One of my favourite cycling videos:
This is one of a series of excellent videos by Mark Wagenbuur, the author of the Bicycle Dutch website. Check out the one about shopping by bicycle. There is a whole bunch more on YouTube too.
Monday, 30 July 2012
Monday, 23 July 2012
Three observations
I noticed a few things around my neighbourhood recently:
- Outside the local bakery I saw a man with two take away coffees getting into his car to drive them the short distance home.
- I saw two young children on the pavement, one on a bike with training wheels the other on a scooter (both with massive oversized helmets of course). Their mother was "accompanying" them while driving her huge great Ford SUV at walking pace.
- On the way to school I saw a neighbour drive out of her driveway and within seconds become part of a traffic jam that stretched around the corner to the school gate. Walking was faster.
Sunday, 15 July 2012
Don't worry, it's just a joke (trains)
Geographically, Adelaide is a transport planner's dream. To the west of the city centre (about 8 kms) is the sea and an even shorter distance to the east are the Adelaide Hills. There are some beautiful parts of the hills that feel rural but are only a 15 minute drive to the city. We are quite blessed here.
To the north and south, the city is quite sprawling but is limited to the east and west by the sea and hills. To the north it goes as far as Gawler before it starts thinning out and to the south to Seaford. Housing continues beyond that to Aldinga and Sellicks but it thins out a bit. As you go south on a map, the gap between the sea and hills narrows and that is reflected in the width of the built up area down there. Currently, the train only goes as far as Noarlunga but it is being extended 5.7km down to Seaford. Most of it will be on a long bridge. You can see a time lapse of how it is going so far here:
The metropolitan area is also very flat. If you've been for a walk or drive in the hills, that's obvious for anyone to see.
Adelaide is ideally set out for a north to south railway with a network of bus routes and bike routes feeding into the stations. We have the railway. We have bus routes that don't always correspond to the railway. But the bike routes are yet to come.
The State Government announced not long ago that they were investing $2b into public transport in Adelaide. It included new trams and buses and a substantial infrastructure project that involved converting the metropolitan railway system to standard gauge, electrifying it and buying shiny new electric trains (the interiors are being done by a local company). It was brilliant. I think the decision to convert to standard gauge was to allow for further expansion into the future. As part of that spending, the old railcar depot near Adelaide central railway station was moved (to allow space for the new hospital) to a shiny new one at Dry Creek north of the city in preparation for the new trains. The new depot is complete is is used to service the current diesel trains.
In preparation for standardisation, a lot of the track north and south of the city has been resleepered and relaid to allow smoother running. The new sleepers are dual gauge so that when the time comes, the rail can be moved across with a minimum of fuss:
Having said that, converting all of the points (switches) will be a nightmare.
In the latest budget, because revenues have fallen, the announcement is that we're only going to get half of it for now. Electrification north of the city will be deferred (for how long we don't know) while the electrification south of the city will continue. A consequence is that we have to renegotiate the order of electric trains that has already been made.
If you ask me, our Treasurer hasn't really thought this through. Here's a map of the railway network:
The red line going north will not be electrified but the blue one going south will be. In other words, for an unspecified time, you will have electric trains south of the city and diesel trains north of the city. Not necessarily a problem you might think. Follow the red line up 6 stops from the city to Dry Creek and that is where the new depot is. It was suggested somewhere recently that the electric trains could be towed to the depot (by what is not clear). Thankfully, the new electric trains (how ever many we end up with) will be broad guage rather than standard as was announced back in 2008. When that decision was made is not entirely clear but it does seem certain that they will run on the tracks as they currently are. Had they not been, you can imagine trying to get electric standard gauge trains along a non-electrified track that is the wrong gauge so that they can be serviced!
In the meantime, we have a half electrified network for an indefinite period. As I say, I think it's a joke. A brilliant one. But a joke nonetheless.
NB: For non train tragics, the gauge is the distance between the two rails. There is a "standard" gauge used by 60% of the world's railways. Adelaide's metropolitan network uses a broad gauge. It is an accident of history caused when the various Australian colonies adopted different gauges before Federation. South Australia has used at least three different gauges at one time or another. The remnants of the narrow gauge network can be seen on the Pichi Richi Railway.
To the north and south, the city is quite sprawling but is limited to the east and west by the sea and hills. To the north it goes as far as Gawler before it starts thinning out and to the south to Seaford. Housing continues beyond that to Aldinga and Sellicks but it thins out a bit. As you go south on a map, the gap between the sea and hills narrows and that is reflected in the width of the built up area down there. Currently, the train only goes as far as Noarlunga but it is being extended 5.7km down to Seaford. Most of it will be on a long bridge. You can see a time lapse of how it is going so far here:
The metropolitan area is also very flat. If you've been for a walk or drive in the hills, that's obvious for anyone to see.
Adelaide is ideally set out for a north to south railway with a network of bus routes and bike routes feeding into the stations. We have the railway. We have bus routes that don't always correspond to the railway. But the bike routes are yet to come.
