The city in an era of restricted car usage: Some further observations and policy responses

This paper is written in response to a previous one by LEE and WOOD (Geoforum, 11, 17–29, 1980) in which they outlined some possible effects of future oil shortages on urban form and social structure. Australian cities appear to be among those likely to be most seriously affected and evidence presented here indicates that some adjustments within the urban housing market are already beginning to take place. However, according to the trade-off model of residential structure, the effects of increased travel costs on household income distribution patterns are likely to be less far-reaching than Lee and Wood suggest. The reactions of some Australian planning authorities are also outlined.