SESSION 9.1 – FACETS OF COMMUNITY: TRANSPORT & ADVOCACY

Copyright 2011 Tristan Peach

Urban Transport & Advocacy - Outline

• Brief outline of environmental and economic issues

• Examine and discuss social / community issues and solutions

• Planning and policy issues

• Community advocacy groups in urban transport

Mode Share

• Mode = walk, cycle, car (single occupant), car (as passenger), train, ferry etc.

• Trip to a destination (work, recreation, shopping, education)

• Percentage of trips undertaken by each (or a combination of) modes

Mode Share

(Kenworthy, Murray-Leach and Townsend 2005)

Transport and Land Use

1. Car dependent cities generally lower density2. Sprawling cities developed around road infrastructure with

the assumption of car dependence3. Choices on land use (location, mix and density) essential

to addressing car dependence4. Even if Brisbane remains low density we can do a lot better

with public and active (walking, cycling etc.) transport

A Very Public Solution: Transport in the Dispersed City by Paul Mees

Car Dependent Cities

ABS, 2006 Basic Community Profiles

Car Dependence

• Car dependence the underlying cause of many urban transport problems

• Sustainable transport movement aims to moderate, not eliminate, car use and create more balanced mode share

Energy Use• Car dependent cities use more transport energy per capita than cities with a balanced transport system

(Institute for Sustainability and Technology Policy, Murdoch University 2007)

Greenhouse Emissions

• Passenger car emissions are primarily related to vehicle kilometres travelled [VKT] (AGO 2006, 20)

• Based on current plans for Brisbane VKT in cars will increase to 55 million on an average weekday in 2012, 66 million in 2022 and 71 million in 2026 (BCC 2006a, table 9-8).

The Myth of Free Flowing Traffic• ‘Congested traffic produces more emissions than free flowing traffic, affecting air quality’. (BCC 2006c, 2.16)

• Only true with these assumptions:1. no potential to shift mode 2. no increase in vehicle kilometres travelled 3. improvements in engine technology are adopted

Newman & Kenworthy 1999, 3.2 (p.70-71), 3.9 (p.82-83) & 3.10 (p.85)

Economic Issues

• Reducing car dependence reduces total operating cost of passenger transport

• Huge private and public costs of car dependence

Economic Issues

• Need for Federal tax reform e.g. Fringe Benefits Tax for corporate vehicle fleets $1 billion annual subsidy

• Bigger tax breaks for more kilometres travelled

Refer Public Transport Users Association of Victoria submission

to Henry Tax

Economic Issues

• Car dependent cities more vulnerable to volatile oil prices

• Modelling for Australian cities suggests outer suburbs will be most vulnerable

(Association for the Study of Peak Oil) Sipe and Dodson (2005, 19)‘Oil vulnerability in the Australian City’

Economic Issues

1. Access to public transport means access to jobs and education for low income unemployed people without a car

2. Lack of access increases likelihood of anti-social behaviour as young people feel trapped

3. Research in Goodna/Gailes area found that many unemployed people cannot access work due to lack of public transport to surrounding factories

From Currie (2006) Perspectives on Transportand Access Issues and Young People -Conference on Transport, social disadvantageand well-being

Big roads, no transport: a report of the Goodna and Gailes community mapping fortransport improvements study (Griffith Urban Research Program, 2004)

Public Transport Economic Benefits

•Move people more efficiently = less infrastructure• Reduced road crashes (insurance, rescue, medical and repair costs)• Reduced air pollution (health costs)• Reduced road spending (reduce government costs)• Reduced private spending (insurance, fuel, registration, capital and maintenance)• Reduced carbon costs

Public Transport Job Creation

• Customer service• Network engineers and planners• Drivers, guards and control room• Infrastructure engineers• Vehicle design, manufacture and maintenance• Infrastructure planning, design, construction and maintenance• Research and development

Car Sharing

• For public transport / active transport people who need occasional access to car• Reduce individual costs of car ownership• Gives access to people who normally couldn’t afford it• Less parking spaces required in new developments

Online booking system for car share company

in Sydney

Community Issues

• Where are the people walking in our communities?

