Article: Roads at Springfield Lakes, North Lakes too narrow for buses

[ozbob]

From the Courier Mail click here!

Roads at Springfield Lakes, North Lakes too narrow for buses

Roads at Springfield Lakes, North Lakes too narrow for buses
Article from: The Courier-Mail

By Hannah Davies

December 10, 2008 11:00pm

TWO award-winning housing developments have built roads that are too narrow for buses.

The prestigious North Lakes community, north of Brisbane, boasts of an "environment of innovation and creativity", while Springfield Lakes, west of the city, trumpets a lifestyle where you can "enjoy the very best of life".

But not, it seems, when it comes to roads and public transport.

The Courier-Mail can reveal that most of the roads on the "master-planned" estates are not wide enough to accommodate buses, which means they can run only on main roads through the middle of the developments, with some residents at North Lakes facing a 40-minute walk to the nearest bus stop.

At Springfield Lakes, bus drivers from Westside Bus Company mount the roundabouts even on the widest roads.

North Lakes' Hornibrook Bus Lines supervisor Ken Isaac said the situation was laughable.

"The buses won't fit on the small roads so we have a limited service," he said. "It's a weird way to design a community."

North Lakes was developed by Stockland and is home to 10,500 people. Developer Delfin created Springfield Lakes with a population of 8500. Both developments were given council approval.

The bus farce has enraged residents, who say they have to rely on cars - causing traffic chaos at peak times.

Springfield Lakes resident Sirisha Dhulipala, 27, is fed up.

"When we moved to a modern development we expected a proper bus service," she said.

Hannah Brasch, 18, from North Lakes, said: "Most people never use the buses because they have too far to walk to the bus stop."

But, despite complaints, Stockland trumpets how "it is easy to get to and from North Lakes as well as being easy to get around".

Spokesman Stephen Sealey yesterday said: "North Lakes is an award-winning master-planned community.

"Each stage of the consultation has complied with all appropriate planning regulations." However, he refused to comment when asked about the width of the roads.

A spokesman for Delfin said Springfield Lakes "aims to be a walkable community".

Moreton Bay Councillor Mike Charlton said an "enormous amount of effort" had gone into planning North Lakes.

When asked about Springfield Lakes, Ipswich City Council planning chairman Paul Tully said "there are roads that are narrow".

TransLink, which operates the buses, said it was looking at possibly extending the service in both developments - using the few roads that are wide enough for buses.

Often pushed as TOD like these developments expose the short term profit motive over-riding long term sustainable solutions.  The micro road ways that characterise a lot of the new residential developments are hideous. Cars parked all over sides and nature-strips, one could ask why councils allowed these disasters?  Both the railway from Petrie to Kippa Ring and Springfield need to be brought on as priority.  Where have the real planning watchdogs been? 

[mufreight]

Obviously another initiave of the Smart State Anna Bligh irresponsable government, a typical display of government incompetence both state and local that this sort of development is allowed to occour obviously the developers dollar is more important than public amenity, which town planners got the kickback on those development applications and are there not regulations governing the planning of such developments with regard to minimum stands for accessability, if a bus can not negotiate a street then one must question could a removals truck or more importantly an emergency vehicle such as a fire engine, thank heaven there is an election comming.

[stephenk]

This just shows the complete lack of planning of new estates in respect to public transport. In the UK some new towns were built with segregated busways running through the new estates. Yet in Brisbane, buses cannot even travel along roads. Oh dear!

[haakon]

This isn't just a problem in QLD I recall reading a similar story about some estates in Western Sydney that have exactly the same problem a few months back.

[ozbob]

From the Courier Mail click here!

Union says estate streets too narrow for emergency vehicles

Union says estate streets too narrow for emergency vehicles
Article from: The Courier-Mail

By Hannah Davies

December 11, 2008 11:00pm

NARROW streets in two award-winning Queensland housing developments could hamper emergency service vehicles, it was alleged yesterday.

Firefighters say they struggle to drive trucks down the streets of North Lakes and Springfield Lakes, which delays emergency response times.

The warning follows yesterday's report in The Courier-Mail which revealed how most of the roads on the estates were too small for buses.

The State Government is aware of the problem and has discussed concerns with the community.

United Firefighters Union state secretary Mark Walker said it was only a matter of time before tragedy struck.

"The roads are so narrow that we have to take our time getting around obstacles," he said.

"The trucks have to drive up over the roundabouts and on the kerbs, and this causes delays in getting to fires.

"If there are parked cars in the streets we can't get through at all because there just isn't enough room.

"The people who plan these developments should know better. They have failed to take into account the needs of the community."

North Lakes, north of Brisbane, was created by Stockland and is home to 10,500 residents. Springfield Lakes, west of Brisbane, was developed by Delfin, and has a population of 8500.

Both boast of being innovative "master-planned" communities, and were given the thumbs up by local councils, Moreton Bay Regional and Ipswich City.

But potential buyers are being turned off by concerns about the narrow streets in the estates.

In an email to The Courier-Mail, one woman voiced her misgivings.

"Cars are parked on streets in the evenings and nights, and a house fire could be fatal if at the top of a street that has been blocked," she said.

"This was one of the reasons we did not buy."

Emergency Services Minister Neil Roberts refused to comment but a spokesman for the Department of Emergency Services said the problem was mainly caused by parked vehicles.

"Some difficulties have been experienced by responding emergency services vehicles," he said.

A spokesman for Stockland said all streets in North Lakes complied with the "relevant town planning regulations", including requirements for emergency service vehicles.

A spokeswoman for Delfin said Springfield Lakes had been designed "according to industry best practice" and as a result was safer for pedestrians and families.

Representatives from Ipswich City Council and Moreton Bay Regional Council refused to comment.

The Courier-Mail revealed yesterday that most of the roads on the estates were not wide enough to accommodate buses, which meant they could run only on main roads through the middle of the developments. Some residents at North Lakes faced a 40-minute walk to the nearest bus stop.

At Springfield Lakes, bus drivers from Westside Bus Company had to drive over roundabouts even on the widest roads.