Review of 2021 Census Topics

• Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics
• Australian Bureau of Statistics
• National Transport Commission
• Transport for NSW
• Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources, Victoria
• Transport for Victoria
• Department of Transport, Western Australia
• Department of Main Roads, Western Australia
• Department of Transport and Main Roads, Queensland
• Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure, South Australia
• Department of State Growth, Tasmania
• Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics, Northern Territory
• Transport Canberra and City Services Directorate, Australian Capital Territory
• National Heavy Vehicle Regulator
• Australian Local Government Association

New topic “Method of travel to education”.

A new topic is recommended on “Method of travel to educational institution”. It is recommended that the question design be based on 2016 Census Question 45 method of travel to work but with modifications to 2 mark boxes to make the topic education rather than work specific.

This topic would also allow introduction of a new classification for Method of Travel to Education (MTEP) that could be used with a potential modification of another topic to derive Place of Education (POEP) to allow output of Journey to Education travel patterns from Census data.

Reasons for our support for the introduction of the question on method of travel to education are detailed below.
• For more than 10 years, State Transport Authorities (STAs) have advocated for Census content change to collect data relating to Journey to Education (JtE).
• Data is essential on the Method of Travel to Education to improve information available for school transport and general transport infrastructure and services planning and investment, and transport policy development.
• Education travel often coincides with journey to work travel, particularly in the morning peak accounting for approximately 35 percent of trips (similar to journey to work as a percentage of peak journeys) in major urban regions, but the method of travel and spatial distribution of many of these journeys is not well understood. JtE data including Method of Travel to Education would be useful to understand the contribution of the education trips to peak travel at the local level. Census data would provide finer grain accuracy.
• Method of Travel to Education linked to spatial information by Place of Education and Place of Residence and other Census data would enable more detailed analysis of socio-economic characteristics of school communities and catchments to improve both transport and education infrastructure and service planning and investment.
• In order to ensure transport planning, infrastructure investment and operational refinements are made with an appropriate evidence-base, more detailed mode use information in regards to journeys to education is required.
• Such data is required as an input, calibration and/or validation variable for strategic transport models that cover most Australian capital city areas and their surrounding regions. Strategic transport models include a number of trip purposes relating to education for example: (1) primary school education, (2) secondary school education, and (3) tertiary education. There is currently a lack of comprehensive information to calibrate and validate their distribution models.
• Mode used for journey to education coupled with Place of Education information could be used to inform planning and evaluate the efficacy of infrastructure investments, operational changes (such as the inclusion of new bus services) and travel behaviour change programs.
• Other government agencies such as local and Commonwealth agencies, will also benefit from the data. Examples of potential local government use of JtE data including Method of Travel to Education include:
o Analysis of the travel patterns and modes used around school sites, to assist in addressing the current and future traffic management pressures directly around schools.
o The data could assist in reviewing all travel patterns in a suburb, correlating this data with existing traffic counts, which could assist in planning the future road network upgrades. This is similar to State agency use of the data for transport modelling.
o Additional understanding of the needs of remote and regional students, specifically whether the existing access to bus services is adequate (i.e. the correlation of the distance between home and school and the access to bus services).
o The data could assist in addressing community safety (incidences of violence) issues and justification for the provision of adequate street lighting. This could provide additional Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) urban design outcomes to provide a safe environment for students studying at campuses at night that are walking or using public transport.

While a number of STAs have previously collected data on journeys to education as part of a household travel survey, data collected from such surveys are based on a small sample of population and only in some parts of their state, and is thus not at the level of detail that the Census would be able to provide. In addition to this, in some states their household travel survey data is quite dated.

Household travel surveys are typically very small. For example, some collect information from less than 1 percent of households and therefore only gather information that can be applied in analysis at an aggregate regional level or for model development generally representing average regional behaviour.

More detailed information is needed on which to develop, calibrate and validate more detailed transport analyses and models. Inputs to such models and analyses couple method of travel with residential (home) and daytime (for example, place of work or education) location of the population including students with other demographic characteristics in the Census to derive models that replicate travel patterns of the current population. These models are then applied to small area projections of population, employment and enrolments to estimate growth in travel demand and changes in travel patterns into the future.

The final 2018 NZ Census question on means of travel to education was based on the one used for main means of travel to work with some changes to suit travel to education.

Online submission note: [see Stats NZ 2018 Census Q 19 image on
page 6 of attached PDF version of this ATDAN submission]
(Stats NZ, 2018b)

Based on experience of Stats NZ (Stats NZ, 2018a) in the lead up to its March 2018 Census, testing found that the terms used in the travel to education question were generally understood. Those who were distance learning were unsure about how to answer the question. This was remedied by moving the ‘study from home’ response to the top of the list.

Non-response in the NZ Census Test (April 2017) for means of travel to education was very low. The number of ‘other’ responses was quite low, suggesting that the list of categories covered the majority of travel options used.

