Article: Driving us crazy

[ozbob]

From the Sunday Mail 3rd May 2009 page 21

Driving us crazy

[ozbob]

From the Sunday Mail Editorial 3rd May 2009 click here!

Stuck in the slow lane

Stuck in the slow lane
Article from: The Sunday Mail (Qld)

May 03, 2009 12:00am

THE AustRoads report that puts Brisbane at the top of the nation's traffic gridlock table will be confirmation of what many drivers have long suspected.
Traffic is becoming slower and journeys are becoming longer, condemning commuters to costly and infuriating delays.

Main Roads Minister Craig Wallace blames roadworks and accidents for congestion, and points to major projects coming on line.

We should be thankful for the projects under way, but the extent of catch-up work is, in itself, testament to serial complacency and a lack of long-term planning by government at all levels.

We can look forward to improvements, but the sheer volume of traffic and the projections for growth are depressing indications that we may never win the war against traffic delays.

The answer might not ultimately lie in roads, but in a complete re-evaluation of urban lifestyles.

[ozbob]

Does anyone doubt why we must ramp up rail?

[ozbob]

Media Release 3 May 2009

SEQ:  Brisbane has the nation's worst morning road congestion ?  what a surprise ?

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport commuters has said that latest figures from Austroads confirming Brisbane as having the nation's worst morning road congestion are just a further indication as to why rail must be ramped up urgently (1).

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"It is no surprise to any resident of Brisbane that we have the nation's worst road congestion.  The continued road and bus centric public transport policies are now exposed as seriously flawed."

"We are in a state of public transport paralysis.  No one it seems, can make the big decisions to break the present flawed public transport paradigm.  We have an opportunity to begin the inner city underground rail extensions sooner than later for example (2).   We need to introduce incentive ticketing (3).  Sustainable light rail must be introduced to give the bulk mass transit capacity that is needed in the high density areas.  Actions or more tap dancing?"

"Even the RACQ is trumpeting public transport improvements and congestion pricing in the inner city and doubts if toll roads and tunnels will make any real difference (1)."

"Congestion is costly."

"Will it take total grid lock to break the chains?"

References:

1.    Driving us crazy Sunday Mail 3rd May 2009 page 21
2.    SEQ: Let's keep digging tunnels ? rail tunnels http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=2222.0
3.    SEQ: Go Card - manage congestion add off peak and incentive fares http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=1941.0

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org

[dwb]

Really the solutions are simple and many of them will be demand based not supply.
Mothers/fathers not driving their kids to school (let the walk or get the bus - obviously relies on more buses and better paths).
Convenience trips done by foot rather than car (requires close proximity of reasonably stocked/priced shop, paths).
Walk/ride to work or the train or bus (yes requires more paths, trains, buses).
Spread work hours... enough of the flexible work hours rhetoric, all this means is that mums all leave work early to pick up their kids from school.
Stop building new road capacity.
Charge for road usage.


And really, I contest the notion that the city is gridlocked. Certain roads may be for a couple of hours every day. But they are generally oversupplied and inefficiently utilised.  I am still amazed by some of the trips you can make during peak hour and how ridiculously quick they are!

[ozbob]

This is interesting Dwb --> http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=2231.0  Walk off the transport blues ..

[Jon Bryant]

It was Albert Einstein who defined Insanity as "doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results". 

After 40 year experient with road based transport system we can declare the QLD Transport and Governments in general officially Insane.

[dwb]

Thanks Bob I hadn't even seen that article. Chris Hale occasionally pulls out some good articles.