É«ÇéÍøÕ¾

Mobility as a Service for Regions

The Transport Research Group was engaged by TMR Mobility as a Service Office to investigate the key barriers and success factors to enable MaaS in regional centres across Queensland. Three regional cities were chosen as case studies - Townsville, Rockhampton (including Yeppoon), and Gladstone, covering the jurisdictions of four local government areas.

Objectives and rationale

1. Improve departmental understanding of the policy options and success factors for MaaS in the regions of Queensland and
2. Identify a preferred approach for a pilot proof-of-concept trial in at least one Queensland regional centre.

MaaS presents an opportunity for the Queensland Government to take a lead in enabling a shared economy and assisting private Transport Service Providers to deliver service offerings that present greater choice to the Queensland public. The concept of MaaS is relatively mature, but the adoption of MaaS in practice is in its infancy. Though urban-scale roll-outs exists, a complete MaaS solution has not yet been implemented across a jurisdiction comparable to Queensland.

Overview

Policy objectives: What can and should TMR and its partners seek to achieve from public and shared transportation, both now and into the future?

Regional context: What conditions specific to Queensland’s varied regional centres require consideration?

Definition of success: What does “success” look like for MaaS in regional Queensland?

Policy options: What are the available policy and planning options for MaaS in regional centres, now and into the future?

Success factors: What are the success factors (or, the necessary conditions for success) for MaaS in such locations?

Key opportunities: what are the most promising opportunities to start developing MaaS in regional Queensland?

We conducted an international review of emerging global practices of MaaS in regions and completed a set of interviews and workshops in three case study sites – Townsville, Rockhampton (including Yeppoon), and Gladstone.

Recommendations and reports

A future MaaS pilot is recommended so as to further understand the level of acceptance and develop best practice. We proposed a broad spectrum MaaS for Townsville and a workplace focused MaaS for Gladstone for initial feasibility of future trials.

The findings outlined in the summary report and final report are especially valuable for governments, transport operators, and end-users who are interested in MaaS in regional areas.

The summary report was provided as a research presentation in March 2021 titled Mobility as a Service – Regional Research. The final 60 page report outlines the findings (as summarised above) of the independent research undertaken by Griffith University. The contents of the report do not reflect Queensland Government policy.

Read the summary report 

Read the Mobility as a Service for Regions: Final Report

Neuron e-scooters and tourist dispersal study: Micromobility research

Micromobility and tourist dispersal in Townsville: Do e-scooters help tourists spread out, visit more sites and spend more? The Neuron E-Scooters and Tourist Dispersal Study (Research Ethics Ref No: GU 2020/905) survey seeks to evaluate the impact of Neuron e-scooters on visitor travel behaviour in Townsville.

This research was fully funded internally through a grant from Cities Research Institute. The research team is extremely grateful to Neuron Mobility for their support and their willingness to share de-identified data. The views expressed are solely those of the authors and do not represent the views of any institution. All errors and omissions are the authors' alone.

Read the Summary Report

Innovative funding for cycling infrastructure

The Transport Research Group was engaged by TMR to investigate Queensland, national, and international examples of innovative funding models to support the delivery of cycling infrastructure and their applicability to the Queensland Government.

Research aims and rationale

This study aims to investigate innovative funding models that could help local governments and community organisations to find additional funding sources to further accelerate delivery of the bicycle network in Queensland. The goal was not to find alternative funding streams, but to find sources that could be used in addition to those already being made available by the Queensland Government.

A lack of access to dedicated cycling infrastructure acts as a deterrent to bike riding in Queensland. Better access to safe, connected, practical, and well-signed cycling infrastructure (off-road and on-road) has been identified as the number one enabler of ‘more bike riding, more often’ in the Queensland Cycling Strategy.

Overview

Research and investigate: review of current funding models in Queensland and explore alternative models globally.

Feasibility study and stakeholder engagement: Evaluate the feasibility of innovative schemes with a scoring criteria. We conducted two workshops involving government and non-government stakeholders to elicit their views.

Final reporting and dissemination: Analysis and summary of findings.

