COMMUTERS are ditching their cars and turning to public transport as petrol hit almost $1.72 a litre in Sydney and Melbourne.
However, a survey from insurer AAMI reveals that while public transport patronage is increasing, the car is still on top.
Three in five commuters drive to get to work or school while one in five use public transport. Only one in 10 ride a bike or walk to work.
The survey found 38 per cent of Sydneysiders now take public transport, cycle, walk or ride a motorbike or scooter to work, making them the highest users of public transport nationally. Canberrans are the lowest users, with only 18 per cent not driving to work.
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AAMI corporate affairs manager Mike Sopinski said high fuel prices, consecutive interest rate rises and sinking consumer confidence had contributed to a rethink in how people travelled in the city. He said there was also a growing concern for the environment among commuters.
"Forcing people`s hands are fuel prices and the availability of fuel so governments will need to plan for that," he said.
"Over the next two to three years the use of motor vehicles will change and their attitude to daily commuting will change.
"Reports say the price of petrol is heading towards $2 a litre by the end of the year. This will force people into car pooling and into lighter vehicles."
`High price utterly unacceptable`
In Victoria, petrol prices have begun to settle at almost $1.70 a litre at suburban service stations, but RACV government and corporate relations manager David Cumming said the price at one petrol outlet hit an all-time high yesterday.
"One service station hit 171.9 (cents a litre)," he said.
"They were flagging their intention to go up, but most of the big boys have settled at 169.9.
"But, in my opinion, the push was totally and utterly unacceptable. It was well out of the normal range of increases."
Mr Cumming said the record was forced by a 1.5-cent-a-litre increase in the wholesale fuel price, with further rises expected in the next two weeks.
"Don`t be surprised if it goes much higher," he said.
"We are having wholesale price increases every week, so we are seeing new records every week.
"Once prices hit their peak, hopefully, they will start to go back (down). But that could be several weeks away."
Public transport `too dangerous`
Darwin`s public transport has been snubbed for being too slow, unreliable and dangerous, which is why Darwinites are using their cars more than drivers in every other capital city, reveals the AAMI survey.
Nearly 75 per cent of Darwin commuters drive to and from work or school compared to the three per cent who catch public transport.
And more Top Enders prefer to ride their bike or walk - about 12 per cent and the highest number in the country - or ride a motorbike or scooter (five per cent) than catch public transport.
AAMI executive manager Trent Sayers said Darwin public transport patronage had fallen slightly in 2008 and this went against the rising trend in other capital cities.
He said almost one third of Darwinites did not catch public transport because it took too long, whereas just over one third said it was unreliable.
"And over one-third say they cannot use public transport because it`s not available," Mr Sayers said.
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