Our local Brisbane Streets are now unsafe for our community and for our children. This council, which has been run by the same politicians for the last 20 years, has prioritised the motor vehicle to the point where the liveability and safety of our neighbourhoods has been sacrificed. Our Mayor, Adrian Schrinner, has made his position clear when he stated that street calming for pedestrian safety are 'downgrades' (here's the link).
I have decided to launch a proactive campaign to join forces with our community who are calling out for safer, friendlier neighbourhoods that are designed to promote community. It's called 'Streets for People'.
Please sign-up here to be eligible for your 'Slow Down - Streets for People' signs
Some of our priority campaign actions are:
1. Slow Down Signs:
- We have produced large A1 'Slow Down' signs' to place on lamp posts on streets that need traffic calming, especially those subject to rat running. Please make a request and we will put these up in your street.
- We have also produced Smaller A2 corflute's that you can place on your fences, with the same image. They are also available through our office.
2. Connecting streets that are demanding Traffic Calming devices
- Many streets are subject to rat running and speeding traffic and would love to have traffic calming devices, like speed bumps or chicanes.
- Actually our offices' preference is chicanes, that can be planted with shrubs and trees, as they also provide urgent solutions to the increasing heat island effect from heatwaves. Here's a chicane design that I like.
- Unfortunately the BCC are not funding traffic calming treatments (The Mayor calls them downgrades!), with only 1 street calming project funded this last financial year.
- We want to create a network of streets across the city, that have been asking for traffic calming, to act in unity as a powerful force to pressure the council to prioritise pedestrian and cycling safety and to ensure our local community streets are safe. We believe there are hundreds of street communities around Brisbane that are demanding traffic calming devices, potentially more than 500. That means a movement of thousands of people, that can put real pressure on this council administration.
3. Campaigning for better designed pedestrian crossings & slow speed high pedestrian zones
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Our office is working on specific pedestrian crossings and slower speed zone projects around the Ward including the following:
- Rosalie Pedestrian Crossing: An additional crossing in the heart of the Rosalie urban village has been called for by residents for many years. Unfortunately the LNP council recently cancelled an already designed and budgeted for new pedestrian crossing. We are now working on a strategy that will realise this project again. An Ideal solution would be a 20-30 meter wide low speed zone, with a speed limit of 20-30kmh.
- Paddington Central Pedestrian Crossing: There has been recent news media reports stating that this is the most dangerous pedestrian crossing in Brisbane, with 5 documented injuries and hospitalisations. Seal has been quoted in this media article here. This is another site that would be ideally suited to either a raised wombat crossing or a lower speed zone as well as a road narrowing that would realise a huge amount of extra public space.
- Bardon Roundabout: We are working with Michael Berkman, State MP for Maiwar on trying to get some safety improvements around the Large Bardon roundabout at Boundary Rd and Runic St in Bardon.
- Lang Parade Pedestrian Safety: This is part of a commuter rat run from Milton Rd to Coronation Drive. We have worked with Elizabeth Watson Brown - Federal MP for Ryan, to complete a survey about pedestrian safety on Lang Parade. From the overwhelming feedback we received, we are now advocating for a Slow Down Sam sign, and a pedestrian crossing point on Lang parade.
What would our City be like if we Prioritised People rather than Vehicles?
Imagine if we designed our streets to be safer and people-friendly, to encourage active and public transport, and to reduce traffic congestion.
Currently, Brisbane streets prioritise cars, which negatively impacts our neighbourhoods. These impacts include, segregated land use, disconnected footpaths and bike ways, unreliable and expensive public transport that increases congestion, and many streets are unsafe and unfriendly for people who bike or walk.
Let's create safe streets for our kids, so they can travel to and from school with ease. This not only aids in reducing traffic congestion but also encourages children to become more independent.
Redesigning our streets for people yields numerous benefits, promoting health and well-being by encouraging physical activity, and lowering emissions from car use contributes to addressing the climate crisis. It's good for local businesses to have streets that are safe and accessible for pedestrians, because a high percentage of retail expenditure comes from local residents and workers.
We must also enhance our bike path infrastructure, prioritising improved connectivity, and cultivate vibrant public spaces adorned with more trees and greenery. The greening of our streets serves not only to cool down our city but also to promote walking, cycling, and social gatherings, revitalising our public spaces.
A fresh perspective on street spaces involves questioning, 'How many people can we facilitate along the street?' rather than 'how many cars.' The Climate Council has conducted important modelling on how multi-modal transport options efficiently utilise street spaces.
This multi-modal approach helps us avoid transforming streets into car parks due to congestion, creating more space for active transport, street plantings, and social activities. Additionally, it aids in combating the urban heat island effect, where dark, hot asphalt makes our cities much more uncomfortable and unhealthy than they should be.
Here's a zine called 'Streets for People', to help explain our ideas for how transport in Brisbane can and should become healthier, cheaper and more sustainable - produced by the Gabba Ward Council Office with former Greens Councillor Jonathan Sriranganathan.