The 2023 NSW State Budget was released in mid September. But does it improve our streets or is more needed? We analysed if the budget supports better streets. The 2023 NSW Budget only allocated 0.13% of the transport capital works budget, or $3 per person every year, for walking and cycling infrastructure across the whole state. This is less than a cup of coffee, and is nowhere near enough to increase participation and safety, despite this being the NSW Government’s objective in its Active Transport Strategy. By comparison, Ireland allocates 20% of its transport budget to active transport while Sweden allocates 18% in line with the UN’s recommendation to prioritize people over cars in the transport system. Greater Manchester in the United Kingdom is spending £54 per person (AU$102 per person) on cycling infrastructure. Such a substantial commitment to active transport is critical to reducing emissions, as well as improving community health and wellbeing outcomes. Better Streets would like to see the NSW government commit to $55 per person per year for active travel as follows: What can you do?As a member of the public, you have a right to ask our politicians for more funding, and influence next year’s budget. By presenting a united front, our message is more powerful.
Your advocacy matters, and together, we can create the change we want to see in our communities. More is spent on other transport infrastructure every day than on active transport over two years. $72.3 billion for transport infrastructure: The budget allocates a whopping $72.3 billion for transport capital works over four years, which is $1.5 billion a month, or nearly $50 million a day. In other words, we spend more on transport infrastructure a day than we do for active transport over two years! $97.9 million for Active Transport capital works: The Active Transport capital works budget is $97.9 million over 4 years. This is just 0.13% of the transport capital budget, or $3 per person every year.
Active Transport funding as operating expenditure: In August 2023 the government announced $39.5 million for the Get Active NSW grants program which will fund 80 walking and cycling projects in 50 councils across NSW. This is reserved in the operating expenditure budget. This is presumably in addition to the $10.5 million that was already allocated, bringing total grant funding to $50 million for this year.
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The Next Victorian meeting will be online.
Date: Thursday 16 November 2023 Time: 8pm on Zoom Link:Zoom link Call for volunteers to help organise the End of Year catch up in Sydney.
Date: 16 December 2023 Time: 10am to 2pm Location: Centennial park (exact location to be confirmed) Bring: Families, Friends, furry friends, music, snacks Activities: Small group ride, live music, good company and banter Register on the Facebook invite: link Better Streets, with our coalition members WalkSydney, Bicycle NSW, 30 Please and Committee for Sydney have had the honour of hosting Marco te Brömmelstroet, the Dutch bicycle professor on several talks and meetings while he is visiting Sydney promoting his latest book "Movement". True to the advice in his book he's out here encouraging people to have conversations with people of power and motivate them to take back our streets and transform our lives. Critical to his mission was getting him and his family bikes to make sure he could experience first hand Sydney cycleways and the network before attending NSW Parliament to present to the Parliamentary Friends of Active Transport. The meeting was well attended and Marco's presentation was well received by the Hon. Jo Haylen (NSW Transport minister), Kobi Shetty (member for Inner West), Jenny Leong MP, Dr. Marjorie O'Neil MP. Along with Marc Lane (WalkSydney), Lena Huda (30 Please), Sara Stace (Better Streets), Peter McLean (Bicycle NSW), Estelle Grech and Cassie Newman (Committee for Sydney). Thanks Sara and Marty for the critical bikes. Then thanks to the Committee for Sydney, City of Sydney and AITPM, Marco was invited to do a public talk and a panel discussion with Sara Stace (Better Streets president) and Transport for NSW Executive director Active Transport Anna Bradley, Mayor of Campbelltown Cr George Creiss. In this engaging discussion Marco talks about his experience in NSW, from moving between depressed by the amount of driving he is forced to do in Sydney but positive to see we're entering a new era and there is a huge momentum for change. He says we are not catering for children, the mobility they need is where they can explore the city autonomously and we should not be penalising them with death by making these choices. Watch him and his logic while he some how weaves the ukulele into his mission on youtube. Marco te Brömmelstroet's book: Movement on amazon
Committee for Sydney public talk with: youtube presentation Guardian article with Marco's interview - ‘Moto-normativity’: why cycling professor wants Australians to rethink how we use our roads Better Streets is delighted that Victoria has appointed Gabrielle Williams MP as Minister for Public and Active Transport. Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan said this week: “We want a focus on those last mile connections that make it easy for kids to get to school, make it easier to get to work - there are many benefits to having a focus on active transport.” We welcome Minister Williams to their new role and encourage them to engage widely with the Better Streets alliance to help achieve Victoria's vision for safe and healthy streets! Gabrielle Willams MP. Photo source: Gabrielle Williams website (link)
We're excited to share with you the progress we've made in our recent meetings with key New South Wales politicians. Our advocacy efforts are gaining momentum, and we're at the forefront of conversations that will shape the future of our streets. These conversations are pivotal in encouraging our politicians to make decisions that ensure streets are not just roads but vibrant community spaces.
