Tag: car dependence

First Eastern Transport Coalition meeting for 2008

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Like other committees, the Eastern Transport Coalition (ETC) has returned in january to hold its first meeting for 2008. Today’s meeting discussed the Eastern Transport Coalition’s submission to the Victorian Competition and Efficiency Commission (VCEC) Inquiry into Liveability. This Inquiry was requested by the Victorian Treasurer, John Lenders, amid growing concern over Melbourne’s decline in liveability rankings.

The Eastern Transport Coalition submission will focus heavily on the need for an integrated transport and planning approach, which would curtail the excessive dominance of VicRoads in planning and transport policies. Furthermore the submission will also highlight the need for sustainable transport to assist in the liveability of my communities. For example, public transport improvements would provide an alternative to car dependence meaning that less income would be spent battling rising petrol prices and that less time would be wasted waiting in traffic congestion.

The VCEC Inquiry into traffic congestion clearly stated that the Government must do more to improve public transport. It is imperative that the State Government finally acts on the numerous inquiries it has called and realises that train, tram and bus improvements are urgently required.

Tonight’s meeting also discussed the strategic direction of the Eastern Transport Coalition. This year the ETC will continue to hold the State Government into account, while also pursuing the need for Federal Government investment in public transport infrastructure. Given that Australia is now a signatory to the Kyoto Treaty it is imperative that Federal leadership is provided to curb the rising greenhouse emissions associated with the transport sector. Public transport has the potential to assist in housing affordability by reducing car dependence and in reducing greenhouse emissions.

An action plan is currently being devised and is expected to be adopted at the next meeting.

Active Communities = Active Advocacy : Communities for Public Transport featured at the Sustainable Living Festival

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Communities for Public Transport is unique in that it places communities first and foremost in its advocacy efforts.

Communities for Public Transport, the public transport advocacy group established to represent and empower local communities, will be featured at Melbourne’s Sustainable Living Festival on Sunday the 17th of February at 10am.

The Sustainable Living Festival, an annual event held at Federation Square, aims to showcase organisations that inspire and promote sustainable communities.

I have been invited to deliver a presentation on Communities for Public Transport with the aim of providing advice on community advocacy and to highlight the key issues facing the campaign for public transport improvements in Melbourne and Victoria.

The ongoing inaction over public transport is emerging as a key issue within metropolitan Melbourne and now is the time for local communities to speak up and demand much needed public transport improvements. Rising petrol prices are adding severe financial pressures to many households, particularly those living in the outer suburbs where public transport is not readily available.

Public transport is also required to ensure an equitable Melbourne, where people of all abilities are able to participate in society. The State Government must accelerate disability compliance works to ensure that it exceeds the required milestones established under the Federal Government’s Disability Discrimination Act of 1992

The State Government must demonstrate that it is serious about making public transport improvements a priority. Traffic congestion is creating a severe impost on the economy with severe inflationary pressures undermining Melbourne’s productivity. In addition, Victoria’s greenhouse emissions are continuing unabated due to heavy car dependence.

Local communities know the public transport improvements they require and are best placed to advocate for the public transport improvements that will provide for a sustainable future. It is time for local communities to demand action and to find their voice. Melbourne and its outer suburbs must no longer tolerate poor train reliability, infrequent buses, a lack of nearby stations, inaction over tram extensions and an ongoing list of broken promises over rail extensions.

I encourage you to attend the presentation Active Communities = Active Advocacy at 10am in the design tent at the Sustainable Living Festival, Federation Square.

Walking school bus end of year function

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The Walking School Bus program encourages schoolchildren to walk to school in a safe and friendly environment. The ‘bus’ consists of parents who walk children to school along a predetermined route to and from school. Through participating in the program, children are able to engage in regular physical activity, helping to reduce the looming health issues of childhood obesity.

Walking is also critical to revitalising our suburbs and encouraging a culture of walking will improve our urban sustainability, through reducing car dependence, traffic congestion and greenhouse emissions.

The Walking School Bus program, which is principally funded by local councils (with some assistance from VicHealth), was initially revoked by Maroondah City Council in 2005 before having its funding reinstated in 2006 amid a successful community campaign and the support of councillors such as myself and Jo-anne Taylor.

Today’s function provided an opportunity to thank the teachers, parents and council officers who are involved in the program. Maroondah Council will continue its commitment to the Walking School Bus program with funding being secured for 2008. This ongoing funding will provide support for the thirteen schools that are involved in the program.

