Category Archives: Uncategorized

Living Streets Canberra in national call for how to decarbonise Australia’s transport

Posted on by

12 July 2024

Working with diverse friends can be powerful!

A national coalition of 56 transport, climate, environment, union, religious, health and social sector organisations has joined together in a joint statement show how to decarbonise Australia’s transport sector, set critical targets to cut pollution, shift to public, shared and active transport and accelerate the shift to energy efficient transport.

Collectively, Living Streets Canberra and the other groups represent over 2.3 million individuals and hundreds of other member organisations.

The joint statement says that the decarbonisation plan must set strong targets to cut pollution in a fair, fast and inclusive way; shift to public, shared and active transport; and accelerate electrification. It outlines a vision for the sector and how to get there, and shows the broad spectrum of support for a transport system that is free of fossil fuels, affordable, equitable, safe, accessible, resilient and reliable. Climate Action Network Australia coordinated drafting and signing of the document.

The signed statement was released today and sent to Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Catherine King; the Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen; and senior officials in the Government’s Net Zero Unit. It was submitted as part of the consultation currently under way on the Transport and Infrastructure Net Zero Roadmap. There are lots of ways to have your say (including a survey) before consultation ends on 26 July 2024. Make sure you have your say, even if it’s just one thing!

We are currently working on separate submissions to propose actions and policies to boost walking* and other active mobility for transport across the country as one of the most cost-effective, rapid and equitable ways to shift more of our daily, local trips to cycling as part of Australia’s transition to Net Zero and National Urban Policy.

Because every journey involves some walking,* these submissions will represent the interests of everyone who lives in or visits Australia. In April 2024 this is over 26.7 million residents and 7.8 million visitors per year – a total of over 34.5 million people!

This work is part of a busy season for policy development at both Territory and Commonwealth level – as well as for the upcoming ACT election. Since mid May 2024 we have already made seven other submissions on matters that will affect our urban areas for at least many decades to come. These include:

Living Streets Canberra continues its longer-term work for walking* to be (and feel) safe, accessible, comfortable and convenient for everyone, This includes developing a policy platform to put to all candidates and parties ahead of the ACT election in October, and initiating coordinated approaches to walking* advocacy at both ACT and national levels.

* When we use the term ‘walking’, we include any form of human-powered mobility that is not a bicycle: walking; using a wheelchair or other personal mobility device, including those with motors that can travel up to 10 km/h); pushing a pram; wheeling luggage; riding a scooter, skateboard, tricycle or roller-blades.

Transport Equity Week, 17-23 September 2023

Posted on by

Australia’s first Transport Equity Week has begun – and we need you to help put transport equity on the agenda of our elected representatives, officials, and fellow Canberrans!

This is a time for us all to stand up and show how our current transport systems are not equitable and sustainable – and the changes that we want to see.

Despite walking being the original and cheapest form of transport – and part of every journey, in Canberra it’s often the most neglected and disadvantaged mode.

Why is transport equity important?

We need to be move around our city to get to our jobs, education, healthcare, for shopping and recreation, and to be with other people. That’s why our systems for getting around are essential infrastructure. Good transport also comes with less damage to our environment and climate, and enhances social and economic equity.

Yet many people can’t travel independently or sustainably because of cost, availability of services, or poor physical accessibility.

That’s because our current transport systems favour cars, which in turn exacerbate social, economic and environmental inequity; contribute to poor physical and mental health; and restrict children’s development.

Yet a large proportion (20-40 per cent) of people cannot drive, and more prefer not to.

Some groups are more likely to experience transport disadvantage than others, such as:

  • people with a disability
  • older and younger Australians
  • women
  • queer and gender diverse people
  • families with young children
  • First Nations peoples
  • people experiencing unemployment
  • people on lower incomes
  • culturally and linguistically diverse groups
  • people living in outer-urban and rural areas

It can be hard to get around our city if you’re not in a car:

  • Many of our streets don’t have paths.
  • Where there are paths, they are often not fit for purpose because they are incomplete, inaccessible and/or in poor condition.
  • If there is infrastructure for crossing streets and roads it is often not fit for purpose because it is inconvenient and/or does not necessarily help people to be busy streets safely or to be safe when crossing.
  • Many (most?) paths and bus stops lack shelter or seats. This is a health and safety problem in our warming climate, with its increasingly extreme weather.

