Unley trams a tight fit
There's been lots of talk and chatter about running a tram line from CBD Adelaide, through Unley and up to Micham.
Sounds great, sounds innovative; nation building stuff.
The SA Government will make a decision in 2-3 weeks about which route to take ie. along Unley Road or perhaps Goodwood Road.
I thought that the tram (and any form of public transport) was about getting bums on seats and cutting the car commute through the suburbs to CBD Adelaide.
For the record, I'm opposed to a tram through Unley and would prefer the cheaper and more efficient option of hybrid diesel and solar powered buses.
The bottom line is the need for an improved public transport system.
And why not make it a free service to get the bums on seats?
It is amazing how many people won't pay the fee on the long runs eg. Glenelg to the City.
A tram through Unley will visually devastate the streetscape with giant poles and cables; just look at the tramline to Glenelg. Do we really want that visually polluting infrastructure on Unley Road or Goodwood Road? No way!
Yesterday I was alarmed to read in the media that a Government development adviser said that the tram should go down Goodwood Road rather than Unley Road. The reason given was that there was more opportunity to build a strip of 5 storey apartments along the entire route. They say 5 storeys; in reality this may translate to 5-10 storeys.
I would have thought that the Government's priority would be selecting a transport route based on merit; of getting most bums on seats; and not on the high rise development that can be achieved.
Unley Road has 3 lanes each way, excluding parking.
Goodwood Road has 2 lanes each way, excluding parking.
Trust me, if there is a tram then there will be no parking along the route.
I maintain that a tram service won't fit on Unley Road. It would contest the car traffic and travel times would be doubled.
So, if it won't fit on Unley Road, then how the heck would it fit on Goodwood Road?
The only positive for residents of Goodwood is that through traffic would be slashed and permanently diverted to King William Road and Unley Road.
The speed limit could be reduced to 40kph and the road could become cyclist and pedestrian friendly.
My advice to the Government is to take the bus. Invest in the hybrid buses that could be built in SA. Trams need to be imported.
That's what I think.
My thoughts are in no way reflective of Unley Council which has no formal position on trams and their routes.
Sounds great, sounds innovative; nation building stuff.
The SA Government will make a decision in 2-3 weeks about which route to take ie. along Unley Road or perhaps Goodwood Road.
I thought that the tram (and any form of public transport) was about getting bums on seats and cutting the car commute through the suburbs to CBD Adelaide.
For the record, I'm opposed to a tram through Unley and would prefer the cheaper and more efficient option of hybrid diesel and solar powered buses.
The bottom line is the need for an improved public transport system.
And why not make it a free service to get the bums on seats?
It is amazing how many people won't pay the fee on the long runs eg. Glenelg to the City.
A tram through Unley will visually devastate the streetscape with giant poles and cables; just look at the tramline to Glenelg. Do we really want that visually polluting infrastructure on Unley Road or Goodwood Road? No way!
Yesterday I was alarmed to read in the media that a Government development adviser said that the tram should go down Goodwood Road rather than Unley Road. The reason given was that there was more opportunity to build a strip of 5 storey apartments along the entire route. They say 5 storeys; in reality this may translate to 5-10 storeys.
I would have thought that the Government's priority would be selecting a transport route based on merit; of getting most bums on seats; and not on the high rise development that can be achieved.
Unley Road has 3 lanes each way, excluding parking.
Goodwood Road has 2 lanes each way, excluding parking.
Trust me, if there is a tram then there will be no parking along the route.
I maintain that a tram service won't fit on Unley Road. It would contest the car traffic and travel times would be doubled.
So, if it won't fit on Unley Road, then how the heck would it fit on Goodwood Road?
The only positive for residents of Goodwood is that through traffic would be slashed and permanently diverted to King William Road and Unley Road.
The speed limit could be reduced to 40kph and the road could become cyclist and pedestrian friendly.
My advice to the Government is to take the bus. Invest in the hybrid buses that could be built in SA. Trams need to be imported.
That's what I think.
My thoughts are in no way reflective of Unley Council which has no formal position on trams and their routes.
I just hope the trams go down Goodwood Road, just like yesteryear.
ReplyDeleteIt will be great public transport with the bonus of really slowing the traffic.
Agree with you about having a 40kph road that is people friendly.
What a fantastic way to get to the Show. By tram.
ReplyDeleteSpot on. The trams won't fit and there will be poles and cables everywhere.
ReplyDeleteNew technology buses are the way to go. Running every 5 minutes.
You gotta be kidding.
ReplyDeleteTrams on Goodwood Road!?!
Then again, there wouldn't be many cars
I like the idea of traffic calming on Goodwood Road.
ReplyDeleteTrams would do that so we should encourage the Government to go down Goodwood Road.