Article: Staggered starts aim to cut Brisbane CBD traffic congestion

[ozbob]

From the Courier Mail click here!

Staggered starts aim to cut Brisbane CBD traffic congestion

Staggered starts aim to cut Brisbane CBD traffic congestion
Article from: The Courier-Mail

Ursula Heger and Sophie Elsworth

May 20, 2009 12:00am

CITY workers will be the first to trial flexible working hours under a State Government pilot program designed to reduce traffic congestion in Brisbane's CBD.

The news comes as commuters in Brisbane's southwest were forced to deal with traffic chaos yesterday morning after a burst water main at Anstead and because of the wet weather.

The burst main was blamed for causing traffic problems on the Centenary Highway at Indooroopilly and on Mt Crosby Rd.

Major delays also resulted from a six-vehicle crash on the Pacific Motorway about 5.40am, causing problems for northbound traffic. Several people involved in the crash received minor injuries.

The pilot program, which will be launched at the start of next month, will allow employees from both government and private industry to work from home; work longer hours for four days a week, or alter their normal hours.

Flexible working hours could be spread to other city businesses if the program proves successful, but employers will just get a pat on the back, rather than any tax breaks or other incentives.

The program has been designed to spread the number of people travelling to Brisbane on both private and public transport during peak hours, currently about 45 per cent of city traffic.

In total, 16 government and private businesses, including KPMG, Hyder Consulting, AECOM and Transfield, will participate in the 26-day pilot program. Transport Minister Rachel Nolan said the program would investigate the amount of traffic that could be cut from normal peak-hour congestion if flexible working hours were introduced.

"This pilot program will challenge employers to increase flexibility in working hours and lifestyle. Additionally, it will decrease the daily number of trips into the city and reduce congestion," she said.

Ms Nolan said the State Government could not "just build our way out of congestion", despite projects such as the Clem7 tunnel and Hale Street Link.

RACQ spokesman Gary Fites said the idea had potential but there were limitations, and a "combination of initiatives" would have an impact.

[ozbob]

This is a welcome initiative, something we have often mentioned publicly as one of many strategies that can assist with peak congestion management on all modes.

Roll out the incentive fares!   

[O_128]

Unless peak hour is extended until 10am or 15min off peak services are introduced this will never work

[ButFli]

Changing school starting time is the best solution. I'm sure we've all noticed how much traffic improves during school holidays. We could have that sort of paradise all year if schools were made to start at 10AM!

[Emmie]

We could have that sort of paradise all year if schools were made to start at 10AM!

Since most parents work, how is this going to work??  Parents, particularly mothers, drop their kids at school on the way to their workplace, so school and work hours need to remain in synch.  A better solution would be to improve public transport services - and bikeways - to schools, so parents get out of habit of dropping off kids at school.  And children get into the habit of exercise and using public transport.

[ButFli]

We could have that sort of paradise all year if schools were made to start at 10AM!

Since most parents work, how is this going to work??  Parents, particularly mothers, drop their kids at school on the way to their workplace, so school and work hours need to remain in synch. 

How is changing work hours going to be any different?

Schools already have public transport options available. Many parents will always drive their children to school because of an unfounded fear of the boogie man. The way some parents behave would make you think Dennis Ferguson was standing on every street corner. Enough is enough. Make the kids walk to school and solve traffic congestion and childhood obesity problems.