We need a transport system which supports independence, social inclusion and sustainable mobility at all stages of life. Currently our transport does not do that:

  • The national rate of active travel to or from school has dropped from 75 percent of trips to 25 percent over the past 40 years (Department of Transport 2021)
  • 12% of almost 6,700 older Australians over 65 who were surveyed reported unmet mobility needs, with three quarters wanting to leave home more often than they actually do (Ma et al. 2023). 
  • In comparison to older colleagues, young people tend to earn less and transport costs represent a higher proportion of their income, they are less likely to have a drivers licence, and those without a car or licence are limited by inadequate transport (National Youth Commission Australia 2021)

Why do we support Transport Equity Week?

A key focus of Transport Equity Week is that everyone should be able to move safely and conveniently around our communities, no matter who they are, or where they live.

Living Streets Canberra is participating because we work for *everyone* in Canberra to be able to walk* easily, safely and conveniently. (*Walking includes people using personal mobility aids and devices at speeds up to 10 km/h.) In particular, we have been advocating for:

  • all of ACT’s streets, paths and public spaces to be – and feel – safe, accessible and comfortable – for everyone to walk or roll, regardless of age, ability, gender, sexual orientation, race, culture, or socioeconomic status
  • ACT’s mobility options –  including all streets, paths, crossings, and
    public transport stops – to comply with anti-discrimination legislation.

TAKE ACTION

Make sure you add your voice and experience to Australia’s first Transport Equity Week!  

It’s important that we make our voices heard for the changes that you want to see to make walking and rolling easier and safer.

Here’s a really important way you can add your voice:

  • Make – and share – one or more videos, reels, photos and memes of problems with our current transport system and/or why transport equity is important to you.
  • Share your videos and photos:

    • On social media – remember to tag them with #TransportEquity +
      Living Streets Canberra       (Living Streets Canberra on Facebook, @livingstreetscanberra on Instagram, @streetscanberra on Twitter/X) +
      key people & organisations       (especially Ministers, Spokespeople and officials – like Chris Steel, Mark Parton, Jo Clay, Andrew Barr, Elizabeth Lee, Shane Rattenbury, your MLAs, Transport Canberra).  A list of MLAs and their portfolios is here

Here are some ideas of what to photograph, video and post:

  • paths, crossings and bike lanes that are incomplete, in poor condition, inaccessible, or just do not exist
  • bus stops that are inaccessible (links with the now-broken national commitments to fully accessible public transport stops) and/or lack shelter that actually provides shelter and seating that can be used (HINT: tag with #BustedBusStops) 
  • examples of how long or difficult it is to walk or roll (including just to cross a street or road) 
  • setting up a ‘competition’, for example:
    • Canberra’s longest wait to cross at traffic lights
    • Canberra’s least accessible bus stop, path, street crossing…

We’ll be on the lookout for:

  • longest wait to walk at traffic lights or longest wait to cross a street
  • most inaccessible public transport stop

Huge effort on submissions

Posted on by

We’ve had a busy last few weeks, making 4 submissions over the course of a month!

We have made submissions on:

Continue reading →

Sign up

Posted on by

Sign up to keep in touch

We’ll keep in touch with news, activities and events from Living Streets Canberra.

ACT election 2020: Make walking easy for everyone

Posted on by

The most liveable places are highly walkable communities. Walking is easy, attractive, safe, convenient and comfortable.

If Canberra is to be Australia’s most walkable city, age-friendly, accessible, highly liveable and climate-friendly, then everyone in Canberra needs to be able to enjoy public spaces and walk easily, safely and conveniently. That’s everyone – whether young or old; fast or slow; walking, using a wheelchair or other assistance; pushing a pram; wheeling luggage; riding a scooter, skateboard, tricycle or rollerblades; commuting to work or school, shopping, sitting, between appointments, or simply out on the streets for exercise, leisure or pleasure. 

This means Canberra needs to be an inviting, safe and comfortable place for people to be out and about, with walking being the obvious and natural choice for everyday local journeys. 

Walking is already Australia’s most common form of exercise, particularly for people over 35 and women. Canberrans value walking despite the suitability of our infrastructure and a culture that means walking is not the natural choice for most Canberrans’ everyday local journeys.

Upgrading our walking environment is fast and inexpensive compared with roads and rail – and can create a lot of jobs quickly.

Let’s get moving!

