Land-use transport interaction: A comparison of Melbourne, Riyadh

This paper compares the land use transport interactions in Melbourne, Australia and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The relationship between the urban form and commuters' travel patterns are analysed and compared. Although these two cities are similar in area and population size, they have significantly different transport systems. Melbourne has a functioning public transport system consisting of train, tram and bus networks, while Riyadh is heavily car-dependent with very limited public transport services. Increases in car ownership and mixed land use on arterial roads in Riyadh create chronic congestion problems on the city's roads. Melbourne also faces these problems, despite good public transport and proper planning controls. This study attempts to identify the land use and socioeconomic determinants of travel patterns. Statistical analyses using Journey to Work (JTW) census data and origin and destination (OD) travel patterns at the suburb level are used to examine relationships between urban form and travel patterns. Comparisons of these relationships help to delineate the role of land use-transport interaction on the travel patterns.