The pandemic has triggered a re-think of the very concept of a CBD. The collapse in patronage on all forms of public transport demands we ask if our biggest transport project should be re-imagined. | OPINION by FaineJon melbourne springst
Kitted out yet again in fluoro high-vis on Thursday morning, Premier Daniel Andrews was beaming as he celebrated the start of preliminary works for his government’s ambitious Suburban Rail Loop.
The pandemic has triggered a re-think of the very concept of a CBD and the future of the high-rise office building. The collapse in patronage on all forms of public transport demands we ask if our biggest transport project should be re-imagined.It is not too late to reassess the viability of this signature project.
of pre-COVID levels, with former commuters working from home for at least some of the week. On Mondays and Fridays, Docklands looks abandoned. Those who do persist with the commute are much more likely to use a car than before.Memories of over-crowded trams and trains and regular complaints of capacity limits seem surreal, but that was. Peak hour was squash hour – trains and trams could not keep up with passenger demand.
When first announced in 2018, the loop was little more than a popular thought-bubble. It tackles so many of our structural problems at the same time, cleverly pitched with multiple interconnections to regional trains and embracing the long-awaited Melbourne Airport Rail. During COVID, local trips replaced longer ones, suggesting a need for smaller buses doing neighbourhood circuits, with interchanges to bus or rail for longer trips. This is a very European solution, with light rail and express electric buses on dedicated lanes. Instead, we are locked in to contracts that guarantee near-empty diesel buses be stuck on congested arterial roads.The boom in car-share schemes, services like Uber and the reinvented taxi network cannot be ignored.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
‘Never seen that before’: Brush turkeys are turning carnivorous in Sydney suburbsWith their ancient lineage, prehistoric nesting behaviour and taste for blood, brush turkeys are proving to be the suburban dinosaur.
Read more »
Ukraine forces ‘recapture 20% of territory lost in Sievierodonetsk’ – as it happenedUkrainian forces say they have pushed back Russians in the city
Read more »
The Kid Laroi apologises to fans for cancelling Melbourne show 40 minutes after start timeGrammy award-nominated Australian rapper The Kid Laroi apologises to fans after cancelling his Melbourne show at the last minute due to illness.
Read more »
Melbourne’s ‘pause’ on new bike lanes spark outrage on World Bicycle DayAdvocates and key councillor hope the halt is short-lived, but transport union criticises existing lanes
Read more »
Biden to visit Saudi Arabia in push to lower oil prices and punish RussiaThis marks the president’s departure from his campaign promise of isolating Riyadh over the murder of columnist Jamal Khashoggi
Read more »