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https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/oct/21/the-active-transport-ideas-from-around-the-world-that-could-make-australians-healthier-and-our-cities-cleaner>
"It’s time for a major rethink of transport in Australia, experts say – and,
while some new ideas may meet resistance, “these are not ideas from radical
left Scandinavian pot-smoking greenies”, Prof Matt Burke says.
Policies lumped together as “active transport” include proposals to offer
rebates for people who ditch their cars for public transport, or cash payouts
for people who cycle to work.
“This is happening in cities like Denver, Montreal and Washington DC,” Burke
says.
Burke, the deputy director of Griffith University’s Cities Research Institute,
is an expert on transport planning and policy and, in particular, on how towns
and cities could get more people out of their cars and into their walking
shoes, bike saddles and on to electric bikes and scooters.
He cites policies already implemented elsewhere in the world, such as major
investments in walking and cycling infrastructure and importantly, Burke
believes, lowering speed limits in local streets.
Australia is one of only four countries globally where the speed limit for cars
in local streets is as high as 50km/h. “The others are Qatar, New Zealand and
Saudi Arabia,” he says.
“Australia is the world’s number one car owning democracy. We still regulate
our streets to be hostile to cyclists.”
The progressive thinktank the Australia Institute released a report on Monday
calling for a major rethink of Australia’s transport policy to boost active
transport and bring the country into line with policies in place around the
world."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