• Safety, social capital and health benefits of increasing walking in our community

(Frank & Engelke)

Transport & Obesity

Research from China (Bell et al 2002) as communities start to get access to motor vehicles

• Men from households that acquired a motorised vehicle during the 8 year study experienced an 18% increase in obesity prevalence

• Household ownership of a motorised vehicle was associated with greater odds of obesity in men and women

• Odds of being obese were 70% greater in men and 85% greater in women compared with those who did not own a vehicle

(Bell, Ge and Popkin 2002, Figure 1)

Public Spending on Health

Preventative health

Reduce the $10.6 billion health budget by improving public transport, walking and cycling infrastructure

Local walking & cycling barriers

Where are we walking to – “the death of the corner store”

Stop and start footpaths

Imagine the uproar if people blocked the road with their cars and bins!

Urban Assault Vehicles

What turns ordinary people into psychopaths behind the wheel of a car?

-Trend toward larger vehicles

-Speeding vehicles even hitting people on beach at Fraser Island

- Everyone in more danger because of this trend

In the past 5 years 196 children under 15 have been run over in driveways with 19 dying

(Bronwyn Griffin, Queensland Children’s Medical Research Institute)

Sharing the Street - Woonerf

• An area, usually residential, where motorists and other users share the street without boundaries like lanes and curbs

• Street is shared public space

Brisbane author David Engwicht Street reclaiming: creating liveable and vibrant communities

Brisbane Park(ing) Day

• Large amount of urban public space is parking• Reclaiming parking space as parks• Friday 18 September• QUT School of Design Students involved• AmyS@yurrah.com.au

Children & Transport

(Queensland Transport Smart Travel Choices for SEQ)

The BUBBLE WRAP GENERATION: children growing up in walled gardens (Karen Malone 2007)

The Walking School Bus

• Implemented across Brisbane and Australia• Low cost• QUT students recruited as participants

Refer to the Brisbane City Council review of Brisbane Programs

Improving Local Accessibility

A Typical Main Road Intersection • Four crossings

• Two sets of traffic lights

• Shorter green signals

• Wait longer than road users

• Aggressive drivers

Community Attitudes

• Are we really “in love with our cars”

• Or just in need of better alternatives?

Our “loving relationship” with the car

• Often stressful• Makes us angry (road rage)• Makes us lazy• It’s an expensive relationship• Our “lover” is killing and injuring us!• Can’t break up with it because for some of us there’s no other option

People Looking For Alternatives

Type % Attributes

Passionate car drivers

6.3 Loves and cares for their car, uses it exclusively and would only cycle for exercise, has always driven and has no intention of stopping, could not live without it, doesn’t get stressed while driving, car symbolises freedom, more likely male

Daily life car drivers

33 Uses car to commute to and from work because it is easy and quick and may be only option, car gives independence and it would be boring and hard to live without one, may consider PT (public transport) as an alternative to commuting but would keep car for leisure

Leisure time car drivers

36.4 Uses car for leisure (including shopping), frequently a woman, car is comfortable but expensive, driving often stressful, not strongly linked to personality, would like to get rid of car if PT was better

Reasons for Not Taking Public Transport

Australian Bureau of Statistics (2006b) Environmental Issues: people’s views and practices 4602.0 March 2006

What will encourage us to change?

Kelly employment services (2007) Kelly services global workforce index: public transport in Australia. Refer Appendix E

Government Funding

Accessibility versus Mode Planning

• Funding at all levels biased toward roads

• Brisbane Council and Federal government often claim they are not responsible for funding urban public transport

• But their transport objectives are to “improve accessibility” and “reduce congestion”

• They also claim to be interested in reducing greenhouse gas emissions

• These objectives can be better achieved through investment in public and active transport

• Public opinion also in favour of increased spending on public and active transport

Accessibility Analysis

1. Travelling from a suburb 10km from Brisbane CBD

2. Short walk to one high frequency bus to the city

3. How long will it take to get to a range of locations

4. during weekdays, weeknights and afternoons?