While cost shifting has occurred with the Walking School Bus program (which was initially jointly funded between VicHealth and councils), it is imperative that our children do not become the target of cheap political point scoring between different levels of government. The Walking School Bus program provides a number of benefits and its continuation is definitely warranted.

Melbourne 2030 Reference Group: 'Creating A City That Works'

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As part of today’s meeting of the Melbourne 2030 Reference Group I was invited to introduce the Eastern Transport Coalition and to discuss ‘Creating A City That Works’, a report compiled by the Commissioner for Environmental Sustainability.

The presentation provided an opportunity to discuss the aims of the Eastern Transport Coalition and its goals on improving the sustainability of Melbourne’s eastern suburbs through advocating for public transport improvements.

The report, which was released in May 2007 examined the sustainability of Melbourne and had three key findings:

  • The need for stronger coordination between planning and transport
  • The need for better coordination between roads and public transport
  • The fact that current unsustainable urban trends, such as failing to provide effective public transport, cannot continue.

Passenger vehicles contribute 56% of Australia’s transport related emissions, meaning public transport and providing an alternative to car dependence, will be a requirement for any effective strategy that aims to reduce greenhouse emissions.

The current Victorian State Government has proposed legislation that will enshrine greenhouse reduction targets, these will not be achieved unless public transport is improved. The lack of a detailed action plan and interim targets for achieving the State Government’s goal of 20% public transport modal share by 2020 is particularly concerning.

public transport modal share (source: 07-08 State Budget)

While the number of people using public transport has increased, modal share according to the 2007-2008 State Budget papers has remained around 9%. The lack of interim targets and a detailed plan to achieve these goals makes it difficult to measure its progress. While the State Government continues to support its lacklustre transport strategy, Meeting Our Transport Challenges, the Commissioner demonstrated that the patronage targets were not ‘strongly reiterated as a policy that drives MoTC [Meeting Our Transport Challenges]’

Furthermore the Commissioner stated that “The 20/2020 target needs to be supported with a series of clear intermediate steps that show how it will be achieved.”

It is clear that the State Government must revise its transport policies if it intends to truly designate public transport as a priority.

The ongoing lack of coordination between public transport, roads and planning has had serious ramifications at a local level, particularly in regard to the Ringwood Transit City. State Government support for Ringwood has been marred with uncertainty, including the current lack of commitment over the much needed upgrade of Ringwood Station and improvements for pedestrians attempting to cross Maroondah Highway.

The desire to improve pedestrian access in Ringwood, such as providing less waiting time for pedestrians across Maroondah Highway has been continually stymied due to the lack of coordination between VicRoads and the Public Transport Division of the Department of Infrastructure.

Likewise the current inadequate rail frequencies beyond Ringwood, which result in a mere half hourly service during weekdays and an even worse frequency of bus services, restricts the potential for public transport to reduce car dependence within the centre of Ringwood.

As the ward councillor for much of the transit city area, I have been insisting on improvements to sustainability, such as footpath construction with new developments and water and energy sustainability, but a commitment from the State Government is required to ensure the provision of public transport improvements.

If coordination between State Government departments was improved and if an action plan and interim targets were developed to secure the goal of increasing public transport modal share to the 20% by 2020 then a commitment to the redevelopment of Ringwood Station and other public transport improvements would have been readily provided.

The next State Budget, due in May 2008, will test the State Government’s commitment to both Ringwood and our urban sustainability.

Eastern FM: Discussing the Eastern Transport Coalition

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Eastern FM (98.1 FM) is a local community radio station based at the Wyreena Community Arts Centre in Croydon.

I was invited to be interviewed on Eastern FM to discuss the Eastern Transport Coalition and the need for public transport improvements in the outer suburbs. The Eastern Transport Coalition represents approximately a million residents and includes the Box Hill, Ringwood and Dandenong Transit Cities.

Improved public transport, including better coordination for bus services and rail improvements such as extensions and duplications, is required to provide an alternative to car dependence and to mitigate rising traffic congestion.

Traffic congestion has been estimated to cost $2.44 billion in Melbourne’s eastern and southeastern suburbs causing a substantial loss of productivity. Furthermore, car dependence is responsible for 3,230 thousand tonnes of greenhouse emissions in Melbourne’s east and southeast.

I also discussed the need for the redevelopment of Ringwood Station, particularly given Ringwood’s status as a transit city. The current station is dark, perceived to be unsafe and fails to comply with accessibility standards.

Public transport improvements are crucial to the economic, social and environmental wellbeing of Melbourne’s eastern suburbs and it is essential that all levels of government commit to the delivery of these much needed projects.

For further information on Eastern FM please visit www.easternfm.com.au.

