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Car travel doomed?
Yet another Age article, where it seems someone's finally doing the numbers
The article.
"People are going to have to fundamentally change the way they think about travel and make much more use of non-motorised travel such as cycling and walking."
"An overseas trip might become a once-in-a-lifetime experience rather than an annual event"
And the RACV, ever the advocate of 'keep on breaking the world' chimes in :
RACV public policy general manager Brian Negus said there needed to be a balanced approach to planning for future car use: "We need to improve the road system so you get more efficiency and less congestion."
And key roads still needed to be built, he said. The RACV has long argued that the Metropolitan Ring Road, which currently ends at Greensborough, should be linked with the Eastern Freeway.
No, Brian, we do not need more freeways, all that happens when you build more freeways is that people then decide to live further from their workplaces, because for a little while, they can. It makes traffic worse, encourages people to drive more and in the long term, buggers us all.
On your bike!
But I need my car...
I've met Brian Negus when he was head of VicRoads North Eastern region before joining RACV. He certainly advocates more and better roads. (It is after all his job to do so.) But he also believed in a holistic approach to transport and that more had to be done on infrastructure for public transport and cycling. Unlike many in his organisation I don't think he holds the opinion that "roads are for just for cars". At least this was the opinion I formed from our short and semi public meeting. I could be wrong