RAIL - Back On Track Forum

Public Transport Investment Must be Catalyst for SEQ Planning About Face

5th April 2022

RAIL Back On Track has welcomed the investment in the rail extension to Maroochydore and the Logan - Gold Coast Faster rail project as they will better connect the Gold and Sunshine Coasts to Brisbane,  support the shift to net zero emissions and aid the movement of people across SEQ for the 2032 Olympics.

Whilst the investment in these big-ticket projects and other key public transport projects such as the Gold Coast Light Rail is key to creating a net zero region they are only the catalyst for changes required in the overall planning of region and its transport network.

RAIL Back On Track has highlighted for almost two decades that continuing to create a car-dependent region just creates more traffic, pollution, frustration and noise. If we look around there is more congestion today than ever with little to no change in the 80% of overall trips being by motor vehicle.  This a world away from leading practice which sees upwards of 60% of trips by active and public transport - like Vancouver, Paris, Copenhagen, Milan, Brussels - to name a few.  What makes these cities similar is that they are multi-modal cities unlike SEQ which is car-dependent.

When even the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) is calling for change and highlights three dynamics at the source of car-dependency and high emissions: induced demand, urban sprawl and the erosion of active and shared transport modes, it's time to sit up, take notice and change the way we are planning and building our cities and towns. 

Engineers Australia also recognises the need to change highlighting "Increasing capacity for urban road networks induces demand and is a major reason for increased traffic on the network..." and "There is little evidence to demonstrate increasing road capacity to reduce traffic congestion improves economic performance in cities."

Almost 10 years ago leading city planners noted that "Successful multi-modal cities aren't just about what your city starts doing — i.e., funding transit — it's what you stop doing — i.e., widening roads."

Whilst this change may sound daunting it is a change that will create a cleaner, quieter, healthier, accessible, more affordable, vibrant, safer region with an even stronger local economy than today.  The multi-modal cities above made their decision to change in the 1970's.  South East Queensland MUST make the decision today.

RAIL Back On Track calls on the SEQ Council of Mayors, the Minister for Transport and Main Roads, the Minister for State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning plus the Planning Institute of Australia to urgently outline and make the changes required to city and regional plans,  budgets and priorities to implement:

• a public education program outlining the need to change the way we plan and build our city;
• walkable/transit oriented 15min Neighbourhoods in all urban and commercial areas with with livable street and mixed-use development in local, district and regional centres; -- 15 Minute city: urban mobility solution to the environment?
• increased densities around all rail/busway stations and key transport interchanges/centres - Why Development-Oriented Transit is better than Transit-Oriented Development (strongtowns.org).
• remove car-parking minimums and set maximum in key centres from City Plans - How Eliminating Parking Minimums Actually Makes Cities Better
• a redesigned SEQ Bus Network to create an inter-connected network of trunk routes across the region - Applying 15 Minute Neighbourhood and Multi-Modal Theories to Network Design; and
• the redirection of transport and other investments away from freeways, road widening and park n' rides to fund additional active/public transport and freight/regional rail projects.

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track https://backontrack.org

Reference:

The well-being lens applied to transport - OECD

Facebook ...

https://twitter.com/railbotforum/status/1511040876910313472

https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1566915750761472000
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Brisbanetimes --> Weekend shopping chaos 'canary in the coal mine' for Brisbane traffic

QuoteGympie Road at Chermside is now 12 car lanes wide; six car lanes in each direction.

It takes an older person almost a minute to cross the road, which now carries about 85,000 vehicles a day – as many as the Gateway Motorway.

On Sunday, the neighbouring Westfield Chermside was so choked with cars people were stuck in the shopping centre car park for up to three hours. ...

Quote"They said to us – and it makes more sense to be honest – why not take a tunnel from where Airport Link pops out near Stafford Road and continue it all the way up to the Bruce Highway links north of Aspley?"

That is all they ever think about - put a road tunnel in and get Transurban or similar toll company to toll it.

Chermside would be an excellent first stop to put in a Regional Rapid Rail tunnel that would allow Sunshine Coast trains to run express out of Brisbane. If funding is an issue, maybe they can put a shadow toll on the trains - every time a train uses the tunnel Transurban gets a toll fee from TransLink.

