BikeSpot2023
Anthony Aisenberg (CrowdSpot)
Session: 3
Room: Yarra Room
Format: Presentation and Q and A
Summary: Launching Bikespot 2023 in October, Anthony introduced this crowdsourcing program that aims to identify the biking infrastructure in Australian cities. Drawing on the experiences and reports of Bikespot 2020, the discussion largely revolved around the factors to consider in crowdsourced projects such as these, its utility for various councils, and understanding the overall perceived safety of shared and dedicated bike paths in cities. The discussion also highlighted the features of Bikespot 2023 and offered insight into various ways projects such as these can be extended to other transport modes and encourage more conversations related to multimodal transit networks in cities.
Feedback from Nathan (Bike Network) asking, why have we excluded the temporal measure from the BikeSpot parameters. Can the time of day be captured in the survey?
Feedback from Sophie: why has lighting been excluded? Often a theme that is discussed in relation to cyclist safety. However last year’s findings found this was not a main concern for cyclists.
Cycling purpose typology has been applied. A singular focus on cyclists has been applied to have a deeper understanding of the cohort’s experience. As this is a national platform, a focus on purely cycling has been established since the e-scooter laws vary sign between Australian States and Territories.
Google is interested in how BikeSpot can inform cycling routes. A dataset informed by the perception of safety rather than infrastructure creates an opportunity for enhanced wayfinding and route development. Local councils will want to report what they implemented after the BikeSpot 2020. We need to collect these stories.
BikeSpot2020 informed the development of the Haymarket roundabout. There are future plans to arrange outreach to practitioners.
Looking Forward: How can we create a live dataset rather than static? Issues arise as the city is changing dramatically.
How do we get buses into greenfield areas from the start?
Kathy Lazanas (ABP Transit Planning)
Session: 3
Room: Melbourne Room
Format: Presentation and Q and A
Summary: For the Geelong Precinct Structure Plan, 110,000 people are expected to live in a 30-year frame and 90% to have worked within the area. The aim of the speaker is to provide a high-frequency transport service, nevertheless, the average time to develop a network is 15 years. Some ideas to ensure public transport is provided from the first instances discussed were that GAIC should be applied in more areas, developers must ensure facilities without promising PT routes or stops, focusing on primary schools for the first routes and taking into consideration the community value. We are designing on greenfield instead of brownfield, we’re designing for precincts and suburbs that will be completed by 2050. It should be considered not only infrastructure but also the community value. How can we take politics out of transport or really get to coordinate them?
Electric Buses
Ali Kabirian (Yarra Trams)
Session: 3
Room: Portico Room
Format: Discussion
Summary: Electric buses present intriguing possibilities for addressing behavioural shifts, and congestion and improving transport efficiency in urban settings. After reflecting on the resurgence of trams in London, the discussion provided in this session encouraged somewhat of a debate on the relevance, benefits, and complications of electric buses, trackless trams, or even the idea of combining both options. Touching upon challenges surrounding public preferences for trams, the conversations acknowledged the significance trams hold in Melbourne’s identity as a city.
Discuss the topic of zero-emission buses and energy sources, as well as the potential for extending transit services to suburbs and improving the current public transportation network. The user suggests the idea of mixing different modes of transportation, similar to how it is done in North America, and emphasizes the importance of creating a unified and efficient public transport system rather than having competing nodes. Discuss the difficulties of finding information about buses and schedules, as well as the lack of visibility and presence of buses compared to trains and trams. They suggest creating a dedicated lane for buses and increasing their prominence to make them more accessible and convenient. Discuss the challenges of promoting buses as a viable transportation option in Melbourne due to historical perceptions that buses are inferior to trains and trams. They mention the fragmentation of bus operators in Victoria and the difficulty of changing public attitudes towards buses despite new technology. People assume that there is a need for proper analysis and study of the transportation system to determine the best way forward. People also talk about creating a permanent platform that provides a seamless experience for commuters.