News & Discussion: Roads & Traffic
Posted: Sun Mar 25, 2007 9:06 am
Adelaide nation's traffic basket case
STEELE TALLON, RENATO CASTELLO
March 25, 2007 11:15am
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ADELAIDE has recorded the worst increase in peak-hour traffic congestion of any Australian capital city over the past decade.
Research by national transport analyst Austroads found delays caused by Adelaide's morning traffic crush had increased by 30 per cent since 1997/98.
Perth recorded the second-worst increase in delays (18.5 per cent), followed by Sydney (9 per cent), Melbourne (7 per cent) and Brisbane (6 per cent).
The research calculated the delays by comparing peak-hour travel times on a variety of major roads with nominal travel times – the length of time it would have taken to travel the same distance at the posted speed limit.
It found the Adelaide rush hour holds up motorists by 44 seconds for every kilometre travelled compared to 33secs/km in 1997/98.
For an average motorist driving 15km to work daily, that 44-second delay equates to an extra 55 minutes on the road each week and almost 48 hours annually.
Adelaide's traffic woes are increasing at such a rate that delays are now almost as bad as Melbourne, where peak-hour congestion holds up motorists by 46 seconds each kilometre. Overall, Sydney has the worst peak-hour delay of 51secs/km. The Austroads research also showed a sharp decline in travel speeds across Adelaide during morning peak hour, motorists averaging 35.8km/h compared to 39.2km/h in 1998/99.
The figures come amid claims the State Government has lost any chance of an overall solution to ending the city's traffic woes.
Former Liberal premier Steele Hall and former director-general of transport Dr Derek Scrafton have both criticised the Government's lack of vision. Mr Hall, who was premier from 1968-1970, said Adelaide's hope for a transport vision were lost with the scrapping of the Metropolitan Adelaide Transportation Study.
The study set out a network of expressways and freeways through the city, but was scrapped by the Dunstan Labor Government in 1971.
"The fact is that Labor has an appalling history of not acting on SA's infrastructure," Mr Hall said. Projects such as underpasses along South Rd were a "piecemeal approach because the opportunity has been lost" for a transport blueprint.
"We will see the odd improvements here and there, but we are standing still in road development," he said. "Quite clearly we need (transport) corridors that we haven't now got. The transport network will never reach the needs that Adelaide requires."
In a candid admission during the week, Transport Minister Patrick Conlon told a meeting of the state's property developers, planners and transport experts that the Government did not have a long-term transport vision.
"I will accept the criticism that we don't have a bigger plan," he said.
"If you think we need a bigger plan you should add your voice to it and tell my Treasurer (Kevin Foley).
He told the 60-strong crowd at a Property Council of SA forum the "vision is there if you want to look for it".
The State Government shelved its draft Transport Plan in 2003.
Dr Scrafton, who served under both Liberal and Labor governments, did not expect the incumbent Labor Government nor any future one to publish a transport blueprint.
"They'll bluff their way now," he said of the Rann Government.
"They'll put some money into electrifying the railway or something similar. The next government will then promise to have a plan and won't (deliver) and so on, and we will continue to hold our breath."
Property Council of SA executive director Nathan Paine said the Government had to co-ordinate transport investment with future commercial and residential precincts.
"As with the current Glenelg tramline extension, transport projects announced in isolation will not generate the magnitude of investment we could expect to see from a detailed transport blueprint," Mr Paine said.
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I don't think Adelaide has lost hope of developing a good transport network. The loss of the corridors that were supposed to be for new projects just means a lot more new projects are going to have to be underground like in Sydney, and a lot more expensive.
STEELE TALLON, RENATO CASTELLO
March 25, 2007 11:15am
Article from: Font size: + -
Send this article: Print Email
ADELAIDE has recorded the worst increase in peak-hour traffic congestion of any Australian capital city over the past decade.
Research by national transport analyst Austroads found delays caused by Adelaide's morning traffic crush had increased by 30 per cent since 1997/98.
Perth recorded the second-worst increase in delays (18.5 per cent), followed by Sydney (9 per cent), Melbourne (7 per cent) and Brisbane (6 per cent).
The research calculated the delays by comparing peak-hour travel times on a variety of major roads with nominal travel times – the length of time it would have taken to travel the same distance at the posted speed limit.
It found the Adelaide rush hour holds up motorists by 44 seconds for every kilometre travelled compared to 33secs/km in 1997/98.
For an average motorist driving 15km to work daily, that 44-second delay equates to an extra 55 minutes on the road each week and almost 48 hours annually.
Adelaide's traffic woes are increasing at such a rate that delays are now almost as bad as Melbourne, where peak-hour congestion holds up motorists by 46 seconds each kilometre. Overall, Sydney has the worst peak-hour delay of 51secs/km. The Austroads research also showed a sharp decline in travel speeds across Adelaide during morning peak hour, motorists averaging 35.8km/h compared to 39.2km/h in 1998/99.
The figures come amid claims the State Government has lost any chance of an overall solution to ending the city's traffic woes.
Former Liberal premier Steele Hall and former director-general of transport Dr Derek Scrafton have both criticised the Government's lack of vision. Mr Hall, who was premier from 1968-1970, said Adelaide's hope for a transport vision were lost with the scrapping of the Metropolitan Adelaide Transportation Study.
The study set out a network of expressways and freeways through the city, but was scrapped by the Dunstan Labor Government in 1971.
"The fact is that Labor has an appalling history of not acting on SA's infrastructure," Mr Hall said. Projects such as underpasses along South Rd were a "piecemeal approach because the opportunity has been lost" for a transport blueprint.
"We will see the odd improvements here and there, but we are standing still in road development," he said. "Quite clearly we need (transport) corridors that we haven't now got. The transport network will never reach the needs that Adelaide requires."
In a candid admission during the week, Transport Minister Patrick Conlon told a meeting of the state's property developers, planners and transport experts that the Government did not have a long-term transport vision.
"I will accept the criticism that we don't have a bigger plan," he said.
"If you think we need a bigger plan you should add your voice to it and tell my Treasurer (Kevin Foley).
He told the 60-strong crowd at a Property Council of SA forum the "vision is there if you want to look for it".
The State Government shelved its draft Transport Plan in 2003.
Dr Scrafton, who served under both Liberal and Labor governments, did not expect the incumbent Labor Government nor any future one to publish a transport blueprint.
"They'll bluff their way now," he said of the Rann Government.
"They'll put some money into electrifying the railway or something similar. The next government will then promise to have a plan and won't (deliver) and so on, and we will continue to hold our breath."
Property Council of SA executive director Nathan Paine said the Government had to co-ordinate transport investment with future commercial and residential precincts.
"As with the current Glenelg tramline extension, transport projects announced in isolation will not generate the magnitude of investment we could expect to see from a detailed transport blueprint," Mr Paine said.
____________________________________________________________
I don't think Adelaide has lost hope of developing a good transport network. The loss of the corridors that were supposed to be for new projects just means a lot more new projects are going to have to be underground like in Sydney, and a lot more expensive.