Regular Engagements with Minister Haylen's Office We've successfully established a regular quarterly meeting with Minister Haylen's office, the Transport Minister. Our most recent discussion was both productive and promising. We delved into the potential of launching an active travel to schools program for NSW. This initiative is close to our heart as it not only promotes healthy and safe access for our children but also reduces traffic congestion during peak school hours. We provided a range of options for a program in the short to long term, and examples of successful pilot projects throughout NSW. Furthermore, we discussed setting mode share targets and provided advice on rallying community support for the Oxford Street streetscape upgrade and cycleway in Paddington. Meeting with Dr Marjorie O'Neil MP Our advocacy for active travel to schools found a passionate supporter in Dr Marjorie O'Neil MP, the Parliamentary Secretary for Transport. As with Haylen's office we provided further insights on this topic and gave practical advice on how such a program would roll out to councils and schools. Joining us in this meeting was Safe Streets for Schools, along with members experienced in Sydney's Northern Beaches and Eastern suburbs. Their insights and experiences added depth to our discussions, ensuring a holistic approach with practical advice. Workshop with Transport for NSW In collaboration with Bicycle NSW and BIKEast, we participated in a workshop led by Transport for NSW on the Oxford Street streetscape upgrade and cycleway. Our role was to guide them on collaborating with us and our coalition members to rally community support. We also provided feedback on the proposed street design layout and offered suggestions on framing messaging and timing for maximum impact. Upcoming Meeting with John Graham We're scheduled to meet with John Graham, Minister for Roads and Arts, this week. We're eager to discuss our vision and gain his insights on roads, outdoor dining and the 24 hour economy. Our Commitment One of our core purposes at Better Streets is to consistently engage with key decision-makers and politicians in government. We believe in supporting them in making bold and necessary steps to improve streets for people. Our goal is to ensure that our streets are not just thoroughfares but spaces where communities thrive. Thank you for being a part of this journey. Together, we can make our streets better for everyone. Fairlight community members and businesses have partnered with Northern Beaches Council to host a street party in the village centre on Sydney Road. The slip road opposite the main shops will be closed to cars and traffic speeds reduced from 60 to 40km/h, allowing the village to come together and celebrate local artists, makers, musicians and community groups. There's a packed agenda with yoga classes, salsa classes, and a DJ. Come and join in the Fairlight fling. Event Date: Saturday 9 September 2023 Time: 10am to 2pm Location: Fairlight Village Centre, 147 Sydney Road, Fairlight NSW. 10 minutes walk from Manly Wharf or the 144 bus drops you in the heart of the village Event website: link The installation of temporary infrastructure such as artificial grass, planters, outdoor furniture and garden games on the road (often referred to as tactical or guerilla urbanism) will be a great opportunity to highlight the benefits of creating additional space for people and improving the safety of our streets.
Better Streets will be launching a new online mapping tool on the day that will allow community members to highlight opportunities to create safe, healthy, people-friendly, climate-friendly streets. Call to action: Better Streets are looking for volunteers to help with the event. We need:
The City of Stonnington (Victoria) is seeking public input to their once in a lifetime Chapel Street Transformation project and they're going about it in a most interesting way. Chapel Street is renowned for its shops, cafes, liveliness. To help council prioritise they are asking you to vote on what matters most. You have 100 points to allocate to the different options presented.
Consultation is open until 30 September 2023. Go vote here - link Transport equity is the principle that all individuals, regardless of their socio-economic status, race, disability, age, gender, or other aspects of their identity, should have equal access to safe, affordable, reliable, and efficient transportation options. Friends of the Earth (FOE) is inviting all groups and individuals who are interested and care about accessible and equitable transport for all, to join Transport Equity Week from 17-23 September 2023 with an action to raise awareness for transportation equity issues. You can sign up for an action here and access the fantastic social media pack. What does transport equity mean? Transport equity, also known as transportation equity or mobility justice, addresses the disparities and barriers that certain groups face when trying to access transportation. This can be thought about in 7 broad areas.
Case study - Chatswood and Liverpool. |
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