Is the tram project good policy or naked politicking?

Labor’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?

This 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?

Comparing 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?

A “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

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Including 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?

Biz 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?

In 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?

There 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?

The 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?

If 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?

It’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?

Just 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?

The 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

Do motorists pay their way?

Are electric vehicles a game changer?

The outlook for plug-in electric vehicles powered by clean energy looks promising but they aren’t likely to ameliorate major urban issues like traffic congestion and sprawl

Are electric vehicles a game changer?

Is Turnbull’s ’30-minute city’ a serious election issue?

The 30-minute city is the big urban policy idea both the Government and the Opposition are bringing to the election. But how realistic is it? Can they actually deliver on this one?

Is Turnbull’s ’30-minute city’ a serious election issue?

Will a McDonalds store be the end of Glebe?

Some residents of inner city Sydney oppose a new McDonalds store they say will destroy their suburb’s “village feel”. But is it much the same impulse as opposing a mosque?

Will a McDonalds store be the end of Glebe?

Does having a Minister for Suburbs mean it’s a whole new world?

First we had a Federal Minister for Cities, now we have a state Minister for Suburban Development; but the early indications are the latter is more about politics than real policy

Does having a Minister for Suburbs mean it’s a whole new world?

Is the suburban quarter-acre block a myth?

The idea that Australians sprawl across the suburban landscape on massive “quarter acre” lots is common but it’s a myth and was never true in the modern era

Is the suburban quarter-acre block a myth?

Fantasy tram map 2048, Melbourne

Here’s a parallel universe “fantasy” vision of what Melbourne’s tram network could look like in 30 years time given more money and more acceptance from motorists

Fantasy tram map 2048, Melbourne

Is “denser than Singapore” too dense for Sydney?

The City of Sydney reckons the NSW Government wants to redevelop Waterloo at a density “greater than anything in Singapore”. Turns out Council’s fear of density is ill-founded

Is “denser than Singapore” too dense for Sydney?