5. Public transport and walking versus car

The Verdict

• Car travel generally offers superior travel times – sometimes 3 times faster• Only 2/9 destinations offer comparable times• Lack of cross town connectivity• Many local destinations inconvenient to access• Inconvenient access to airport despite close physical proximity

Buz Services

• High frequency radial

• Use surface roads and dedicated busway

• Hugely popular

• Well marketed

• Caught in traffic congestion due to regressive transit lane policy

• Need for cross-city Buz

Busway Network

• Dedicated bus only corridors

• Services universities, hospitals and other major destinations

• Cross-city “Green Bridge”

• Iconic stations and legible network

• TOD potential under developed

• Feeder services under developed

Rail Network

• Extensive network

• Suffering from under investment

• Lower frequency than Buz and Busways

• TOD opportunities under

developed

• Under developed feeder

services

• Privatised Air Train

Nightlink Services

• Necessitated by violence in night club precincts• Marketed well• Linked with mobile phone technology• Need increased frequency• Extend to Thursday nights?

Gold Coast Light Rail

• Iconic system to service high density coastal strip• Integrated with heavy rail and improved east-west bus connections• To occupy existing road space in some sections• Attractive for residents and tourists• Plans to service Sunshine Coast strip with heavy rail

Advocacy & Policy Review : Community Transport

GroupsCBD Bicycle Users Group

User support e.g. Bike BuddyAdvocacyInput into projectsWorking relationship with BCC active transport and Main Roads

Kalinga Community Group

NIMBY GroupSupportive of road expansionsMove problem away from them

West End Community Association

Interested in various issuesE.g. over developmentStop the Hale Street Bridge CampaignProgressive and professional membership

Bicycle Queensland

Large community organisationCycling eventsCautious but successful advocacyIndependent campaigns

Car Share Commercial organisationRoots in community actionPartnerships with communityCouncil refused to support

Rail Back on Track

Web-based groupMajor media presenceAllied with train driversWorking relationship with QR

Community Lobby Groups

1. Community groups are ephemeral - they can disperse and disintegrate without direction

2. Must ensure they continue to achieve outcomes linked directly to the goals of their campaign

3. Once a lobby group has agreed on their policies they must create strategies for how to achieve them

4. Working and achieving these outcomes is the best thing the group can do to grow and maintain positive relationships

Campaign Selection

- Advisable for small groups to focus on one or two campaignsand achieve them rather than constantly responding to rangeof campaigns and spreading resources too thinly

• Focus on results, not what campaign is the best in theory or principal to pursue• What campaigns can your group realistically expect to win based on your level of influence?• How many hours is your group prepared to put into the campaign?

• Who will be your potential allies?

• Can winning the campaign deliver measurable benefits to your members?

• Does the campaign have the potential to elicit public sympathy?

• Potential for some victories within a realistic time frame

Example – Samford Transport Group

Proposed Outcomes Peak hour bus service connecting Samford Valley with Ferny GroveRailway Station

Potential Allies - Local newspaper - State MP (formed group, but initially sceptical)- Bus operator - Progress Association - State School- Influential locals - Academic/planner

Sympathy/support from public

• Parents annoyed at being “mum’s taxi”• Young people• Seniors and retirement village manager

Hours required 18 month project• Monthly meetings• Develop, deliver and analyse community travel habits survey• Public meeting• Negotiate with TransLink• QUT student project

Money required Minimal

Strategy Selection

Can’t assume government will listen to and act on sensible / rational arguments!