Living Streets Canberra calls on all candidates in the 2020 ACT Election to make walking in Canberra easy for everyone. We seek commitments from candidates to address four actions that will improve walking and make Canberra a better place to live.

Download a pdf version:

ACT Election 2020 – Living Streets Canberra asksDownload

1. Bring walking infrastructure up to scratch

Challenge

The ACT’s paths are a significant public asset, highly valued by the community – yet rapidly ageing with many in poor condition and need urgent attention to make and keep them safe, useable and accessible. 

Having disconnected network elements, allowing paths and other infrastructure to deteriorate and remain in damaged or unusable condition for months and years, and fixing them after they are broken is not good enough. This would not be acceptable for roads, so why would it be acceptable for other, essential transport infrastructure?

Solution

Upgrade walking infrastructure so it’s safe, useable and accessible before 2024, focussing on:

  • Upgrading systems and processes for maintaining paths and other infrastructure for walking, so that these essential community assets are kept in good and accessible condition – just like roads are
  • Ensuring safe and convenient walking access to public transport, schools and local shops, making walking easier than driving is now
  • Safe and easily accessible streets for children, people with disabilities, and seniors
  • Better lighting for safer walking at night

2. Develop a plan

Challenge

If we fail to plan, we plan to fail.

A whole-or-government plan to make walking in Canberra easy for everyone will help Canberra become Australia’s most walkable city, age-friendly, accessible, highly liveable and climate-friendly.

Solution

In consultation with the community, by the end of 2021, develop a plan to make walking an easy choice for everyone, every day.

3. Keep people informed

Challenge

People appreciate transparency and accountability. It helps them understand the journey of decision-making and delivery of services and amenities. They can see the current state of affairs and what’s needed, plans for delivering it, and progress towards it. Otherwise, it’s a mystery that leads to frustration and cynicism.

Solution

Improve transparency and accountability of public works by creating and maintaining a publicly available detailed online map showing the status of our path network elements and status of upgrading it (e.g. work to be done, work planned, work in progress)

4. Invest in street trees

Challenge

In our changing climate, weather is becoming more extreme and therefore more of a health and safety issue for people on foot. Of particular concern is increasingly extreme heat in summer. Not only is it a problem for people walking, but it deters people from walking: without sufficient shelter and associated cooler temperatures, people would prefer to travel in an air-conditioned box from one air-conditioned building to another, even over very short distances. 

Trees, particularly deciduous ones, provide shelter from the sun, wind and rain and help cool local environments, making it safer and more pleasant for people to walk.

Solution

Develop and implement a plan to ensure full tree cover of paths, to improve comfort and attractiveness of walking environments and public spaces.

Call for Strong Action on Transport to Counter Climate Emergency – Media Release

Posted on by
Living Streets Canberra logo with different types of people walking

14 August 2019

MEDIA RELEASE

Call for strong action on transport to counter climate emergency 

In a week when Infrastructure Australia has flagged increasing congestion across Australian cities, Canberra’s active travel community is calling for the ACT Government to take strong action on active transport investment to show it is serious about dealing with the climate emergency.  

The Conservation Council ACT Region, Pedal Power ACT and Living Streets Canberra have come together to launch a community petition calling on the ACT Government to implement key measures that will support viable active travel options for Canberrans to walk, cycle and use public transport. This includes setting measurable transport targets and appointing an Active Travel Commissioner for the ACT.

Helen Oakey, Executive Director of the Conservation Council ACT Region said “after we have met our 100% renewable electricity target, transport is the next biggest source of the ACT’s greenhouse emissions. The ACT Legislative Assembly has already acknowledged that we are facing a climate emergency, and now needs to invest in infrastructure that will help reduce transport emissions.

“Yet while nearly $170million has been budgeted for roads over the next 4 years, only $24million will be invested in active travel infrastructure.[1]

“In addition, it’s very concerning that the 84 new buses promised may not all be 100% electric –‘fuel efficient’ is not good enough when we will need to move to zero emissions as urgently as possible. 

“To cut emissions, and to maintain a liveable city in the face of increasing urban density and population growth, the ACT must also set clear legislated targets to increase the number of journeys taken by active travel and public transport, so that we can reduce private car travel and keep congestion under control,” said Ms Oakey.

Ian Ross, CEO of Pedal Power said the ACT Government needs to change its focus.

