Cyclists overtake the car as recyclists take over the capital

AUSTRALIA'S love affair with cars is souring slightly, Melbourne is growing faster than Sydney, Canberrans are keen recyclers and the housing shortage is particularly severe in Sydney. These are some of the findings of a comprehensive new snapshot of Australian cities.

The State of Australian Cities 2011 report, to be launched today in Brisbane by the federal Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Anthony Albanese, assesses the productivity, sustainability and liveability of Australia's 18 biggest cities. Sydney continues to lead the country in several key trends.

Between 2009 and 2010, Sydney had the highest use of public transport of all cities in terms of passenger kilometres travelled. Overall car use flattened in the past year. Bicycles outsold cars by 2 million units in the decade to 2010, with more than 11.5 million bikes sold in Australia in that period.
Read article