The Editor

The West Australian

GPO Box D162, Perth WA 6840

Re: Perth Roads and Traffic.

Whilst we look in awe at the prospect of millions of cars on Perth Roads, and ever increasing traffic congestion, we are unable or unwilling to make the switch to active transport. All car drivers are aware of a substantial drop in commuting times during school holidays. About 18% of morning rush hour traffic between 8 AM and 9 AM is generated by parents dropping their kids off at school. In many cases the children would be happy to walk or cycle to school, but the parents don’t have the time to accompany them – they rather spend the time sitting in traffic moving like molasses.

We need to move about 18% of people from the roads to other means of transport, including cycling, which is the cheapest option to commute into the CBD. A fit cyclist travels from Joondalup to the CBD in an hour, door to door, and does not have to worry about parking. Instead of wasting $2.1billion in lost time and smog related health problems, we would be better off to complete the Perth Bike Network, integrate active and public transport and provide more trains and buses. The Perth Parking Levy fund has about $17million crying out to be spent on more CAT buses and better facilities for people on foot or on bicycles accessing the CBD.

Heinrich Benz,  Bicycle Transportation Alliance, 2, Delhi Street, West Perth WA 6005

“In Western Australia, we are constructing the Perth to Armadale Bike Paths, which will link several local schools to a future library, recreation site and three railway stations.”

and

“Funding bike paths across the country is only one part of the Gillard Labor Government’s plan to reduce emissions and encourage healthy ways to travel. A re-elected Gillard Labor Government will continue rolling out this important program.”

Trevor Paddenburg also writes in the Sunday Times Commuters feel the pinch, exploring the congested peak hour traffic on public transport. PTA points to their own survey which indicates 93% of train passengers were satisfied, a nice contrast to the 50% who did not like to use trains because of overcrowding (based on an RAC survey). This article contains a nice photo of the BTA convenor Steven McKiernan, crowded in by cars and looking worried. Perhaps it was something he had for breakfast….

The Perth Voice suggests that people should Have their say in the Perth Bike Plan. Peter Monks of the Perth City Council confirms that no safe cycling infrastructure is planned for the re-vamped St.Georges Terrace, and Simon O’Brien still cannot tell how the Government intends to spend the $17 million parkin levy revenue that should be spent on vulnerable road users and CAT buses.

Local councils in WA built 34 km of Shared Paths at an average cost of $170,000 per km.

Mainroads built 40 km at an average cost of $729,000 per km.

Whilst not all paths are built to the same standard, the 4km built in Canning are pretty much PSP standard and fully lit, at a cost of $388,000 per km. The high cost of Shared Paths, which does not seem to take into account how well used a path will be, is an impediment to the completion of the Shared Path Network.

Pursue  the page with the cost per km of Shared Paths.

A few weeks later he called for a summit on cycling issues, which included the Department of Transport, the Police, Planning etc. Amongst the measures suggested was a three feet passing law.

The story is here.