Better Streets was recently invited by The Greens’ Cate Faehrmann and Kobi Shetty to NSW Parliament House for a discussion about shared streets in NSW. Alongside our colleagues from Walk Sydney, Bicycle NSW, 30Please and Inner West BUG, we explored how The Greens could shape their policies to ensure more inclusive, safer and environmentally-friendly streets and communities.
We welcomed this opportunity to collaborate with The Greens on developing sensible policies for sustainable transport and healthy streets. We are open to working with any party interested in fostering a more inclusive and sustainable transport future for communities around Australia. In our workshop, we proposed three key infrastructure recommendations and three enablers to ensure the best outcomes for our communities, which are outlined in further detail below. Infrastructure: 1. Introduce a 30km/h default Urban Speed Limit 2. Allocate 20% of the transport budget to Active Transport 3. Focus on schools to enable 75% of children to walk, cycle or use public transport. Enablers: 4. Undertake a deep reform of transport across state and local governments 5. Establish a Carbon Budget for all sectors, including transport 6. Embed a fully integrated approach to transport and land use planning. Recommendation 1. Introduce a 30km/h default Urban Speed Limit At 30km/h drivers have a wider field of vision and a greater chance of noticing potential hazards and stopping in time. At this speed most people, including children and the elderly, will survive a collision. Reduced speeds also make streets quieter, reduce noise pollution and encourage more people to walk and cycle. More detail about our position is at Slow vehicles down - Better Streets. Recommendation 2. Allocate 20% of the transport budget to Active Transport To achieve a substantial mode shift and reduce carbon emissions from transport, investment must be redirected to active and public transport. Countries like Ireland and Sweden allocate 18-20% of their transport budgets to active transport. Adopting this approach in NSW, in conjunction with our other recommendations, would transform our streets - much like Paris has done in recent years. Recommendation 3. Focus on schools to enable 75% of children to walk, cycle, or use public transport Focusing on schools is crucial for creating a safe and encouraging environment for children. Improving infrastructure around schools to enable children to walk independently, improves their health and wellbeing and significantly reduces traffic congestion and pollution around schools. See our position at Better Streets at school - Better Streets Recommendation 4. Undertake a deep reform of transport We believe the time has come for a deep review of Transport for NSW (TfNSW) and local governments to address the systemic issues hindering optimal outcomes. Key actions that we recommend include:
b) carbon reduction c) better streets outcomes (30kmh, cycleways, crossings) d) reduction in pedestrian and bicycle-rider fatalities.
Recommendation 5. Establish a Carbon Budget for all sectors, including transport NSW should implement a carbon budget for all sectors to meet legislated carbon reduction targets for 2030, 2035 and 2050. This would entail setting five-year carbon budgets that progressively decrease for each sector, including transport. In Wales, the Well-being of Future Generations Act (2015) created a legal obligation for all public bodies to ensure they don’t compromise future generations, while the Net Zero Wales Carbon Budget requires agencies to ensure that every decision keeps the agency within its allocated carbon budget. A Roads Review panel found most road projects needed to be halted because of their anticipated embodied carbon and operational emissions. It did not accept rising traffic forecasts as justification for increased road capacity, highlighting the need to focus on sustainable transport solutions instead. We strongly recommend that NSW adopt a similar approach. Recommendation 6. Embed a fully integrated approach to transport and land use planning If we are serious about reducing emissions and conclude, as the Welsh Government did, that road building needs to be halted, then we need to re-think our planning for urban areas. Better Streets argues that state and local governments should immediately reject all new developments that perpetuate car dependency for current and future generations. Instead, we should support compact, efficient urban forms. This involves prioritising infill over greenfield development. The NSW Government’s commitment to Transit-Oriented Developments (TODs) is a first step, by increasing density around major public transport. However this also needs to be accompanied by a serious commitment to reduced traffic speeds, improved streetscapes and parklands, and better infrastructure provision for those communities. If we cease building new roads, we can redirect funds to more sustainable initiatives, such as public and active transport, streetscape improvements and affordable housing. The Victorian Government subsidises greenfield areas by $170 000 per home which could instead fund affordable housing in infill areas. Infrastructure Victoria shows that compact development uses less land, encourages shorter driving distances, increases the use of active and public transport, and results in lower overall emissions.