“We need to massively expand and improve the quality of our cycling network  to support Canberrans who are able to choose riding as a healthy and emission-free way to travel, and to meet the future demand of new travel modes such as e-bikes.

“If we are going to hit the 2045 zero emissions target, the ACT Government will need to prioritise projects that help Canberrans ride and walk safely and efficiently around our city.

“We want the ACT to set and fund active travel targets as a priority and to create the role of Active Travel Commissioner to oversee the implementation of the policies that will help us meet our zero emission targets,” said Mr Ross.

Gill King, spokesperson for Living Streets Canberra said “It’s important to keep roads safe – for everyone. Building new roads, which then become busier with increasing car traffic, makes it much less safe and less attractive for people to be outside in our city.

“More funding should be directed to improving paths, connections and signage to support active travel, and to improving reliable public transport options for Canberrans. 

“Walking is often undervalued as a transport choice. Especially in combination with public transport, walking is open to nearly everyone, and brings with it many social and physical benefits. Yet it is often made more difficult because of poor quality paths, connections and lighting.

“By prioritising transport investments towards active travel, we will make it easier for all Canberrans to be able to walk or cycle easily, safely, conveniently and comfortably to their nearest school, public transport stop, and shops,” Ms King said.

The petition will be circulated throughout the community before being forwarded to the ACT Legislative Assembly after it closes on November 15th, 2019. 

Media contact:
Helen Oakey, Executive Director, Conservation Council ACT Region, 0402 052 777
Ian Ross, Chief Executive Officer, Pedal Power ACT, 0450 302 020
Gill King, Spokesperson, Living Streets Canberra, 0407 953 959
—
The petition to be circulated for signing is as follows:

That:
● on 16 May 2019, the ACT Legislative Assembly passed a motion acknowledging the climate emergency, which “requires urgent actions across all levels of Government”;
● the ACT has legislated target of zero net greenhouse gas emissions by 2045, and that meeting this target will require a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from transport;
● Canberra wants to be Australia’s most walkable city, the cycling capital and an age-friendly city.

Your petitioners therefore request the Assembly to request the Government of the Territory to:
● set legislated transport targets that align with the ACT’s zero emissions targets;
● create an Active Travel Commissioner role to oversee the implementation of the ACT’s active travel policies, including targets;
● in the 2019-20 Financial Year, redirect funding from major roads programs to a major infrastructure program for walking, cycling and public transport;
● ensure all new buses purchased by Transport Canberra (including the 84 budgeted for purchase in 2019-20) are zero-emissions electric buses.

[1]Budget 2019-2020 Building for the Future: Budget Statements H: Transport and City Services Directorate, Transport Canberra Operations, ACT Public Cemeteries Authority

The petition is live on the ACT Legislative Assembly website: https://epetitions.act.gov.au/CurrentEPetition.aspx?PetId=122&lIndex=-1

Take Time to Get Safety Right Before Allowing E-scooters etc – Submission

Posted on by
E-scooter parked so it is a trip obstacle on a city footpath

When it comes to new (transport) technology, it pays to do things the right way around: put in place the safety measures (including appropriate laws and infrastructure) *before* letting the technology loose on the general public.

Riding electric personal transportation devices can be fun. They may increase people on the streets, making them more ‘living streets’. They may encourage people out of cars for short trips, though care is needed to ensure that they do not displace walking and, to a lesser extent, cycling.

However, there need to be substantial, carefully thought-through changes to our infrastructure, laws and behaviour to allow the ACT to accommodate these devices safely.

In our submission for Regulating the Use of Electric Personal Transportation Devices (Electric Scooters and Similar Devices) in the ACT, we express our concerns about safety of people on our streets and in our public places, whether they are riding electric personal transportation devices or not. Of particular concern is the danger associated with:

  • devices and the people riding them becoming obstacles to people walking, and 
  • mixing people and vehicles of different speed, manoeuvrability and noise. 

There are big questions about liability and other costs to the ACT Government, users of the devices, and others into whom they crash. 

We note that most paths in the ACT are not wide enough for two people to walk side by side, let alone also accommodate people on electric devices. Furthermore, the current state of most ACT pavement, be it on paths or the side of roads, is not conducive to vulnerable road users travelling at speed using small wheels. On the other hand, streets and/or paths could be dramatically improved as a way of preparing for safe use of these devices while prioritising active travel. While they are micro-mobility like walking, electronic personal transportation devices are (a) not active travel modes, (b) travel at speeds much greater than walking and more akin to bicycles, and (c) are less manoeuvrable than walking, again, more like bicycles. 

