The surprising upside of expensive fuel: less traffic

Since the war in the Middle East erupted, I have noticed that traffic around Melbourne has been severely reduced due to rising fuel costs.

The reduced traffic on the roads has provided a clear benefit to those with higher incomes, who are less affected by higher fuel costs and place a higher value on their time.

While my experience is obviously anecdotal, data from the NSW government show that the rising cost of petrol and diesel has led to a significant decline in traffic volumes on Sydney’s major roads.