Footnotes:
Stats NZ. (2018a). 2018 Census: Design of forms. Retrieved from Stats NZ: https://www.stats.govt.nz/methods/2018-census-design-of-forms

Stats NZ. (2018b). New Zealand Census of Population and Dwellings. Individual form Tuesday 6 March 2018. Retrieved from Stats NZ Store House: https://cdm20045.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p20045coll2/id/713/rec/3

The existing Australian Census already asks ‘How did the person get to work on Tuesday, 9 August 2016?’

A question on the 2021 Census form relating to method of travel to education would likely be similar to the method of travel to work question, meaning respondents would be familiar with the type of question asked and could easily respond without the need to provide detailed explanations. Also, the revised MTEP question would only be asked where there is a person attending school or any other education institution.

Based on experience of Stats NZ (Stats NZ, 2018a), non-response in their 2018 NZ Census Test (April 2017) for means of travel to education was very low.

Footnote:
Stats NZ. (2018a). 2018 Census: Design of forms. Retrieved from Stats NZ: https://www.stats.govt.nz/methods/2018-census-design-of-forms

The collection of data on method of travel to education will require just one question.

A question on the 2021 Census form relating to method of travel to education would likely be similar to the method of travel to work question, meaning respondents would be familiar with the type of question asked and could easily respond without the need to provide a lengthy instruction or explanation, and to be able to answer quickly. The proposed question will not use much survey form real estate either.

There will be a continuing need for data on Method of Travel to Education in subsequent Censuses to assist in evidence based education transport and general transport planning and modelling, and policy development.

Some ATDAN members (STAs from New South Wales, Tasmania, South Australia, Queensland) are open to the possibility of alternating this topic with the number of vehicles garaged topic, VEHD (2016 Census Question 54) every second Census (10-yearly cycle) if form space or respondent burden is an issue. However, some ATDAN members (Western Australia STAs and BITRE) require VEHD to remain in every Census (particularly 2021), if inclusion of a new topic leads to exclusion of existing transport related variables.

While some STAs have previously collected data on journeys to education as part of household travel surveys, data collected from these surveys does not cover all education institutions. Also, household travel surveys target a small (for example, less than 1%) sample of the population by place of residence which is not at the level of spatial detail as the Census would be able to provide.

There is no other alternative source of the required information.

STA first preference for alterations to Census content is as follows:
• Modify Question 25 from ‘Type of Educational Institution Attending’ to ‘Place of Education’
• Add new question ‘Method of Travel to Education’
• Retain existing Question 54 ‘Number of Motor Vehicles’

Inclusion of a question to determine Method of Travel to Education (MTEP) would enable more accurate and efficient - that is, direct collection rather than estimation – data collection for mode used for the 35% of peak time period journeys that are completed for education purposes.

A mock 2021 Census Question is presented as part of this submission.

Online submission note: [see images of mock 2021 question on page 12 of attached PDF version of this ATDAN submission]

STA second preference for alterations to Census content is as follows:
• Modify Question 25 from ‘Type of Educational Institution Attending’ to ‘Place of Education’
• Alternate between new question ‘Method of Travel to Education’ and existing Question 54 ‘Number of Motor Vehicles’

A 10-yearly Census cycle would be acceptable to some ATDAN members (STAs from New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania, Queensland) if existing topic “Number of Motor Vehicles” (2016 Census Question 54) at the dwelling on Census night (VEHD) had to be alternated with a proposed new question on mode or Method of Travel to Education. However, some ATDAN members (Western Australia STAs and BITRE) require VEHD to remain in every Census (particularly 2021), if inclusion of a new topic leads to exclusion of existing transport related variables.

The proposed Census content changes are supported by all ATDAN members.

Support has also been confirmed from:
• The Australian Department of Education and Training - The department is supportive of the ATDAN proposal and may be able to help with construction of the questions involved, especially around institution locations.
• The Department of Education, Western Australia – inclusion of the proposed “Journey to Education “ data question will:
o Enable additional analysis of resident/parental behaviour in the important work of developing and reviewing school local-intake areas which form the basis for school enrolment eligibility at public schools, particularly where distances are an issue in determining boundaries in urban areas where transport is generally by private vehicle, foot or bicycle having this data will be highly valuable.
o Assist in ensuring safe and practical traffic management planning as part of developing new schools and managing existing schools. Such transportation data will better inform designers and planners of the potential density and type of vehicular traffic expected in and around a school.
• The Department of Education, Queensland – supports the proposal, conditional on all existing data outputs for education-related questions and jurisdictional access to the data required for planning and reporting will remain.
• Western Australian Local Government Association – inclusion of the Journey to Education data into the Census could provide additional tangible data to be used by the WA Local Government Sector. The uses are listed as the 4 sub-dot points in Assessment Criteria 1 above.