Lee Waters, renowned for his pivotal role as former Deputy Climate Change and Transport Minister in the Welsh Government is visiting Australia and will be hosted by Better Streets in Sydney and Melbourne.
Lee will share his journey of implementing 30 km/h (20 mph) as the default urban speed limit across Wales. His experiences and challenges in driving transformative change towards achieving the Paris climate targets promise to offer invaluable lessons in policy and leadership. This is a unique opportunity for advocates and community members alike to delve into the intersection of policy and effective governance. Sydney Lee Walers will be joined by Rob Stokes, former NSW Minister for Cities, Planning and Public spaces , Transport and Infrastructure, alongside Lord Mayor of the City of Sydney, Clover Moore AO. Following a keynote address from Lee, he will be joined onstage by Rob Stokes and the Lord Mayor Clover Moore for a fireside chat. Together, they will explore the complexities of reducing urban speeds and discuss how community engagement can build crucial social acceptance for such initiatives. This event is being held in collaboration with Committee for Sydney, AITPM, City of Sydney, WalkSydney and the Henry Halloran Research Trust. Date and time: Thursday, August 15 · 6 - 7:30pm AEST Location: Sydney Town Hall - 483 George Street Sydney, NSW 2000 Get directions Registration link: register here Melbourne Following a keynote address from Lee, he will be joined by moderator Julian O'Shea and guests Lauren Pearson, Ben Rossiter and Sophie Wade for a chat and then Q&A. Together, they will explore the complexities of reducing urban speeds and discuss how Yarra's pioneering 30 km/h zone can grow across Melbourne. Date and time: Wed 28th Aug 2024, 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm AEST Location: The Provincial Hotel 299 Brunswick St, Fitzroy VIC 3065, Australia Get directions Registration link: register here
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The recent NSW state election that saw Labor come to power promises a fresh start in tackling the many challenges facing the state. One of the biggest challenges in the state of Transport for NSW, and its addiction to toll roads. Better Streets, is focused on sustainable and equitable transport solutions, with a focus on equal access to streets for all people, by a wider range of modes including walking, cycling, and public transport. Better Streets supports the idea of using motorways more fairly, particularly if they achieve their intended purpose of reclaiming space on local roads. By removing motor vehicles from local streets communities can benefit with slower-paced streets that are safer to cross and give room for children to walk and cycle comfortably to school. Better Streets suggests two ways that the toll-holiday promise of the new government could be built upon to strengthen equity of access for Western Sydneysiders, as well as mitigate the risk of induced traffic. Firstly, free up the surface streets that the motorways decongest. This can be achieved by:
Secondly, reallocate road space on these streets to other uses, such as bus priority, cycleways, extend the walking space and businesses. This can be be used to improve the streets scape, provide space for local street art, trees in pots, local businesses to spill out on the spare space. Note: Councils have just been given this temporary delegation under the Roads Act, giving them more control of minor works on their streets.
Thirdly, reduce the financial burden equally across modes, to encourage and sustain more sustainable (equitable, and environmental) travel patterns. This can be done by offering a discount on parallel bus and train lines for trips over 10km, reducing the number of fare bands and reviewing all rates, and offering a discount on bus fares in Regions 1 to 3 (Western Sydney). In London, a flat fee bus ticket resulted in a 16% rise in bus patronage even as fare revenue (i.e., costs to passengers) dropped about 9%. A single fare also speeds up buses since people don’t need to tap off. Consider increasing bus services in Western Sydney public transport on key routes to at least 4 services per hour, ideally 6 per hour, can speed up buses through bus priority lanes and flat fares. In conclusion, the Better Streets suggests that the new NSW government focus on creating sustainable, equitable, and environmental transport solutions as a priority focus for Transport for NSW. By building upon the toll-holiday promise and reallocating road space to other uses, reducing speeds, as well as reducing the financial burden of buses and increasing bus services, we can create a better transport system for all NSW residents. It's time to prioritise people over cars and make our streets more accessible, safe, and enjoyable for everyone. |
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