How far does the form and structure of the city together with its Essay

How far does the form and structure of the city together with its transport network influence individual travel patterns - Essay Example Perth, Western Australia is one of the most densely populated regions of the continent. Perth is the capital of Western Australian province. Perth is located by the side of River Swan. The total population of Perth is more than 1,700,000. Like most of the densely populated cities in the developed world, Perth has a very well developed and well planned public transport system. Majority of the people in Perth use ferries, buses and trains as their chosen mode of transport. Transperth is the organization which supervises this public transport and the routes, while Transwa provides routes to the rural and sub urban area around Perth. Public transport Authority operates Transperth. The mode of transit only includes ferries, busses and trains, as mentioned earlier. This brand, Transperth, was launched in 1986. Although the control was initially under Metropolitan transport trust, and Western Australian government railways, it was later transferred to Department of transport, in 1993. Perth is divided into 9 fare zones. These zones are created keeping the distance of a place from the city centre in mind. All three transit services offered by Transperth cover Perth city up to Wundowie in the East of the city, to Fremantle in the west, up to Mandurah in the south and up to Two Rocks in the north of Perth City. The central business district of Perth has 15 bus stations and 70 railway stations. The time tables are color coded and thus the routes are easier to understand once a person understands the color codes. City centre is a Free Transit zone, where one does not need to pay a fare to travel. Overall, the transport infra structure in Pert is well developed. Keeping the growth of population in mind, the government has planned forward to accommodate the future requirements. Modes of transit most frequently used in Perth: It is a fact that the form and structure of the city together with its transport network influence individual travel patterns. Travel to work (includes multi-mode journeys) Perth 2006 2001 Enumerated data number % Perth Statistical Division % number % Perth Statistical Division % Change 2001 to 2006 Train 79 3.2 4.3 47 2.8 3.8 32 Bus 142 5.8 4.2 80 4.8 3.7 61 Tram or Ferry 6 0.2 0 3 0.2 0 3 Taxi 101 4.2 0.2 93 5.6 0.2 8 Car - as driver 616 25.4 63.0 447 26.7 63.2 169 Car - as passenger 130 5.3 5.8 107 6.4 5.7 23 Truck 6 0.2 1.0 3 0.2 1.2 3 Motorbike 5 0.2 0.6 0 0 0.5 5 Bicycle 20 0.8 1.0 11 0.6 0.9 9 Walked only 676 27.9 2.1 318 19.0 1.8 358 Other 172 7.1 1.1 116 6.9 1.4 57 Worked at home 67 2.8 3.6 72 4.3 4.1 -5 Did not go to work 371 15.3 11.5 357 21.3 12.1 14 Not stated 36 1.5 1.7 20 1.2 1.5 16 Total 2,426 100.0 100.0 1,673 100.0 100.0 753 Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing, 2006, 2001, 1996, and 1991. NOTE: Table totals may not equate with other similar tables due to  randomisation  of small numbers. Please refer to the  specific data notes  for more information. Looking at the abo ve table, few very important findings can be noted. First of all, it is important to note that the 2006 figures show that around 27.9% of the people taking part in this survey walked to work. This means that the structure and form of city definitely has its impact over the way people choose their modes of transit. People living near the central business district or metropolitan Perth prefer to walk to work if their offices are located at a notable distance. The high percentage of people walking to work also shows a trend that people either try to find work at some place close to their residence, or they shift to reside at some place close to their work place. Another important aspect clearly visible from this table is that the trend of using own cars for going to work is on the rise. This is because of the fact that people are generally busier now, and also,