Extra vehicles on the nation's highways by 2030

Over the next two decades the nation's highways and major arteries are set to become even busier, particularly the routes into and out of Australias largest cities.

According to research I have released the total distance driven by Australians on the non-urban part of the national network will reach 55.8 billion kilometres a year by 2030. This is almost 50% greater than in 2005 and equivalent to 186 round trips to the Sun.

The extra traffic won't be shared evenly across the 23,000 km network, with the research finding most of the network will have the capacity to carry the higher volumes without the need for an upgrade.

Many of the additional cars, trucks, motorbikes and buses will instead be travelling on those sections of the network connecting Australia's four biggest capitals - Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth - with their outer suburbs and nearby regional centres.

For example, daily vehicle numbers on the Pacific Highway between Brisbane and the Gold Coast will almost double to 172,990; while traffic on Princes Highway between Melbourne and Geelong is projected to rise from 63,152 to over 118,000 vehicles a day.

The research vindicates our decision to significantly increase the roads budget. It also highlights the need to invest in the alternate ways of moving people and freight such as rail.

We need to encourage more people out of their cars and get more freight onto trains. A greater investment in rail will not only be crucial to tackling urban congestion, but also to reducing carbon emissions and lifting Australias export performance.

That's why weve committed $3.2 billion to improve the performance of rail and stated a willingness to invest Federal money in public transport infrastructure.

We are planning for the nations future transport needs.

Compiled by the Government's Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics (BITRE), National road network intercity traffic projection to 2030, provides long-term projections and will inform the Government's future spending priorities.

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