Responses to Survey Questions from Mark Riley
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?
Prioritise pedestrians first at all traffic light intersections not cars as is the default setting for most intersections. Those that prioritise pedestrians are noteable!
Ensure the MCC footpath upgrade program is delivered on time or earlier than planned.
Support increased funding for more infrastructure measures that increase safety and amenity.
Advocate for reductions in speed limits on all roads across Moreland, including 30 kmh limit on all local roads. In this Council term the 30kmh proposal in MITS was opposed by a majority of Councillors, not the Greens though! The UK has this speed limit in place already.
2. If elected, what will you do to help reduce pedestrian road trauma in Moreland?
Continue to advocate for measures that prioritise pedestrians and other active transport modes and to reduce the dominance of the car and reliance on private care use, as the MITS aims to do.
Continue to push for greater spending on these measures in the Council budget.
Work with the community for improved safety measures and in identifying other black spots that require urgent attention.
3. What vision do you have to actively encourage older adults to walk in Moreland?
To see more elders using the open spaces and to hear their voices more as we develop and add to the walking route options with greater shade, more seating options, more and improved open spaces etc, in line with Cooling Upfield Corridor, Urban Forest Strategy, Nature Plan, Open Space policies, etc.
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?
Put more funds towards this work, which may mean spending less on roadways, which take up the bulk of Moreland’s infrastructure spending.
5. If elected, how will you encourage Council to implement proven street design measures to reduce vehicle speeds?
The Greens have lead this work for many years including traffic calming measures, prioritising pedestrians at intersections and traffic lights, calling for more pedestrian crossings, and improved line marking, lighting, and so on.
6. What measures would you implement to stop speeding near schools?
The Greens support reduced speed measures near schools. Taking this to 30kmh needs to be a priority.
Many parents are reluctant to let children walk or ride independently to and from school. Changing this current norm is taking time and will need more effort. Walking school buses and similar initiatives have assisted to create more communal care and sharing that around, to enable parents to have confidence in others and their own children to have more autonomy.
7. What improvements are needed for footpaths to make them safer for pedestrians after dark?
Council has been working with designers and researchers to look at best practice in this area. The Greens support the research on/around the Merri Creek where a serious attack occurred in 2019. This has received one of the greatest responses to a survey. Working together we need to provide solutions that use technologies and other tools to improve our public spaces eg, lighting that turns on for periods rather than all night.
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?
The Greens support this work and have moved motions to establish trials on Sydney Rd. Given it’s a DoT road (Vic Government) Council needs the community to be calling stongly for action on this, if it is to happen any time soon. The delay in accessible trams stops is shameful on both ALP and Lib/Nat state governments.
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?
Council can advocate for this. The Greens w illactively work towards this goal.
Council’s funds are constrained and state and federal governments could contribute to such programs as they have better revenue streams.
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)?
The Greens will continue to :
– Call for significant improvements in public transport services more frequent, reliable and longer hours of operation. Duplicate the Upfield Line.
– Support the revised MITS prioritising pedestrians first and other active transport modes second.
– Engage with the community on implementing the MITS and the Parking Plan so effective changes are implemented sooner, than being delayed.
– Support car share schemes, more bicycle parking,
– Support measures to enable new residents to live here without needing to rely on a car and ensure private cars are parked for long periods off-street. Short term parking can be permitted for all car users (mostly).
Walk on Merri-bek 