Planning and Transport Research Centre

Evidence-based transport and planning policy and operations

PATREC connects Western Australia’s leading researchers with industry to deliver high-impact research in transport and planning, land use, and climate action — supporting decisions that shape urban areas.

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Focus areas

Research Areas

PATREC’s focus areas provide a framework for research projects and delivering high-impact outcomes, although there are overlaps and links between areas.

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01

Integrated land use-transport planning & modelling

Through systems-based, data-driven approaches to strategic planning, forecasting and modelling, this area explores improving land use and transport integration — reducing travel demand and supporting more connected, efficient urban futures.

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02

Sustainable & Resilient Communities & Neighbourhoods

From housing supply and accessibility to climate resilience and decarbonisation, this area addresses structural barriers, vulnerability across people and infrastructure, and urban greening strategies to mitigate heat island effects toward more sustainable urban futures.

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03

Smarter Travel Decisions

Combining technology integration and behaviour change, this area drives the shift to energy-efficient, lower-emission and autonomous transport modes — leveraging travel demand management to reduce travel need, grow low-carbon modal share, and optimise existing infrastructure.

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04

Technology for integrated freight system optimisation, decarbonisation & resilience

Applying smart technologies, digitisation, sensors and circular economy principles to freight hubs, multimodal networks and first-last mile connectivity — driving efficiency, safety, net zero transition and climate resilience across the integrated freight system.

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05

Intelligent Transport Systems & AI-Driven Mobility Analytics

At the intersection of AI and transport, this area designs sensing, computer vision and decision-support tools for network optimisation, road asset maintenance, safety enhancement and infrastructure planning across multimodal environments.

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06

Transport Infrastructure Decarbonisation & circularity

Across the full infrastructure lifecycle, this area tackles decarbonisation by reducing material footprints, integrating low-carbon and recycled materials, applying circular economy principles, and deploying low-emission construction technologies.

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Latest

News & Events

Stay up to date with PATREC’s latest research, events, and ways to participate.

John Taplin Memorial Lecture 2026

Professor Peter Jones OBE from University College London delivered the 2026 John Taplin Memorial Lecture at UWA, presenting on the retrospective and prospective evolution of urban transport planning policy, concepts and methodology.

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New project: Enhancing Active Transport Infrastructure Through Video Analytics and Community Reporting

A new PATREC project will combine video analytics and community incident reporting to improve the safety of shared active transport paths in Perth, with funding from the National Road Safety Action Grants Program.

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John Taplin Memorial Lecture 2025

Professor Mark Stevenson will present the 2025 John Taplin Memorial Lecture on the role of city design in achieving zero transport emissions, hosted by PATREC and the UWA Business School.

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Calling e-Riders

UWA and Curtin researchers are recruiting e-rideable owners for a four-week study using a mobile app to track trips, emissions and physical activity, contributing to research on sustainable urban mobility.

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