We reviewed current funding streams in Queensland and explored a number of alternative and/or innovative sources that could be employed here. To evaluate the scheme suitability for the Queensland context, the research team undertook workshops with governmental, community, metropolitan and regional stakeholders.

Report

The research findings are valuable for local governments/organisations searching for additional funding sources in creating cycling infrastructure. These research reports outlines the findings of the independent research undertaken by Griffith University. The contents of the report do not reflect Queensland Government policy.

Read the TMR Cycle Funding Summary Report

Read the TMR Cycle Funding Full Report

Funding on the Line: Public transport financing and property value capture

Infrastructure funding in É«ÇéÍøÕ¾ and internationally is becoming one of the key constraints to city growth, thus impacting their productivity and ability to compete for skilled workers in the global economy. Value capture and other alternative infrastructure funding mechanisms have been suggested as a means to bridging the funding gap for city infrastructure projects; however, this raises the question: How do infrastructure projects create value, and how can this value be shared?

This research develops property value capture schemes to provide alternative funding for public transport investment. Hedonic modelling using longitudinal geographic-weighted regression provides visual detail on the timing and spatial patterns of property value uplift from recent investments in rail, busways and ferries in QLD and NSW. The first international survey of benefit-area schemes for value capture is conducted along with surveys of É«ÇéÍøÕ¾n stakeholders and discrete choice modelling to determine willingness-to-pay. This data is then used to develop an institutionally, legally and politically feasible scheme for implementation in É«ÇéÍøÕ¾, focused on cases including a future extension to the Gold Coast light rail network.

Aim

This project aims to assist in the search for a major new source of funding for public transport investments within É«ÇéÍøÕ¾ and, doing so, to contribute to critical international debates and understanding of the best mechanisms for public transport planning and implementation. Ultimately, this enables greater and faster investment in public transport in É«ÇéÍøÕ¾n cities by assisting our industry partners, who are directly involved in transport planning and delivery, to fundamentally re-evaluate the most pertinent aspects of the property value capture issue.

Rationale

The project directly responds to possibly the greatest challenge currently facing É«ÇéÍøÕ¾’s transport planners – how to fund and finance new infrastructure. Infrastructure É«ÇéÍøÕ¾ has recommended that “Governments should utilise appropriate models to drive revenue from the broader benefits delivered by major infrastructure projects, such as value capture for transport infrastructure”.

While a small portion of the increased property values that do occur will flow back over time to State and local government via rates, stamp duties and other taxes, attempts at capturing value to help finance infrastructure up-front are piece-meal and ad-hoc in É«ÇéÍøÕ¾. It is important that they become systematic, based on appropriately rigorous evidence, and hence a reliable form of funding for critical transport infrastructure.

Key insights

Our study on Gold Coast light rail revealed the following:

1. Patronage gains were modest but within the target. Yet light rail not only offers better connectivity but also amenity improvements and congestion relief.
2. The property value gains attributable to the Gold Coast light rail project (Stage 1) from 1996 to 2016 of more than 30% are very significant.
3. Property uplift from light rail occurred as soon as a solid commitment to construct was made
4. Property uplift is not universal. Sites closest to the stations received some nuisance from the light rail and road corridor; sites further away obtain fewer advantages in travel time savings for passengers.
5. The value uplift effect of Brisbane’s Busway.

This research should help state and local governments to better develop future business cases to encourage public transport investment and attract funding commitments from the Commonwealth.

Related publications

(See also the related )

ITLS report commissioned by the project team summarising major national and international value capture frameworks

Notes

This research project is an academic research exercise only, using hypothetical examples, routes and policy scenarios, that are not Tweed Shire or NSW Government policy.

This project, led by then A/Professor Matthew Burke, Professor Corrine Mulley and Professor Neil Sipe, with Assistant Professor Barbara Yen, Gui Lohmann and postdoctoral researcher Abraham Leung was funded through the É«ÇéÍøÕ¾n Research Council (LP150100078) with contributions from City of Gold Coast, Department of Transport and Main Roads (Qld), Transport for New South Wales and Queensland Airports Limited.