Is the tram project good policy or naked politicking?
Posted: June 30, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a commentLabor’s election promise to extend Melbourne’s Route 11 tram by one kilometre isn’t about good transport policy; it’s a political move to protect incumbent David Feeny
Is this tram project good policy or naked politicking?
Is this comparison of election promises fair?
Posted: June 29, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a commentThis table of the public transport election promises of the three major parties should be useful but it frames the information in a way that blatantly favours one party
Is this comparison of election promises fair?
Infrastructure costs: is like always compared with like?
Posted: June 28, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a commentComparing the costs of ostensibly similar infrastructure projects is a fraught exercise. Differences in scope are often overlooked; it’s vital to compare like with like
Infrastructure costs: is like always compared with like?
Is the Greens Transit City a good but half-baked idea?
Posted: June 27, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a commentA “dispersed network” is the smart approach to public transport but politics means the Greens Transit City plan for Perth leaves most of the important questions unanswered
Is the Greens Transit City a good but half-baked idea?
Recap: all the issues discussed by The Urbanist in April
Posted: June 23, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a commentIncluding Turnbull’s Cities Plan, safe cycling, heritage, schools, dogs, HSR, public transport, Fairfax, bottle shops, railway stations, and autonomous vehicles
How should our cities prepare for self-driving vehicles?
City managers aren’t doing much to get ready for self-driving vehicles yet the signs are they’ll be ready to use on public roads very soon – as autonomous buses and trams
Would building this new rail station be a sensible idea?
There’s pressure to expand the proposed Melbourne Metro project to incorporate a new station at South Yarra; but the Government insists it can’t be justified
How important is public transport?
New data provides valuable and possibly surprising insights into how Australian city dwellers use public transport and its potential to change the nature of urban travel
Will capping the number of bottle shops contain family violence?
A Melbourne Council opposes a new Dan Murphy’s packaged liquor outlet because its concerned it would increase the number of family violence incidents within the municipality
Is there anyone left at Fairfax to do the editing?
Fairfax ran an article on High Speed Rail yesterday that shouldn’t have survived even a basic credibility test. It’s as if all those who used to do the sub-editing have been ‘let go’
Why do we say public transport is so important if so few of us use it?
Improving the experience of occasional users of public transport – those who might use it only to go to the footy – is a key way of building community support for system improvements
Is High Speed Rail our National Boondoggle?
The Prime Minister’s embrace of east coast High Speed Rail and his spinning of value capture removes any doubt he’s just as cynical and opportunistic as Labor and the Greens
How important is cycling in Australian cities?
New data shows cycling is already much more important than policy-makers recognise. More trips are made by bicycle on a weekday in Melbourne than are made by either tram or bus
Why are Australians downsizing their dogs?
The shift towards higher density living seems an obvious reason why Australians are apparently downsizing their dogs; but there are other possible explanations too, like fashion
Surely the 30-minute city makes sense for primary school trips?
Malcolm Turnbull’s 30-minute city idea might look easy at first glance, but even delivering on primary school trips will require a level of commitment and political courage he can’t manage
Does this historic building require more “breathing space”?
Critics say a proposed new residential tower to be built next door to Brisbane’s historic former Customs House will endanger the heritage values of the old building
How safe is cycling on roads in Australian cities?
Cycling on roads in large cities like Melbourne is much more likely to get you killed than driving, but the risk is still extremely low and the individual and social benefits are high
Has Turnbull’s cities rhetoric radicalised the Liberal Premiers?
Comments by Australia’s conservative Premiers indicate the PM isn’t alone in his embrace of new urbanist philosophy. It seems traditional political understandings might need to be revised
Is it time to ramp-up infrastructure spending?
Posted: June 22, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a commentBiz Shrapnel reckons it’s time to build; construction costs are plummeting and governments have a “window” of opportunity – it might not last – to spend on infrastructure
Is it time to ramp-up infrastructure spending?
Is the High Speed Rail bandwagon slowing down?
Posted: June 21, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a commentIn an astonishing display of sanity – especially during an election campaign – the Turnbull Government has backed away from its earlier enthusiasm for High Speed Rail
Is the High Speed Rail bandwagon slowing down?
Is the one-metre cycling law a sensible reform?
Posted: June 20, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a commentThere are doubts about whether the one-metre overtaking law increases safety for cyclists, but that’s not the only rationale for the law; it has an important symbolic role in promoting cycling
Is the one-metre cycling law a sensible reform?
Should Melbourne Airport rail be an election issue?
Posted: June 14, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a commentThe Greens election promises include $1 Billion to build a rail line to Melbourne Airport. Probably good politics but it’s doubtful it’s good policy
Should Melbourne Airport rail be an election issue?
Does Turnbull’s ’30-minute city’ work for secondary school trips?
Posted: June 8, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a commentIf Malcolm Turnbull’s idea of the 30-minute city is going to work anywhere it should work for traditionally local trips like getting to high school, shouldn’t it?
Does Turnbull’s ’30-minute city’ work for secondary school trips?
Should cycling get a huge increase in funding?
Posted: June 7, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a commentIt’s an ultra low-cost option with real potential to provide mobility in increasingly congested inner areas. Cycling warrants a massive increase in funding for infrastructure
Should cycling get a huge increase in funding?
Is the Greens’ transport policy vote-bait?
Posted: June 6, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a commentJust like the major parties, the Greens’ transport policy for the 2016 election is mostly about looking good rather than proposing policies that will make a real difference
Is the Greens’ transport policy vote-bait?
Do motorists pay their way?
Posted: June 2, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized 1 CommentThe idea of congestion charging would be easier to “sell” if the focus were on replacing revenue from existing taxes and charges like the fuel excise and registration fees