Local walkability and driveability

When thinking about strong local economies, what does 'accessibility' actual mean? While it's common to think of a blunt 800m radius as a 10 minute walk, the reality is that most locations are much less walkable than this.

It's no secret that "good accessibility" is key to a great place to live and a thriving local economy. In residential neighbourhoods, residents love to be able to access what they need locally - essentially: what can I access within a short trip from my home?

And for destinations - such as main streets, parks or employment precincts the question is reversed: who can access this location within a short trip?

Whether it's buying fresh food, meeting friends for dinner, or going to work, being able to meet your daily needs locally is a top lifestyle value in today's (post-lockdown) world.

So how accessible are Melbourne's local neighbourhoods? Below is an analysis of how a a number of Melbourne suburbs compare on walking and driving access.

And... for those you wondering about lower impact modes, such as public transport or cycling‍: While we are working on PT and cycling access maps, our research has found that even people without cars will think about the 'drivability' of a location, because travel by car (car share, lifts, taxis etc) will always be the 'backup option' when the weather or time of day doesn't allow for cycling or PT trips.

So 'driveability' remains important in non-car dependant communities.

If you want to check out this data for any location Australia-wide, create a free account  and have a play around today.