1.Suitability for type of campaign2.Effectiveness3.Enjoyment4.Skills5.Number of people required6.Funding required7.Weaknesses

Strategy Examples

• Meet with local Councillor• Petitions (online and paper)• Media releases and letters to editor e.g. RBOT intensive Go Card campaign• Education• Encourage all members to make regular requests for upgrades• Independent studies• Rallies• Submissions on government policies and projects e.g. CATT submission on AL not considered. Meeting with director HSL project re: submission on IAS• Scare shareholders and potential investors away from investing• Political campaigning• Guerilla action e.g. painting on bike lanes• Economic sabotage e.g. tree sitting, destroying research labs

Communities Against the Tunnels (CATT) Actions

Public meetings and protests• Airport Link information days August 06• Airport Link public meetings Nov 07• Attempted sit-in of RiverCity Motorway offices mid 2006• Protest outside NSBT visitor centre• Sane Transport for Brisbane forum

Submissions on EISs (and their TOR)• Main problem is that EIS compares costs/benefits of tunnel versus a do nothing scenario• Our submission was more useful in informing media releases, presentations etc.

CATT Actions

• Petitions on AL and NSBT• Letterboxing and door knocking• Stalls outside of BCC information days• Speaking out at public meetings• Speech to Brisbane Councillors• In-person lobbying of Mayor and Deputy Mayor• Public “tour” of parkland to be destroyed by Airport Link Car Tunnel• Attempted sit-in of Rivercity Motorway offices

CATT Actions

Extensive media work• Constant stream of media releases• Print, TV, radio news, talk back, e-news• Letters to the editor, online blogs• Commercial media outlets make substantial amounts of money from car dependence - must keep the right people happy

The $1.5 billion Airport Link… is an inevitable response to the pressures of a fast growing, dynamic and modern city.

The promise of a 6 minute travel time from the central city to Airport Drive… is irresistible.

The resulting disruption to people whose homes must be resumed… is regrettable but inevitable.

The issue is one of the greater good (CM editorial 14/3/06)

Media continued

• Banned from City Hall• Journalists with no background knowledge – stories created in hours• Conversation with CM journalist prior to sit-in• Seeking conflict between stakeholders• Seeking “sound bites”- Editing room- E.g. Phil at Stop the HSL meeting

- E.g. Recent TV media on NSBT

CATT Lessons on Government Consultation

1. Terms of reference for EIS exclude the key issues e.g. consideration of alternatives, future oil prices

2. Public consultation material withheld information e.g. location of exhaust stacks

3. CATT excluded from Community Reference Group - put in Industry Group to argue with RACQ and Truck Drivers Association

4. No public scrutiny of contract agreement between Council and RCM - major issue with new Public-Private-Partnership style of infrastructure delivery

5. E.g. compensation clauses if government tightens its air quality laws

Community Attitudes to Public Consultation

• Project a foregone conclusion

• Concerned if they opposed project this would put them off-side with Council in their negotiations over resumption compensation and construction arrangements

• “Divide and Conquer” consultation where two different tunnel routes were proposed as options

CATT Alternative

• Often accused of just being an “anti” group, but those who accused were not interested when we presented alternatives

• Have ALWAYS promoted superior alternatives to TransApex e.g. for AL

- Improve AirTrain- Reducing parking at Airport- Better cross-city bus services-Transit-lanes or light rail on Lutwyche/Gympie Road

A truly balanced approach to transport would mean TransApex is not necessary

The Road Building Agenda for West Brisbane

Entrenches car dependence in outer-west

More road freight

Toowong construction disaster zone

Plans to feed more and more traffic into the inner-west

Flow on impacts of all these individual Projects

Each project creates the congestion to justify the next project

Individual communities forced to react to each proposal in isolation from other groups

South-West Access PlanCommunity Action for Sustainable Transport Inc.

A vision of where the money on roads could be spent

Improving Integration & Cross-city Connections

Walking, Cycling and City Cat Connections

Work and health slides still to be developed