The AAA said an average household was spending 14.6 per cent of income on transport, the biggest single quarterly cost increase since the AAA started its Transport Affordability Index in 2016.
AAA managing director Michael Bradley said: “This sharp rise in transport costs needs to be monitored by governments, which need to avoid policies and decisions that impact cost of living.”
“Transport affordability needs to remain a priority for governments, as Australia has not only just recorded the largest jump in transport costs since the affordability index commenced, but households are now paying the highest proportion of their income toward those costs.”
The index showed Australia’s most expensive city for transport was Sydney, with an average of $461.57 a week – or 15.4 per cent of income – spent on getting around. This has risen $49.99 a week since the previous quarter of December 2020.
Melbourne costs $434.10 a week, up 15.6 per cent on Q4 2020, which is a rise of $41.32 a week.
The cheapest city is Hobart at $335.60 (up $40.80) and in the regions, Bunbury in WA is the most expensive at $332.76 (up $48.21) and Wagga Wagga the cheapest at $297.18, up $50.20.
The AAA collated the index using costs associated with eight key transport outgoings – car loans, tolls, fuel, public transport, insurance, servicing and tyres, registration, CTP and licence fees, and roadside assistance.
It showed that Sydney commuters spend a weekly average of $87.00 on tolls, while Melbourne drivers average $68.58 and those in Brisbane spend $52.80. These are the only Australian cities with toll charges.
The AAA said the index showed that during the March quarter, the extra pressure on household budgets was driven by sharp increases in fuel prices, car loan repayments and, in some cases, registration costs.
By Neil Dowling
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