MAV Meeting of Transport Coalitions

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The Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV), the peak body representing local government within Victoria, organised a meeting of transport coalitions to ensure cooperation between the different local government and community organisations that are advocating for public transport improvements.

Presentations were delivered by the:

  • Western Transport Alliance;
  • Eastern Transport Coalition;
  • Metropolitan Transport Forum;
  • Coalition for People’s Transport (including the PTUA);

There is broad agreement between the various organisations that improved public transport is critical to the economic, social and environmental wellbeing of Melbourne and that the State Government must start to deliver results. Likewise, there was also consensus that the Federal Government has a role to play in keeping State Governments accountable.

With rising petrol prices and further pressures on housing affordability, public transport improvements are critical to alleviating ongoing financial hardship for families. With car dependence often costing households to 30% of their income it is clear that sustainable transport – including much need rail extensions and further bus improvements are required to ensure an economically vibrant Melbourne.

Presentation on urban sustainability and transport

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This afternoon I was invited to deliver a presentation exploring the linkages between urban sustainability and public transport to the 41st Annual Geography Conference organised by the Geography Teachers Association of Victoria (GTAV).

The hour-long presentation provided a synopsis on the economic, social and environmental benefits of public transport, investigated current urban policies and examined Ringwood as a case study to demonstrate the interdependence between urban sustainability and public transport.

While the State Government appears to have neglected its goal of increasing public transport modal share to 20% by the year 2020, this target is required to mitigate rising congestion. With an annual cost of $4 billion annually, congestion is currently outpacing Melbourne’s population growth. Likewise the provision of public transport will provide transport choice to the many outer suburban households that are struggling due to rising petrol prices and the fact that private transport consumes up to 20% of budgets within these households.

The lack of public transport in Melbourne’s outer suburbs can also place non-car households at a significant disadvantage and limit the ability to participate in employment, educational, community and recreational opportunities. Similarly, obesity and health issues such as diabetes, can be symptomatic of car dependent suburbs where the potential to exercise is diminished.

In regard to environmental sustainability, transport accounts for 17% of Australia’s national greenhouse emissions and is the fastest growing sector of emissions. The figures are even more stark for individual households, where due to car dependence, transport is responsible for up to 49% of greenhouse emissions and is the largest contributing source of emissions within households.

These and other costs mean that car dependence is not sustainable and that urban sustainability cannot be achieved under current practices. While it may be claimed that excessive car usage contributes to the economy, when equating the economic, social and environmental impacts of car dependence there is an annual deficit of $16.3 billion.

Melbourne 2030, the State Government’s urban planning strategy was supposed to achieve a more sustainable future for Melbourne. While the plan identified numerous activity centres, each of which are earmarked for urban development, the public transport network that was supposed to cater to these urban centres remains underdeveloped.

This is even more apparent in the purpose-built activity centres that were initially designed to showcase the integration that was to result between transport and planning. Activity centres such as South Morang, Cranbourne East and Wyndham Vale have been denied much needed rail extensions despite their location within the rapidly developing growth corridors.

The problems experienced with Melbourne’s public transport system, such as unreliable train services, infrequent and poorly connected bus services and trams that terminate short of logical destinations can be resolved, but it requires Government will. Within Australia, Perth has proven to be an example of the improvements that can result from an integration between transport and planning and a commitment to urban sustainability. As an example, Perth recently doubled the size of its rail network, including the construction of a new 70km rail line (twice the distance of the CBD to Dandenong) and new stations are built simultaneously with urban development.

The integration that has borne results in Perth needs to be implemented in Melbourne, particularly for designated transit cities such as Ringwood. The suburb of Ringwood, located 27km east of Melbourne’s CBD, has been designated an area of higher density development but the State Government has been lacklustre in its commitment to improving public transport.

Ringwood currently suffers due to a disjointed retail precinct and transport hub which requires pedestrians to cross a six lane highway. Despite the goals of creating a sustainable community, the State Government and VicRoads have currently refused requests to make it easier to cross Maroondah Highway. Coupled with poor public transport, which includes making public transport users wait up to half an hour to travel between Ringwood and Croydon, the current culture of car dependence is exacerbated and potentially jeopardises the ability to create green open space and a new heart for Ringwood. Furthermore the lack of commitment over the redevelopment of Ringwood Station has created uncertainty for major developers resulting in unnecessary delays.

Each of these issues are interrelated, since due to poor public transport there is less open space which creates a pedestrian hostile environment and investment delays as developers wait for these issues to be rectified. While 40% of land in Melbourne used for roads and carparks, a staggering 62% of land within Ringwood is used for these purposes, leaving less land available for residential, commercial and community purposes.

