Rebellion is essential!
WalkSydney May Newsletter 2022
Events and Achievements
The Active Transport Mobility Summit
On Thursday 28 April, at the Active Transport Mobility Summit in Sydney, the Minister for Infrastructure, Cities and Active Transport Hon. Rob Stokes announced that a shared e-scooter scheme trial will be going ahead in July this year, together with the roll out of a Sydney bicycle network.
We welcome the opportunity that e-scooters bring to help reduce car dependency and pollution so long as authorities enforce regulations that scooters use bike paths and roads, instead of footpaths.
The introduction of the scooters also invites the implementation of 30km/h speed limits on local streets, where cars and e-scooters will have to share the road, but also provide a shared safe space for e-scooters and cyclists in general.
Our own Vice President Lena Huda, was also represented as a panelist at the summit, advocating for the significance of 30km/h as a default urban speed limit as an enabler for walking and cycling.
Advocates in the Garden
Back in March we were finally able to meet up in person for our walk around the Botanical Garden. It was wonderful to see so many great advocates turn up.
The Botanical Garden offers amazing guides to immerse you in the rich Aboriginal culture of the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the traditional owners of the Sydney city area.
Rebellion is essential!
With his key message to abandon the pursuit of transport perfection, which yields transport consumerism, and instead strive for transport sufficiency, Professor Peter Norton offered lots of great insights into how we became a car-centric world and what the past has to offer for a future of common-sense mobility.
Watch or re-watch the full presentation from the March Public Forum here.
NSW Parliamentary Friends of Active Travel
Our current president Brigid Kelly and former president David Levinson represented WalkSydney for the launch of the NSW Parliamentary Friends of Active Travel on the 30 March.
We were given the opportunity to share our vision with MPs for more walkable cities and neighbourhoods, and heard great speeches by Shayne Mallard MP, The Hon. Rob Stokes, NSW Minister for Infrastructure, Cities and Active Transport MP, Jo Haylen MP and Cate Faehrmann MP. It was fantastic and encouraging to see and hear the support across different parties.
National Roads & Traffic Expo
On May 18th and 19th the National Roads & Traffic Expo will take place at the International Convention Centre Sydney (ICC Sydney).
With topics ranging from enabling shared streets and active transport strategies to how COVID-19 changed the world of transport, there’ll be something for everyone.
Most importantly though: our very own committee members Lena Huda and David Levinson will also be represented.
David will be speaking on the Proposed Blue Mountain tunnel and Lena will speak about building community support for 30km/h speed limits and also join a panel, together with Peter Fraser (Safer Australian Roads and Highways) and Jennie Oxley (Curtin Monash Accident Research Centre): ‘30km/h please!’, moderated by Ingrid Johnston, Chief Executive Officer, Australasian College of Road Safety.
Sign up here for your free in-person ticket
National Road Safety Strategy 2021-30
The new strategy was announced recently. With the statement that “Speed management is embedded within all key themes. The Strategy adopts a social model approach to foster a road safety culture across society and make road safety business-as-usual”, it’ll be interesting to see how community groups representing pedestrians, children and cyclists will receive sufficient funding to play a meaningful role.
Learn more about the strategy here
Slow Down Day – a great community success
On 25 March 3 schools within the communities of Mt St Thomas, Lindsay Park and Figtree Heights participated in “Slow Down Day”, which also coincided with “National Ride2School” Day.
Supported by the Wollongong City Council and Transport NSW, this first of its kind in Australia, pilot program was organised by Healthy Cities Illawarra together with 30Please and Safe Streets to School.
Through signs, banners and posters drivers were encouraged to slow down to 30km/hr in the walking catchment of these schools, making it safer for children to get to/from school on foot, or by bicycle or scooter.
TV, Radio and several traditional media reported on this event, we’ll update you with a link to the evaluation/feedback of this day soon.
Until then, you can read more here as well as the Illawarra Mercury’s coverage of the day here.
Join us
By joining WalkSydney you’ll get involved with activities and ideas to make Greater Sydney safe and pleasant for pedestrians. People-friendly streets are the foundation of healthy, inclusive, connected, and sustainable communities.
We are run by a committee of volunteers and are always looking for engaged advocates.
We meet monthly on Saturday afternoons, the next (virtual) meeting will take place on the 28 May from 2-4pm.
Sign up here to make walking in your local LGA and Sydney better.
Blog Posts
If you haven’t already, do check out some of our latest blog posts.
A Grand Bargain
Pedestrian fatality in Ashfield
International Energy Agency calls for more walking, and car-free Sundays
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