0 Comments
We're excited to share with you the progress we've made in our recent meetings with key New South Wales politicians. Our advocacy efforts are gaining momentum, and we're at the forefront of conversations that will shape the future of our streets. These conversations are pivotal in encouraging our politicians to make decisions that ensure streets are not just roads but vibrant community spaces.
Regular Engagements with Minister Haylen's Office We've successfully established a regular quarterly meeting with Minister Haylen's office, the Transport Minister. Our most recent discussion was both productive and promising. We delved into the potential of launching an active travel to schools program for NSW. This initiative is close to our heart as it not only promotes healthy and safe access for our children but also reduces traffic congestion during peak school hours. We provided a range of options for a program in the short to long term, and examples of successful pilot projects throughout NSW. Furthermore, we discussed setting mode share targets and provided advice on rallying community support for the Oxford Street streetscape upgrade and cycleway in Paddington. Meeting with Dr Marjorie O'Neil MP Our advocacy for active travel to schools found a passionate supporter in Dr Marjorie O'Neil MP, the Parliamentary Secretary for Transport. As with Haylen's office we provided further insights on this topic and gave practical advice on how such a program would roll out to councils and schools. Joining us in this meeting was Safe Streets for Schools, along with members experienced in Sydney's Northern Beaches and Eastern suburbs. Their insights and experiences added depth to our discussions, ensuring a holistic approach with practical advice. Workshop with Transport for NSW In collaboration with Bicycle NSW and BIKEast, we participated in a workshop led by Transport for NSW on the Oxford Street streetscape upgrade and cycleway. Our role was to guide them on collaborating with us and our coalition members to rally community support. We also provided feedback on the proposed street design layout and offered suggestions on framing messaging and timing for maximum impact. Upcoming Meeting with John Graham We're scheduled to meet with John Graham, Minister for Roads and Arts, this week. We're eager to discuss our vision and gain his insights on roads, outdoor dining and the 24 hour economy. Our Commitment One of our core purposes at Better Streets is to consistently engage with key decision-makers and politicians in government. We believe in supporting them in making bold and necessary steps to improve streets for people. Our goal is to ensure that our streets are not just thoroughfares but spaces where communities thrive. Thank you for being a part of this journey. Together, we can make our streets better for everyone. Better Streets met with Transport for NSW to discuss the Oxford Street project, currently known as the Oxford Street cycleway - link for more details.
Better Streets proposed the following:
To provide support for the project and suggestions - fill in the survey Better Streets welcomes the incoming NSW government and has requested to meet with the new ministers; The Honourable Joanna Haylen MP, Minister for Transport, The Honourable Michael John Graham MLC, Minister for Roads and The Honourable Jennifer Aitchison MP, Minister for Regional Transport and Roads, to discuss Better Streets asks and programs that support the asks. We await a response. ![]()
In particular, we talked about the importance of 30kmh local streets in Newtown. With narrow footpaths and streets, it can be challenging for pedestrians and bike riders to navigate safely. Jenny agreed that this would be a great solution and pledged to follow up with Cate Faerman, the Greens shadow Minister for Active Transport, to seek endorsement of our key asks.
Finally, we discussed the potential introduction of e-scooters in Sydney. Jenny agreed that if e-scooters were to be introduced, it would be important to keep them and bike riders off busy footpaths. We are thrilled to have her support on this issue and look forward to working together to create a safer and more enjoyable environment for everyone. Better Streets representatives met with Minister Stokes to discuss our five key asks. Whilst Stokes will not be running for the upcoming state election, he emphasised that any future minister needs to retain “active transport” in their title to ensure that there is a voice in cabinet. Hopefully one day this won’t be needed, however in our current environment we still need a minister to champion active transport and better streets. We also discussed the important co-benefits for health and climate change action, because walking and cycling are key in helping us achieve net zero and healthy, connected communities. Better Streets emphasised that one of our roles is to give politicians at all three levels of government, and whichever party they may represent, the assurance that our community and alliance members want these changes for better streets: active travel to schools, safer traffic speeds, more pedestrian crossings, improved streetscapes to support local businesses, and safe cycleways. Minister Stokes' office confirmed that the current Government has committed $1.2 billion to active transport projects this year and over the next three years, including through grants to councils and as part of the delivery of major projects such as Metro and motorway projects. This would bring the NSW Government’s total spending on active transport to more $2 billion between 2014-15 and 2026-27. We are continuing to meet with politicians in the lead up to the NSW election. Photo source: Twitter @RobStokesMP
|
Archives
July 2024
Categories
All
|