While new developments, such as three storey residential buildings, are occurring the investment in public transport and hence the investor confidence in larger commercial developments is not. In particular, while residents within these new developments are encouraged to use public transport, walking and cycling as a form of travel this will not be sustainable if public transport is not improved.

Poor public transport connectivity and a lack of frequent bus services along main roads, such as Maroondah Highway, Canterbury and Wonga Roads, means that public transport usage will remain limited due to the fact that these poor levels of service fail to provide a real transport choice. The State Government must deliver significant public transport improvements to demonstrate that it is committed to creating a sustainable community within Ringwood.

The provision of sustainable transport is a key component of creating a sustainable community and increasing economic, social and environmental pressures means that action is required.

Maroondah Journal: Brumby urged to act on transport

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John Brumby has been appointed as the new Premier of Victoria after the resignation of Steve Bracks and the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has called on the new Premier to commit to his promise of fixing Melbourne’s public transport system. The Maroondah Journal has reported on this request:

On his first day in the job, Mr Brumby announced that his six priorities included fixing Melbourne’s overcrowded public transport system. He has promised to fast track Victoria’s public transport blueprint Meeting Our Transport Challenges.

However, the Public Transport Users Association has called on Mr Brumby to the scrap the plan and start again.

Meeting Our Transport Challenge, which was released last year, failed to identify the improvements necessary to boost Melbourne’s public transport system. Much needed rail and tram extensions were largely missing from the plan and the identified bus upgrades were lacklustre and would fail to provide a convenient, readily available and frequent system.

PTUA outer east spokesman Alex Makin said much-needed service improvements were missing from the $10 billion plan. “John Brumby needs to do more than simply fast track Meeting Our Transport Challenges”.

Mr Makin said Mr Brumby’s ability to address public transport problems would define his term as Premier.

As Melbourne struggles to cope with worsening traffic congestion and rising petrol prices it is clear that the Government must deliver the rail, tram and bus improvements necessary to provide people with an alternative to car dependence.

John Brumby, as Premier, should begin by implementing the recommendations within the Victorian Competition and Efficiency Commission (VCEC) inquiry into traffic congestion, which was commissioned by Mr. Brumby during his time as Treasurer. Chief among those recommendations was the need to accelerate much needed rail and tram extensions and to provide further improvements to the bus network.

ETC delegation to Canberra

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As the Maroondah representative on the Eastern Transport Coalition (ETC), I will be travelling to Canberra on the 14th and 15th August alongside John Bennie, CEO of Greater Dandenong and Mick van de Vreede, chairperson of the ETC.

This trip will involve the direct lobbying of Government and Opposition MPs to seek federal funding for public transport, as well as providing an opportunity to meet peak bodies such as the Australasian Railways Association and the Australian Local Governance Association.

Congestion, through delays in delivery schedules and opportunity costs, has been estimated to cost $2.44 billion for Melbourne’s eastern and southeastern suburbs and this car dependence contributes $3.2 billion worth of greenhouse emissions. While the State Government must not be excused for its poor performance and broken promises over public transport it is imperative that the Federal Government shows leadership in maintaining and creating sustainable communities.

The trip to Canberra is one facet of the ETC’s campaign to ensure a sustainable future for Melbourne’s eastern and southeastern suburbs.

Herald-Sun: Petrol price hike tipped

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Amid a forecast of rising petrol prices the Public Transport Users Association released its pre-budget submission calling on the State Government to dramatically improve public transport.

The Herald-Sun has reported on this pre-budget submission:

The Public Transport Users Association said the latest price hike increased the need for a major boost to public transport in the state budget.

“After months of poor reliability and disruptions, public confidence in the system is at a tipping point,” association vice-president Alex Makin said.

The effects of a lack of public transport and, as a consequence, car dependence, are clearly reflected in the data for total vehicle kilometres for the years 2005/06 (source: VicRoads).

Within inner Melbourne (which is relatively well-served with a comprehensive train and tram network) overall total vehicle kilometres travelled fell by 1.9%. In contrast however, total vehicle kilometres travelled fell by just 0.3% in the outer suburbs.

Without decisive action people would continue to be vulnerable to higher oil prices – as people abandon the system, as well as increased congestion, pollution and greenhouse emissions, he said.

The upcoming State Budget will be a key litmus test for Lynne Kosky, the newly appointed Minister for Public Transport and whether she deliver an alternative to the crippling effects of rising petrol prices.