Session 1: Transport strategy for Non-human and sustainability

Session: 1

Room: Regent Room

Session Title: Transport strategy for Non-human and sustainability

Format: Discussion

Presenter Name: Hayley Timmers (RMIT)

Summary

• How do we identify the key species or understand local biodiversity as one neighbourhood?

• How can we plan for non-human connectivity?

• Community advocacy reclaiming streets: Consider how people reclaim nature strips. Gorilla street trees on the upfield line.

• Community planting VicTrack: tracking which species pass which route in their everyday lives to reflect on the transport planning.

• How do we tackle KPI while making enjoyable connectivity for humans and non-humans?

• How should we assess possible environmental impacts on the site when we plan the strategy?

• There are important grasslands along the Sunbury line, these narrow strips of vegetation should not be managed without engaging Traditional Owners.

Session 2: Micro Mobility Design Challenge

Session: 2

Room: Supper Room

Session Title: Micro Mobility Design Challenge

Format: Creative Workshop

Presenter Name: Oscar Hayes (City of Melbourne) and Liz Irvin (Stantec)

Summary

• There is potential for Melbourne to be scooter friendly. Micro mobility design guide is the focus of the project. Infrastructure design issues were discussed.

• Parking is the most important issue for e-bikes.

• Can dedicated bike lanes be shared with e-scooters?

• To increase safety: consider speed limits and road rules regulation.

• Queensland has speed regulations for footpaths and bike lanes.

• Three themes were discussed by groups:

  • #Parking: Considered the parking at the train stations, and bus stops. What does the space look like and is charging provided? How secure will these spaces be and who owns them?

  • #Going area: Shared space with no to low car, using road spaces filtering.

  • #Arriving: Engineering design.

Session 2: Better Buses: The Future Frequent Network

Session: 2

Room: Yarra Room

Session Title: Better Buses: The Future Frequent Network

Format: Presentation

Presenter Name: Peter Parker (Melbourne on Transit)

Summary

• Better Bus Network: Sustainable Cities Campaign, better buses for Melbourne's West with a particular focus on the West. We need a top-level service. Perth was looked at as a precedent, noting most other states have a much higher frequency.

• Why is bus advocacy so challenging? The goal for 2030, is how can we shift the focus away from the high-income areas within Melbourne's southeast. The community is interested and political instability provides an opportunity for change.

• After the recent election, there may no longer be any safe seats. https://melbourneontransit.blogspot.com/2022/07/un-135-future-frequent-network.html This will not only support the suburban rail loop but will serve more people. Every ten minutes and seven days of the week.

• The Principle Public transport Network: Gave birth to smart bus routes, these run every 15 minutes. However these smart services are in the East (10) only one of these services is in the inner west, in Sunshine.

• The Useful Network: Every 20min service. Blog by Peter Parker. https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?mid=1eIBtYp3YqK7VDYkbcJW-XanMUHUIl2NE&ll=-37.8103655796008%2C145.02267822356933&z=9

• Laura: Images and maps are helpful. But to advocate consider how people may not need to own multiple cars, these messages are important. Improving people's lives. The future frequent network connects people to jobs. Local community benefit is integral.

• Route alignment has been discussed. How will this be branded?

• Question: How will these services align with the existing services? Ten-minute service to align with trains and trams. Look at the network coordination framework, this has not been applied to buses but there is an opportunity to apply this theoretical understanding.

• Focus on a small number of routes, done well.

Session 2: Fund Raising for Local Projects

Session: 2

Room: Portico Room

Session Title: Fund Raising for Local Projects

Format: Discussion

Presenter Name: Jane Waldock (Metropolitan Transport)

Summary

• Politics in local governments.

• Time constraints from start and end of a project.

• Lack of inter communication between LGs and state governments - community engagement at all levels.

Session 2: Open Street: Messaging for Mobility

Session: 2

Room: Regent Room

Session Title: Open Street: Messaging for Mobility

Format: Discussion

Presenter Name: Zoe and Leyla (City of Merri-bek)

Summary

• Getting the language right for livable, lovable neighbourhoods.

