free web based international research clearinghouse to increase knowledge and learning in the transport profession about research relating to social issues in passenger transport. The clearinghouse collates research reports focussing on social issues such as disadvantage and inequality. Researchers can use the search the database to find and access reports, sign up to a newsletter providing updates on new research reports or submit research to be included on the system.
website: www.sortclearinghouse.info

Articles from the Australian Senior

Access the Senior Newspaper online: www.thesenior.com.au/publications.asp
(Under NSW click on Digital Paper. To enlarge the article click on it directly)

• p.6 Crossings get smart to improve safety (Timed Pedestrian Crossings)
• p.7 New permit to end confusion (Disability parking)
• p.8 War widows get fee relief (Free photo ID for pensioners and war widows)

COAG Communiqué – 7 December 2009: Transport Regulation

COAG has taken several further steps towards a truly national transport system that will reduce transport costs and help lift national productivity without compromising safety.

COAG agreed that South Australia will host the national rail safety regulator. This follows COAG’s agreement in July that the Australian Maritime Safety Authority will be the national regulator for maritime safety. It will continue to be headquartered in Canberra.

National Partnership Agreements for single national heavy vehicle and maritime regulators will be considered in the first half of 2010. The National Partnership Agreement for the single national rail regulator will be considered in 2011. COAG also agreed to establish a strengthened national regulators’ panel to provide better national harmonisation of rail safety regulation in the period in which the national regulator is being established. COAG further agreed to resolve a number of policy, legislation, governance and funding issues in the implementation stage, including the role of State Ministers.

A detailed work plan for delivery of the pricing elements of the COAG Road Reform Plan was also agreed. Under the plan, a feasibility study for alternative models of road pricing and funding will be completed by December 2011, which should include specific consideration of mass-distance location pricing. The outcomes of the feasibility study will help determine whether direct pricing is feasible.

COAG also agreed to release the report of the National Transport Commission (NTC) Review and the Australian Transport Council. Adoption of the recommendations will strengthen NTC’s capacity to focus on transport regulatory reform.

Investigating Transport Disadvantage, Social Exclusion and Well Being in Metropolitan, Regional and Rural Victoria

Short Context and Summary
Urban sprawl and sparse rural living are pervasive in Australia. Travel is thus a big yet essential part of Australian life. When transport is scarce, access to activities is hard and life prospects inhibited.

This problem is growing as fuel costs rise, the population ages and fringe/coast migration continues. Internationally transport disadvantage and social exclusion links are now a major study field, however Australian research is limited despite these pervasive and growing problems. This gap is filled using top world researchers in the field to investigate how transport problems impact on life opportunities and community well being. Knowledge developed will better focus Australias approach to this significant growing problem. This project is undertaken by the Institute of Transport Studies Monash University in association with the Department of Social Work and the Department of Psychology, Monash University, the Centre for Public Policy, Melbourne University, The Urban Transport Institute, The University of Westminster (UK) and the University of Ulster (UK). Project sponsors include the Australian Research Council, the Department of Infrastructure, The Bus Association of Victoria, The Brotherhood of St Laurence, and The Interface Councils Forum of Melbourne