27 Apr 2022: SEQ Planning has Failed to Change the Way the Region Moves

[ozbob]

27th April 2022

SEQ Planning has Failed to Change the Way the Region Moves

RAIL Back On Track echoes the comments in Peter Gleeson's article that SEQ needs a miracle to avoid traffic coming to a standstill ... and not just during the two weeks of the 2032 Games ( https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/opinion/peter-gleeson/opinion-south-east-qld-will-grind-to-a-halt-for-brisbane-2032/news-story/4ff324afc48f4ac74491d44af443315e ).  Brisbane's 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games organising committee meeting for the first time today needs to recognise that transport planning in SEQ is in a failure state.

All levels of Government have failed to achieve any change towards the transport targets outlined in successive SEQ Regional Plans.  Connecting SEQ 2031 set a target of reducing trips by motor vehicle to 66% from 83% by 2031 - shown in Figure 1.  Over the last 16 years that figure has remained unchanged - shown Figure 2.


Figure 1- Connect SEQ Target-Source: Connecting SEQ 2031 Page 4 https://cabinet.qld.gov.au/documents/2010/jul/connecting%20seq%202031/Attachments/Draft%20Connecting%20SEQ%202031.pdf



Figure 2 - SEQ Growth Update - Source: Measures that Matter-Connect - https://planning.dsdmip.qld.gov.au/mtm?theme=connect

More of the same and a few major projects will never deliver on these targets, which are low in comparison with leading global cities - shown in Figure 3.


Figure 3 - Leading Cities - Source: Vienna's Path to Sustainable Transport - https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/bitstream/handle/10919/103090/Vienna%27s%20Path.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

Recent comments by Cr Murphy regarding bus network reform supporting the introduction of their electric bi-articulated buses including "BCC will be leading the Network Review, in consultation with TransLink, as with other aspects of the Metro project" and "TransLink can review the network any time they wish!" suggest nothing is going to change fast ( https://www.facebook.com/RAILBackOnTrack/posts/5619798971367577 ).  RAIL Back On Track members are very concerned about a repeat of the failed 2013 SEQ Bus Network Review which saw the majority of improvements (and associated passenger increases) abandoned due to political point scoring and scare campaigns. RAIL Back On Track is seeking clarity on the status of any review from translink.

It is important to note that each trip by motor vehicle that can and should be by active and public transport is costing the tax-payer a minimum of 6 times more in subsidies ( BrentToderian/status/1507827369154781185/photo/1 )

RAIL Back On Track again 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 and Engineering Australia to urgently outline and make the changes required to city and regional plans, budgets and priorities to implement:

1.  a public education program outlining the need to change the way we plan and build our city/region;
2.  a redesigned SEQ BRT 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;
3.  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.
4.  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?
5.  increased densities around all rail/busway stations and key transport interchanges/centres - Why Development-Oriented Transit is better than Transit-Oriented Development (strongtowns.org); and
6.  the removal of car-parking minimums and inclusion of maximums in centres in City Plans - How Eliminating Parking Minimums Actually Makes Cities Better

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

[ozbob]

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