• Streets, not roads! Open not closed! Crashed not accidents terminology!

• What sort of consultation is the best for people? This is dependent on the local context, and it is important, to be honest, and transparent. Prioritise people, not transport modes.

• The importance of plain language to disseminate information. Changing the terminology of the open street.

• The meaning of road closure is no motor vehicles and increasing the flexibility of street use.

• Open street provides the neighbourhood with enhancing community bonds.

• How do we communicate with neighbours?

• Benefits: children’s safety, healthier communities, and more social space.

• What sort of signage makes all people comfortable using the space? How do we accommodate new emerging transport modes such as e-scooter? Whose priority is the first?

• Potential for site rhythmanalysis to identify the behavioural patterns of the place.

Session 3: Political advocacy for better transport service

Session: 3

Room: Regent Room

Session Title: Political advocacy for better transport service

Format: Presentation

Presenter Name: Peter Parket (Melbourne on Transit)

Summary

• Transformed transit for Melbourne Political volatility has both positive and negative impacts.

• How to decrease the number of vehicles in outer suburbs to introduce public transport systems with high frequency and good connectivity. Is poor frequency why car use remains widespread?

• Recommended book: The making and unmaking east-west link.

• Bus services are the key to establishing an integrated transport network.

Session 4: Free Public Transport

Session: 4

Room: Regent Room

Session Title: Free Public Transport

Format: Discussion

Presenter Name: Rosie (City of Stonnington)

Summary

• Only 30% of operating costs are funded currently, funding has to come from somewhere.

• Free Tram Zone takes pedestrians off the street and requires more services, increasing costs due to increased demand, mode shift away from walking, loss in revenue and spike in demand.

• The issue is not limited to cost, but access particularly for those with poor access (outer suburbs). Not many big systems that are free, there are smaller ones. Instead put tram revenue in areas which need it for example Melton, and Clyde.

• Look at the full network and where a free zone would increase the uptake of public transport (not away from pedestrians).

• Costs too much to travel to/from regional Vic (over $20) on VLine. Lower price of regional passengers.

• Transport has to become a service: Means-tested pricing, flexible/dynamic fares based on demand.

• Transport projects are measured by travel time savings, which is very narrow.

• Who is going to integrate these services?

• Consider safety when considering mode choice and MaaS, which fills a gap when people do not feel safe walking.

Session 5: Parking and Business Viability

Session: 5

Room: Regent Room

Session Title: Parking and Business Viability

Format: Discussion

Presenter Name: Patel

Summary

• Traders want car parking. An intercept survey found parking concession does not impact availability.

• DoT focuses on the reuse of the parking assets than replacement.

• Commercial pricing of the parking may be decided by the preference of or the parking value of people.

• One of third of the parking space reduction went unnoticed in a busy business area.

• Parking permits also delay and increase the expenses of the business.

• Dynamically allocation of parking is also important. Sharing the right message to the community or politicians would also promote a change of thinking and understanding that the cost of living increases more with more parking spaces.

Session 6: Pick a Lane Melbourne

Session: 6

Room: Regent Room

Session Title: Pick a Lane Melbourne

Format: Creative Workshop

Presenter Name: Pick a Lane Melbourne

Summary

• Consider this, Melbourne is now a communist city, in the year 2021-2022 a mode must be selected for the best prosperity and happiness of the city. Two themes were created: Mass Transit vs Micro Mobility.

• Team Micro mobility: Challenges are suburban sprawl, the distance between destinations, limited safe infrastructure, wide roads, cultural influence, Neo-liberalism, MAAS for profit, education, and capitalism.
  Goals: Tax the rich, no new roads, slow down our lives, diverse range to suit a variety of access needs and trip purposes.

• Team Macro mobility: Goal for high-speed rail. Highways are now of no use, re-purpose public space.
  Consider multi-CBD Cities, connected via macro PTV.