For a minute there I thought I had to get off my couch, when all the while the fact is we don't have to do anything much but keep things afloat for just a few decades more! In fact, we'd best shut up about PO, because if our offspring finds out we knew about it all along, they'll turn and wring our necks come 2036!
Joined: Apr 06, 2004 Posts: 257 Location: Sydney, Australia
Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2005 7:49 pm Post subject: TravelSmart - reducing demand for cars
The city of Perth, capital of Western Australia has been running a successful campaign to reduce car use by improving public transport and encouraging walking and cycling.
The program was at heart inspired by Brian Fleay, a retired engineer who wrote a book on peak oil back in 1995. Fleay's work has influenced ALANNAH MacTIERNAN Minister for Planning and Infrastructure, who has spearheaded this program on reducing car use in Perth.
Part of the success of TravelSmart has been attributed to its direct marketing strategy. Households were individually approached with information comparing the costs and benefits of replacing their car use with public transport, walking and cycling.
Recently I have been lucky enough to meet Mr Fleay, at a Peak Oil forum here in Sydney. He is a big believer in programs like TravelSmart, and the concept of Participatory Democracy, which attacks the problems of Peak Oil from the ground up. He believes that this is the best way to bring about change, as opposed to "Big Government" top down approaches.
Considering Perth is a city that loves its V8s I think that the following is a remarkable achievement.
Key results summary (at 1 January 2004):
City of South Perth – car use has been reduced by 14% with walking, cycling and public transport use all strongly increasing.
Town of Cambridge – car use reduced by 7% and the alternatives all increased.
Bus ticketing data for a sample of routes indicate that the other projects are likely to report similar results:
Town of Cambridge bus boardings up 10%
Suburb of Marangaroo bus boardings up 7%
City of Melville bus boarding up 11%
Suburb of Armadale bus boarding up 9%
City of Subiaco bus boardings up 12%
City of Fremantle bus boardings up 14%
Town of Vincent bus boardings up 16%
Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2005 10:44 pm Post subject: Re: TravelSmart - reducing demand for cars
The bus site online timetable is great! You put in your start and finish addresses and it gives you several journey options plus instructions (walk-bus-walk) including walking the full distance!
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