Sustainable Transport and Public Policy

This subject is not offered in 2014.

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 explores the idea of ‘sustainability’ in application to the public policy domain of transportation. The subject takes a global view of the problem of transport with particular emphasis on transport impacts on climate change and global health, and dependence on fossil fuels, particularly oil. A dilemma is exposed between the dependence of the world economy on physical mobility and the ecological limits of fossil-fuelled transport. Sustainable urban transport, it is argued, must mean a shift from dependence on private vehicle motorized transport to transport systems with a much stronger element of active (e.g. cycling and walking) and public transport fuelled from renewable energy sources.

From the viewpoint of public policy, the subject examines barriers to sustainable transport, emphasizing the path dependency of transport policy, and explores ways of going beyond incrementalism to find paths to more fundamental or ‘third order’ change in the policy field.

The subject is delivered in seminar form with readings, lectures (and occasional guest lectures) and presentations of students’ class papers. Students are encouraged to bring their ideas and views into class discussions.

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

• Understand transport as a global problem, and the meaning of sustainability applied to transportation.
• Define the necessary components of sustainable transport and be able to apply these to specific cases.
• Understand the political processes and barriers involved in change of transport paradigm, and be equipped with theoretical concepts applicable to such change.

One essay (1000 words) on a prescribed topic (sustainability), mid semester, 20%
One essay (4000 words) chosen from a list of topics, end of semester, 80%
Both essays will be presented and discussed in class.

Low N.P. ed (2013) Transforming Urban Transport, The Ethics, Politics and Practices of Sustainable Transport, (London and New York: Earthscan/Routledge).

Curtis, C. and Low, N.P. (2012) Institutional Barriers to Sustainable Transport (Farnham, UK: Ashgate).

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

• Literature search and assessment
• Essay writing
• Policy analysis and interpretation
• Discussion and debating the values of transport policy in open forum