The Planning and Transport in City Regions Program seeks to understand processes of urban development and patterns of mobility at the metro-regional scale, and the policy measures needed to improve the productivity, livability and sustainability of city-regions.

The program is focused on the case of Melbourne as a mega-city in the making and addresses the problems and challenges faced by planners in grappling with the city’s transformation.

The program’s work is nonetheless positioned within a national and international context and looks toward experience elsewhere in metropolitan scale land-use and transport planning to inform its research agenda.

Projects

Public Transport Accessibility in the City of Port Phillip

2015

Spatial Network Analysis for Multimodal Urban Transport Systems (SNAMUTS)

The Benefits of Elevated Rail: Lessons from the graduate design studio “Rail UP!”

2015–2016

The Victorian state government has committed to removing 50 level crossings in two terms of office: a faster rate of removal than in any other period in the history of railways in Melbourne.

Improved Urban Systems for Liveability

2016–2021

This project investigates how major cities function and the effects of their land-use, housing and infrastructure systems on the humans that live in them.

Early delivery of equitable and healthy transport options in new suburbs

2018–2021

The project will produce evidence and tools to assist both the public and private sectors provide transport options to residents of Melbourne’s new suburbs as soon as they move in.

Networks and Space: Autonomous Vehicles in Suburban Melbourne Design-Research Studio

2017–2018

Assessing the spatial implications of Autonomous Vehicles as feeders to railway stations in suburban Melbourne

Western Suburbs Transport Studio (2017)

2017–2018

What’s best for the west? Plan Melbourne 2017-2050 and alternative transport futures for Melbourne’s western suburbs.

Innovative responses to urban transportation: current practice in Australian cities

2019–2020

This project investigates drivers and processes of change within Australian metropolitan transport systems to identify future options and directions for policy development.

Activating social connection to address isolation in Australia

2022–2025

Australian Research Council Linkage Project 2022–25

Key People

Lead researchers

Professor Andrew Butt

Professor Andrew Butt

Convener of Planning and Transport in City Regions

Dr Tiebei Li

Dr Tiebei Li

Convener of Planning and Transport in City Regions

Program Researchers

Higher Degree by Research Candidates

Related Content

News & Blog

News

Governments need to be bigger drivers of transport innovation: research

29 July 2021

Despite a host of disruptive new technologies entering Australia’s transport ecosystem, our planning, urban design, infrastructure and transport frameworks remain mired in a twentieth-century policy-making mindset.

News

State budget bounce-back: experts on where funding should go

13 May 2021

After undergoing the harshest lockdowns in the country, how should Victoria spend its budget to bounce back? RMIT academics share their expert view on where best to splash the cash for the state’s COVID-19 recovery.

News

Road to recovery: experts on where Federal Budget funding should go

05 May 2021

Australia’s economic recovery from COVID-19 has been better than predicted, so what can we expect from this year’s Federal Budget? RMIT academics share their expert view on where the cash can be splashed for the greatest benefit.

Blog

Is temporary the new permanent? COVID street experiments open our eyes to creating better cities

20 March 2021

If the past year has made us more comfortable and confident with experimenting, all the better to help our cities meet the challenges ahead.

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Reform how our cities are governed to manage urgent urban challenges: report

17 March 2021

Local government collaboration with metropolitan governance in Australian cities must reform to better address urgent urban issues such as climate change action, population growth and urban sprawl, finds new AHURI research.

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AFL returns to Melbourne, but will it be footy as we know it?

17 March 2021

Fans across Melbourne are thrilled for the return of AFL, but with capacity caps on games and other restrictions on attendance, how will fans engage and experience the return of the AFL?

Blog

Think taxing electric vehicle use is a backward step? Here’s why it’s an important policy advance

26 November 2020

The South Australian and Victorian governments have announced, and New South Wales is considering, road user charges on electric vehicles.

News

Three key takeaways ahead of the Victorian budget

19 November 2020

As Victoria turns the corner, economic, social housing and urban planning experts point to three key shifts in the upcoming Victorian Budget.

News

How can Melbourne’s new apartments steer away from excess car parking?

10 October 2020

New apartments are providing more parking than residents need, leading to smaller and fewer homes for higher prices. RMIT experts discuss how policymakers can get the car parking balance right.

News

How can urban and environmental planning shape a post-pandemic future?

04 October 2020

The adversities of COVID-19 have no doubt changed the way we think about our environments. Here, our teachers discuss the role urban, regional and environmental planning has in shaping a post-pandemic future.

News

How can we better prepare suburban Melbourne for climate change?

24 September 2020

Climate change presents critical challenges for future development, sustainability and resilience across Melbourne. Here, our experts offer insights on how we can better prepare our outer suburbs.

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Ten ways RMIT research is helping to build a more sustainable future

21 September 2020

From turning back the emissions clock to building more durable roads from old tyres, RMIT researchers are tackling today’s biggest challenges and developing solutions for a more sustainable world.

Events

Past Events

Lessons from Vancouver: Transport success and a new mobility agenda

17 March 2020, 5:30PM-7:00PM

Cornerstones of transport success and enabling an innovative new mobility agenda

Past Events

Looking Back and Going Forward: The Melbourne Transport Plan 50 Years On

12 December 2019, 5:30PM-8:30PM

An evening with Melbourne transport experts looking at how our city is still shaped by the 1969 Transportation Plan and where to from here.

Past Events

2019 Transport research symposium: Ethics and transport planning

2 February 2019, 9:00AM-5:00PM

The 2019 Transport Research Symposium brings together activists, academics, and built environment professionals currently working and thinking critically about the ‘state of transport planning’ in Victoria and beyond. 

Past Events

The Ethics of Transport Planning: Lessons From Near and Far

16 August 2018, 6:00PM-7:30PM

This event is Part 2 of the three part series; The Ethics of Transport Planning: A conversation about the past, present and future of transport planning

Past Events

Ethics and Transport Planning: How Do We Fare?

9 August 2018, 6:00PM-7:30PM

This event is Part 1 of the three part series; The Ethics of Transport Planning: A conversation about the past, present and future of transport planning

Past Events

Pathways and barriers to the implementation of mobility pricing in Vancouver

20 July 2018, 12:00PM-1:00PM

In this seminar our guest from Canada, Professor Anthony Perl examines the Commission’s research and public consultation process to assess the progress and pitfalls of advancing a workable mobility pricing scheme for Metro Vancouver.

Past Events

Regional Fast Rail: Prospects, implications and challenges for regional communities

29 May 2018, 6:00PM-7:30PM

This Talking Transport forum brings together people to discuss what high speed rail may mean for regional Victorians.

Past Events

Railway Remedies Cutting the crush on Geelong trains

9 August 2017, 7:30PM-9:00PM

Are your Geelong line trains becoming ever more overcrowded? Do they often run late? Why can’t they be faster? What can and should be done to overcome these problems, now and into the future?