Sustainable Transport and Public Policy

This subject is not offered in 2013.

120 hours.

Entry into the Melbourne School of Design or approval from the subject coordinator.

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

This subject was formerly called Sustainable Transport and Public Policy.

The development of public policy in the field of transport planning is highly politicised. This subject provides an overview of how transport policy is made and how it is changed.

The subject explores various theoretical and practical understandings of the role of political power in change (and resistance to change) in transport policy with an emphasis on understanding role of the professional planner in these processes.

In Australian cities, transport policy is largely in the hands of institutions controlled by state governments, but there are many other players including the Commonwealth and local governments, private transport operators, unions and civic action groups. The subject explores the interactions of these groups and the influence of this contention on transport policy in relation to issues including:

• Requirements to reduce greenhouse impacts and otherwise improve the sustainability of the transport sector; and,
• Finance and resource allocation for urban transport.

The subject will be delivered in seminar form with reading, discussion and occasional lectures by experts on topics of current interest.

At the completion of the subject the student will be able to:

• Recognise how political power influences transport policy development in Australian cities; and,

• Understand the potential for engagement in transport policy development processes by professional planners working in a range of institutions in Australian cities.

• Transport Politics and Public Policy One group presentation (20%);
• An individual project (40%);
• Final examination (30%); and,
• Participation (10%).

None specified

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

• Literature search and assessment
• Analysis and interpretation of policy
• Debating the values of transport policy in open forms
• Writing policy