Everyone is a pedestrian at some point in any journey – so having a public realm that is welcoming and accessible for pedestrians of all kinds is an integral part of creating a truly great city with equitable access for all. For public transport users, being able to easily get between their bus or light rail stop and their ultimate destination is an incredibly important aspect of trip planning and the overall trip experience. Will we have to contend with rain? Are there lots of streets to cross? Is there somewhere shady to wait? Is there a continuous level footpath to use? Good wayfinding signs? There’s much that goes into planning a trip that we may not even consciously realise we are considering. Good urban planning helps to alleviate these concerns for public transport users by providing well-designed streets that anticipate and solve problems like bad weather or awkward routes to popular destinations.
The City Renewal Authority’s (CRA) Better City Streets project is an initiative to improve key streets in Civic and Dickson with a range of features including more shade, more trees, new street furniture, new bus stops, and more. You can find out all about it HERE. The Public Transport Association of Canberra (PTCBR) is highly supportive of this project – we see many direct and also indirect ways that the proposed designs will improve the experience of public transport users. We are excited to see careful thought being given to Canberra’s urban core and how it can look, feel, and function better for everyone who lives, works, or visits there.
Earlier this year, the CRA ran a consultation round for the community to voice their views on Better City Streets – you can read the PTCBR submission to this consultation round below. We have recommended some changes that we believe will enhance and improve an already great set of designs; we are especially keen to see effective flow of bus traffic along Alinga Street and great pedestrian connections to public transport stops.
PTCBR looks forward to seeing this project move forward and become reality in the near future!