28 September EastLink Travel Time and Fuel Consumption Savings Technical Note. for ConnectEast

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1 28 September 2009 EastLink Travel Time and Fuel Consumption Savings for ConnectEast

2 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This independent analysis of trip times on EastLink compared with travel on the two key alternative routes (Springvale Road and Stud Road) confirms that EastLink continues to consistently deliver significant time and fuel savings to motorists using the tollway. The study also finds that EastLink provides a greater level of certainty for motorists regarding how long a trip will take them at different times of the day. The findings are based on travel time and fuel consumption surveys conducted in June 2009 on three different routes during morning and afternoon peak periods. A full 39km trip on EastLink in the morning peak period delivered an average travel time saving of 20 minutes (42%) when compared to Springvale Road and an average saving of 22 minutes (44%) when compared to the Stud Road route. A full trip on EastLink in the afternoon peak period delivered an average travel time saving of 24 minutes (44%) when compared to Springvale Road and an average saving of 22 minutes (43%) when compared to the Stud Road route. During both the morning and afternoon peak periods, average travel times on Springvale and Stud Roads varied significantly, whereas average EastLink travel times varied by less than two minutes across the week. The travel time savings provided by EastLink also translated into fuel savings of 17-20% for car motorists, depending on the time period and the alternative route chosen. 2 INTRODUCTION This report provides a summary of the findings from an analysis of fuel consumption savings that EastLink provides to motorists through the EastLink corridor. A comparison of the travel times and associated fuel consumption have been made for trips by a private vehicle (i.e. car) travelling on EastLink and the key alternative routes. The travel routes surveyed were: Route 1: Springvale Rd: Springvale Road Mornington Peninsula Freeway between Mitcham Road and Cranbourne Road; Route 2: Stud Rd: Wantirna Road Stud Road Dandenong Frankston Road between Whitehorse Road and Cranbourne Road; and Route 3: EastLink: between Springvale Road and Cranbourne Road. See Figure 2-1 for a visual representation of the survey routes. IMIS Pty Ltd 28 September

3 Figure 2-1 Path of Travel Time Survey Routes IMIS Pty Ltd 28 September

4 3 TRAVEL TIME AND FUEL CONSUMPTION SURVEY RESULTS The travel time and fuel consumption surveys were conducted on the workdays from Monday 15 th June 2009 to Friday 19 th June 2009, outside of school holiday periods. One travel time survey was conducted each day along each direction of each route at 6am and 7:30am during the morning peak period and 4:30pm and 6pm during the afternoon peak period. The survey vehicle used on all routes was a Holden Commodore that was manufactured in 2008 and was advertised as having a fuel consumption of 10.9 L/100km. This vehicle was able to record the fuel consumption on each route in litres per 100km. Table 3-1 provides an indication of the average savings in travel times that EastLink provides during the morning peak period and afternoon peak period, when compared to the surveyed average travel times on the Springvale Rd and Stud Rd routes. As this table indicates, EastLink provides an average travel time saving of 20 minutes when compared to the Springvale Rd route, a 42% average travel time saving, and 22 minutes when compared to the Stud Rd route, a 44% average travel time saving. The order of savings can vary by day of travel, with the range of savings for the Springvale Rd route being 17 minutes to 25 minutes, with a range of 20 minutes to 24 minutes for the Stud Rd route. In comparison, EastLink travel times varied by less than two minutes across the week. Table 3-1 Average Travel Times and Savings for travel on EastLink during morning peak and afternoon peak periods EastLink Travel Time Average Travel Time EastLink Travel Time Savings Savings minutes minutes % Morning Peak Period EastLink Springvale Rd % Stud Rd % Afternoon Peak Period EastLink Springvale Rd % Stud Rd % Table 3-1 also indicates that the average savings in travel times that EastLink provides during the afternoon peak period is 24 minutes when compared to the Springvale Rd route, a 44% average travel time saving, and 22 minutes when compared to the Stud Rd route, a 43% average travel time saving. The order of savings can vary by day of travel, with the range of savings for the Springvale Rd route being 21 to 26 minutes, with a range of 20 to 24 minutes for the Stud Rd route. In comparison, EastLink travel times varied by less than two minutes across the week. The above average travel time savings are shown in Figure 3-1and Figure 3-2 for the morning peak period and afternoon peak periods respectively. The savings in travel times that come from using EastLink also provide associated savings in fuel consumption rates. As indicated in Figure 3-1 and Figure 3-2, travel on EastLink produced 17% to 20% savings in fuel consumption, depending on the time period and route in which the comparison is being made. IMIS Pty Ltd 28 September

5 50% Travel Time and Fuel Consumption Savings from travel on EastLink 45% 40% 35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0% Springvale Rd Travel Time Route Stud Rd Travel Time Saving on EastLink (%) Fuel Consumption Rate Saving on EastLink (%) Figure 3-1 Travel Time and Fuel Consumption Savings from travel on EastLink during morning peak period 50% Travel Time and Fuel Consumption Savings from travel on EastLink 45% 40% 35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0% Springvale Rd Travel Time Route Stud Rd Travel Time Saving on EastLink (%) Fuel Consumption Rate Saving on EastLink (%) Figure 3-2 Travel Time and Fuel Consumption Savings from travel on EastLink during afternoon peak period IMIS Pty Ltd 28 September