Revealing the true costs of automobility in Australia

This study quantifies the full costs of automobility across five Australian states: New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia. The analysis estimates the total annual cost of the vehicle economy at A$316.12 billion (A$1 = £0.53). Of this, A$158.64 billion (50.18%) is borne by the public, including direct budgetary expenditures and indirect externalities such as congestion, pollution, public parking construction, vehicle crashes and land use. The remaining A$157.48 billion (49.82%) is directly incurred by private consumers through vehicle purchase, operation and parking. These findings challenge the belief that drivers fully bear automobility costs.