Responses to Survey Questions from Lambros Tapinos
1. What are your most important priorities to increase pedestrian safety specifically in the ward you hope to represent as well as in the rest of Moreland?
Fix the footpaths, install more street seating and lights, install more zebra crossings. Designated more streets as key pedestrian walkways.
2. If elected, what will you do to help reduce pedestrian road trauma in Moreland?
We need to prioritise pedestrian safety and run a safety campaign. We need to decrease speed limits in local streets and install more traffic treatments.
3. What vision do you have to actively encourage older adults to walk in Moreland?
Walking is very important seniors, for many it maybe the only exercise they get. We need more street furniture and shelters, lights and toilets, trees with canopy and cooling mechanisms in summer. We also need strong laws against obstructing the footpaths, but the most immediate thing we can do is prioritise a footpath repair program to fix our footpaths.
4. In what ways should Council increase its investment in the maintenance and improvements to footpaths and other outdoor public infrastructure to reduce falls injuries?
I will prioritise a footpath repair program to fix our footpaths.
5. If elected, how will you encourage Council to implement proven street design measures to reduce vehicle speeds?
Its about funding, putting serious money into traffic management and street designs measures to slow traffic. I will redirect the money saved from not installing MITS 2h car-parking restriction to traffic measures.
6. What measures would you implement to stop speeding near schools?
Decrease speed limits and more police presence near schools, nothing like a few fines to get people to change behaviour and decrease speed near schools.
7. What improvements are needed for footpaths to make them safer for pedestrians after dark?
More lights. I have been a big advocate and supporter of our new LED lights which have improved lighting at night. I also want to encourage walking community groups.
8. The majority of surveyed Sydney Rd. users support the removal of all on-street parking to make way for wider footpaths and protected cycling lanes in both directions. Do you agree with this and if so, how would you work to achieve this if elected?
This is a visionary idea which I first proposed to council after speaking with Revitalise Sydney Road, but we need to recognise that it will take time. The first steps are to encourage people to park off-Sydney road and win the support of traders. But unfortunately, the Greens have preferred to politicise this matter instead of working to build community and trader support. The first step should be to place signs on Sydney Road pointing to off-street carparks and make those carparks free – I have attempted to do this on numerous occasions but it was voted down by the Greens. If people started parking off-sydney road, the traders should support the concept because of the advantage of more footpath space and beautification works. After winning support from the traders and community we need to approach the State Government for funding, the money required is significant – it needs a strong advocacy campaign. But this vision for Sydney Road will never happen if the Greens keep playing divisive political games, we need everyone on the same page to achieve this vision.
9. What strategies are needed by Council, in collaboration with the State Government, to introduce a driver education campaign in regard to stopping for, giving way and slowing down for pedestrians at intersections, zebra crossings, school crossings and other hot spots?
We can partner with VicRoads to run this campaign.
10. As the local population grows, so does local traffic and through traffic. How do you propose to address the competing interests of different transport users i.e. pedestrians, cyclists, private and commercial vehicle drivers and public transport (trams and buses)?
Prioritise pedestrian, public transport, cycling, e-scooters and vehicles in that order – we also need to recognise that our streets cannot sustain the increased populations and we need planning laws that take capacity of community assets like roads into consideration.
Walk on Merri-bek 