 

IF, you are referring to the BCC...well, of course it pushes foremost ROADS...that's basically what it does!

If you want better rail, your #1 point of enquiry MUST be the State Govt...people have given them, a Free Pass on multi-decadal inertia, like it's some form of unique Queeeennsslllaannddd Chronic Disease!!!

Real problem in SEQ with rentals evaporating as workers come back and internationals return.
PLUS BCC has restricted missing middle homes so it is either family home with too many bedrooms on a large block or apartment in a tower.

As govt mulls granny flat rentals, council says communities must have say
https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/politics/queensland/as-govt-mulls-granny-flat-rentals-council-says-communities-must-have-say-20220923-p5bkf0.html

It boggles the mind as to what on earth BCC were thinking when they effectively banned townhouses etc.

"Some Australian suburbs are seeing rises of more than 40 per cent in the cost of advertised rentals since the pandemic started."

Portland, Oregon USA abolishes single-family zoning

QuoteThe ability to build more units on a single plot means that the city's high land costs can be spread across a larger number of homes, he says. Rather than selling a single-family home for $1 million-plus, Oregon Homeworks can produce a fourplex with each unit going for half that or even less. That's created a win-win of more revenue for the developer and more affordable units for individual buyers.

"We're able to maintain profitable projects while hitting price points that the vast majority of the buying public can afford," Thompson says.

Portland Legalized 'Missing Middle' Housing. Now It's Trying to Make It Easy to Build. https://reason.com/2022/06/13/portland-legalized-missing-middle-housing-now-its-trying-to-make-it-easy-to-build/

QuoteSpecifically, the plan will allow more duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes as well as more accessory dwelling units and cottages to be built amid existing single houses. New developments wouldn't be required to offer off-street parking. The new policy will also allow up to six units on residential lots where at least half of the units are affordable for families with income no higher than 60% area median income to rent or for families earning no more than 80% area median income to buy.

Portland changes zoning rules to allow duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes in areas previously reserved for single-family homes
https://www.oregonlive.com/portland/2020/08/portland-changes-zoning-code-to-allow-duplexes-triplexes-fourplexes-in-areas-previously-reserved-for-single-family-homes.html



PORTLAND JUST PASSED THE BEST LOW-DENSITY ZONING REFORM IN US HISTORY
The reform sets a new standard: up to four homes on almost any lot, or up to six homes for price-regulated projects.

https://www.sightline.org/2020/08/11/on-wednesday-portland-will-pass-the-best-low-density-zoning-reform-in-us-history/

Sent to all outlets:

Petty Transport Politics whilst SEQ Suffocates on Traffic

6th October 2023

RAIL Back On Track says another round of petty X (formerly twitter) arguments this week between BCC Transport Committee Chair Cr Ryan Murphy and BCC Labor Leader, Cr Jared Cassidy is yet more signs of the transport failure manifest.

https://x.com/ryansrumblings/status/1709388602311110897?s=20

SEQ is suffocating on ever growing congestion, yet both the LNP and Labor parties cannot stop arguing on social media long enough to recognise that the state of transport in the region is both their faults.

The reason is staring right at them in their transport budgets and priorities. Both the State Government and Brisbane City Council have prioritised investment in "congestion busting" road projects over the last 30 years.  The congesting choking SEQ is not due to a lack of investment or a failure to plan. It is the known outcome of their budgets and priorities. It has been long recognised within the transport and city planning professions that building more road capacity creates even more congestion, not less.

Whilst they argue about who is to blame for the current failed state of transport in SEQ, they are missing the bigger picture that their own transport budgets and plans are creating ever worse congestion.

It is way past time for both the LNP and Labor parties to stop the political bickering and recognise they:

. created today's traffic mess not failed to plan for it;
. their transport budgets are just making it worse; and
. need to collaborate as mature adults to complete an urgent about-face on transport and city planning.

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track https://backontrack.org

Reference:

Public Transport Investment Must be Catalyst for SEQ Planning About Face 5th April 2022
https://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=14604.0

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https://x.com/railbotforum/status/1710061271410676108?s=20

The sooner we  get ALL public transit into a dedicated, fully resourced and empowered Public Transport Authority the better!  Like just about every other major city in Oz!!!!!