It is therefore appropriate that modes of transport either be separated based on their speed and manoeuvrability or that most of our roads have their speed limit reduced, by law and design, to a maximum of 30km/h so that all modes can share single transport spaces safely. Behavioural and attitudinal campaigns for people using each mode of transport should run be ahead of allowing electronic personal transport devices to be used in public spaces.We point out that walking is a basic human right and various Commonwealth and ACT Discrimination Acts make it against the law for public places, services and facilities to be inaccessible to people with a disability or on the basis of age. 

Such places include public footpaths and walkways and public transport (and public transport is generally accessed by path or walkway. Care needs to be taken to ensure that paths and other public places do not become inaccessible because they are frequented by people using electronic personal transport devices.

We also point out that every journey involves some walking yet walking is the weakest link in Canberra’s transport system, and so walking must be given top priority and prominence, in accordance with the well-accepted transport mode hierarchy. Electronic personal safety devices belong in a lower category than walking.

Read more here.

Weakest Link in Canberra’s Integrated Transport Strategy Needs Strengthening – Our submission

Posted on by
Image source: unknown (If you created it, please let us know so we can credit you!)

Living Streets Canberra welcomes the ACT Government’s vision of an integrated transport network that ‘will enable people in Canberra to plan and enjoy seamless, multi-modal travel’.

‘Seamless, multi-modal travel’ can be thought of as a chain of travel modes. A chain, though, is only as strong as its weakest link. Walking is the weakest link in Canberra’s transport system and in the draft Integrated Transport Strategy. 

The reality is that, both on the ground in Canberra and in the draft Strategy document, walking is given the least priority.

Every journey involves some walking, and so walking must be given priority and prominence.

In our latest submission we provide feedback on the draft Strategy document, advise on priorities and make some suggestions. Read more here.

2019-20 ACT Budget – Living Streets Canberra’s submission

Posted on by

Living Streets Canberra has contributed to the development of the 2019-20 ACT Budget. Our submission puts forward cost-effective actions to increase walking. They will help achieve the ACT’s goals of zero net emissions from transport, becoming Australia’s most walkable city, and improving the health and safety of people living and visiting Canberra. Our submission is here.

NEW BUS NETWORK NEEDS SAFE & CONVENIENT ACCESS – Media Release

Posted on by

Living Streets Canberra logo with different types of people walking

NEW BUS NETWORK NEEDS SAFE & CONVENIENT ACCESS

IMMEDIATE RELEASE 19 October 2018

Will people be able to safely and conveniently access Canberra’s new bus network? That’s what walking advocacy group Living Streets is asking.

‘Where the buses go is only part of making public transport more attractive’, says Living Streets’ Chair Gillian King.

‘The new network relies on many people walking further to buses and changing buses.

‘That means we need good infrastructure so that everyone can get to buses and crossroads to change buses safely and conveniently.’

Living Streets Canberra welcomes the ACT Government’s promise of improvements to paths around schools and more school crossing supervisors.

‘However, there is a lot more to do to bring walking infrastructure up to scratch for everyone.’

Improvements the group is seeking include:

  • safe and convenient road crossings where people are expected to cross roads to change buses, such as at Narrabundah College
  • both sides of all streets (both sides) and laneways near bus stops need paths in good condition, with priority to areas around schools, aged persons units, retirement villages, and areas with a high proportion of households that are transport and/or socially disadvantaged
  • a publicly available map showing work to be done and as much of the work completed before the new bus network starts
  • a systematic approach to checking the condition of paths and undertaking maintenance as required.

Living Streets is encouraging Canberrans to take the opportunity over the next few months to try out the best ways to walk to and from buses they could use. They will then be ready to take advantage of the month of free travel for MyWay card users to get used to the new bus network.

Living Streets also is also calling for all stops for Coverage and Frequent Local services to be within 500m of households in each area of Canberra.

The group points to the ACT Government has a policy of 95% of households being within 500m of a stop for a Coverage and Frequent Local services and 1km for Rapid services.

Facebook: @livingstreetscanberra         Twitter: @StreetsCanberra

GPO Box 544 CANBERRA  ACT 2601