HEALTHY TRANSPORT HOBART

We officially invite all people in Hobart who are interested healthy, stylish and sensible transport options such as walking and cycling to help us continue to count the fantastic folk who choose to make part of their journey to work or around the city by foot or by pedal. We are assisting the Hobart City Council establish a baseline count for pedestrian and bicycle user movements in and out of the city by sitting down for 2 hours in the morning and afternoon to watch the fascinating life of the city go by as well as making active transportation count.

WHAT: Pedestrian and Cyclist Counting

WHEN: 0700-0900 and 1600-1800 (Meet at Mawson Place – Cnr of Davey and Argyle St at 0645 and 1545)

WHO: Healthy Transport Hobart members and other people interested in cycling and walking for transport

WHY: Current transport counting in Hobart ignores pedestrians and bikes and only counts cars

WHERE: All around Hobart

WHAT TO BRING: A bike or your feet, a warm jumper, your mobile or a time keeping device

WHAT ELSE: A Breakfast and Afternoon Tea Snack will be Provided

we offer the opportunity for you to sit on a seat like this and watch the world go by for a purpose

Posted for the love of statistics by Liam. C.

Photos by Jack Robert-Tissot of: jackroberttissot.com

Hobart City Council recently released their Sustainable Transport Strategy 2009-2014 for feedback. We’ve had a read and it looks like a strategy that will help get some serious bike and pedestrian supportive infrastructure in place if it gets the funds it requires.

Check it out here:

HTTP://www.hobartcity.com.au/hccwr/_assets/main/lib60029/hcc_strategic_transport09-14%20for%20public.pdf

The strategy has come under fire from Urban Geographer Bob Cotgrove of the University of Tasmania for it’s lack of sustainability in an economic sense. He claims that ‘without the motoring taxes paid by our car owning society , other modes of transport as well as essential community services cannot be provided’ and that ‘development of lightweight electric cars offers greater promise of future energy efficiency per passenger kilometre than can be achieved through mass transit public transport vehicles’.

Mr Cotgrove claims that society is no more car dependent than it is clothes dependent or house dependent and that with all these dependencies the benefits outweigh the costs. Unfortunately for Bob this logic has been proven wrong time and time again. The costs of car culture do outweigh the benefits no ifs or buts. Any way thats enough for now, we will present a well researched and ‘baseless generalisations’ free reply to his assertions ASAP.

The opposition demonstrated to the strategy by Cotgrove is typical of the politics we seem to witness around good ideas in developing Hobart to be a better place to live and move. Each time an idea comes up, instead of constructively contributing to its development, ignorant experts and business leaders work as hard as they can in opposition to these good ideas so that they make minimal progress.

We have had a quick read and have found some very inspiring little actions re development of healthy transport options in Hobart.

The first great news is that HCC is engaging Jan Gehl from Copenhagen to help them out. He will be one of the vocal group of transport planners with anti car passions who will fail on economic and environmental criteria according to Bob Cotgrove. It just so happens that he has lead the way in the most successful international urban renewal projects ever, so we reckon we should be ok.

The ‘improving cycle infrastructure’ goal looks like its going to make some waves. As of now we still don’t have a state cycling policy.

The importance of data collection is rarely emphasised in other strategies like this we have seen. So it is great to see that some of our own work in counting bikes and pedestrians is going to be expanded.

Anyways, get on the HCC website and show support for this strategy if you want to see greater cycling, walking and public transport action in Hobart and surrounds. Feedback forms are available on the net and at the HCC headquarters.

Posted for the power of strategy by Liam C.

This space was taken up by people instead of cars over new years

The picture above shows the usual scene at Salamanca except for on Saturdays. Cars eat most of the available space and people are forced to walk along a narrow strip between bumpers and bar patrons. It is a disgusting reality that people are not able to walk where the view of the wonderful old buildings is best, in the middle of the road. Instead the cars are given the equivalent of a four lane highway in width to drive along playing chicken with pedestrians. Thankfully state architect, Peter Poulet, is planning to remove many of the carparks so that alfresco dining can expand and we can actually appreciate Salamanca without two hideous rows of cars. The recent Taste of Tasmania Festival was a splendid example of space being used most efficiently. Hundreds of pedestrians walked between the Wharf area and Salamanca in safety as they deserve too. While we didnt catch any photos the vibe down on the waterfront was amazing and an absolute hive of activity.

This area was closed to cars over the Taste Festival

More space for walking between Mures and Salamanca

The Sullivans Cove Waterfront Authority seem to be putting their words into actions in regards to improving pedestrian movement around the wharf area. These carparks have now been moved back from their original spots so there is more room for pedestrians. Increased seating would compliment this proactive step in encouraging people to sit and stay in the area.

Posted for the dislike of waterfront carpark by Liam.C

Very comfortable seats in the Myer hole

Liverpool St has a fantastic new space for sitting down to have a rest, eat your lunch or park your bike. This little collection of a tiled raised patio with some leafy trees and bike racks is a welcome alternative to the Elizabeth St Mall as a place for people to sit and enjoy the city. Far to often I am confronted with an inhospitable environment to sit down and eat my lunch after buying from a local business in the CBD and poles to park my bike are so close to the road that there is a risk that it will be crushed by a half blind driver. So if you frequent any of the businesses along Liverpool St west of Elizabeth St check it out, and make the most of the bright red bike racks.

The red bike racks

They are screaming "sit on me"

Posted for people space by Liam C

A busy long beach

Not long ago long beach was a pretty average looking sight which didn’t seem to attract many people due to the access issues and falling apart sea wall. This has al changed thanks to a recent upgrade by the Hobart City Council which has made it a very attractive and popular destination this summer for sea wanting peoples. While the HCC is to be commended for money very well spent which will increase physical activity levels due to the great walking space, the allocation of prime sea front land to car parking will prove to be a waste of space once word gets out about how nice it is. A more appropriate alternative would have been to put in car parks a couple of hundred metres back from the beach so that they didn’t spoil the view.