The State Government announced not long ago that they were investing $2b into public transport in Adelaide. It included new trams and buses and a substantial infrastructure project that involved converting the metropolitan railway system to standard gauge, electrifying it and buying shiny new electric trains (the interiors are being done by a local company). It was brilliant. I think the decision to convert to standard gauge was to allow for further expansion into the future. As part of that spending, the old railcar depot near Adelaide central railway station was moved (to allow space for the new hospital) to a shiny new one at Dry Creek north of the city in preparation for the new trains. The new depot is complete is is used to service the current diesel trains.
In preparation for standardisation, a lot of the track north and south of the city has been resleepered and relaid to allow smoother running. The new sleepers are dual gauge so that when the time comes, the rail can be moved across with a minimum of fuss:
(Original here)
Having said that, converting all of the points (switches) will be a nightmare.
In the latest budget, because revenues have fallen, the announcement is that we're only going to get half of it for now. Electrification north of the city will be deferred (for how long we don't know) while the electrification south of the city will continue. A consequence is that we have to renegotiate the order of electric trains that has already been made.
If you ask me, our Treasurer hasn't really thought this through. Here's a map of the railway network:
The red line going north will not be electrified but the blue one going south will be. In other words, for an unspecified time, you will have electric trains south of the city and diesel trains north of the city. Not necessarily a problem you might think. Follow the red line up 6 stops from the city to Dry Creek and that is where the new depot is. It was suggested somewhere recently that the electric trains could be towed to the depot (by what is not clear). Thankfully, the new electric trains (how ever many we end up with) will be broad guage rather than standard as was announced back in 2008. When that decision was made is not entirely clear but it does seem certain that they will run on the tracks as they currently are. Had they not been, you can imagine trying to get electric standard gauge trains along a non-electrified track that is the wrong gauge so that they can be serviced!
In the meantime, we have a half electrified network for an indefinite period. As I say, I think it's a joke. A brilliant one. But a joke nonetheless.
NB: For non train tragics, the gauge is the distance between the two rails. There is a "standard" gauge used by 60% of the world's railways. Adelaide's metropolitan network uses a broad gauge. It is an accident of history caused when the various Australian colonies adopted different gauges before Federation. South Australia has used at least three different gauges at one time or another. The remnants of the narrow gauge network can be seen on the Pichi Richi Railway.
Thursday, 12 July 2012
Not the end of the world after all
Today, the long-overdue bus lanes came into operation on Grenfell Street. Contrary to the many dire predictions, the world did not come to an end. Expect for the next few months the bus lanes to be blamed for every delay into and out of the city.
We have seen this sort of thing before time and time again and all over the place. Give it a few months and the traffic will sort itself out. In fact, I was walking along Grenfell Street today and there is no problem. Previously, car and bus drivers would rush to claim any piece of available road space while trying to convince themselves that they were making progress. Now with the new system, I saw a line of cars and a line of buses next to each other doing there thing with ease.
Things may get a tiny bit worse once the school holidays end but the problems (if that word is even justified) will slowly resolve.
We still hear the odd complaint about Pirie Street and the problems apparently caused by the (no longer new) scramble crossing at King William Street. The queue on Pirie Street is no longer anywhere near as long as it used to be - even during rush hours.
This sort of thing is definitely the way forward and it is so refreshing to see. In a couple of years, we'll all wonder what the fuss was about and will look in horror at any politician who suggests we revert back to pre bus lane days when everybody blocked each other to make a complete shambles.
We have seen this sort of thing before time and time again and all over the place. Give it a few months and the traffic will sort itself out. In fact, I was walking along Grenfell Street today and there is no problem. Previously, car and bus drivers would rush to claim any piece of available road space while trying to convince themselves that they were making progress. Now with the new system, I saw a line of cars and a line of buses next to each other doing there thing with ease.
Things may get a tiny bit worse once the school holidays end but the problems (if that word is even justified) will slowly resolve.
We still hear the odd complaint about Pirie Street and the problems apparently caused by the (no longer new) scramble crossing at King William Street. The queue on Pirie Street is no longer anywhere near as long as it used to be - even during rush hours.
This sort of thing is definitely the way forward and it is so refreshing to see. In a couple of years, we'll all wonder what the fuss was about and will look in horror at any politician who suggests we revert back to pre bus lane days when everybody blocked each other to make a complete shambles.
Monday, 25 June 2012
Look Before Opening
We all know about the door zone and how hazardous it can be. A couple of brainiacs have come up with a bit of solution until proper bike lanes are installed. The team of web developers at twenty4 have come up with a cool sticker idea. The project is called Look Before Opening. Check out the website and you can order free stickers that can be used to remind drivers to check the door zone before flinging their door open.
Next time you get knocked off your bike, assuming you're not crushed by a cement mixer, you can hand out one of your free stickers to the motorist concerned to stick on the inside of their window. They'll send you up to 50 stickers free of charge. If you want more than that, just ask. Crazy eh?
I was wondering how they do it and even offered to donate some money on PayPal. They're close to securing a sponsor so order now.
Here's the video:
Next time you get knocked off your bike, assuming you're not crushed by a cement mixer, you can hand out one of your free stickers to the motorist concerned to stick on the inside of their window. They'll send you up to 50 stickers free of charge. If you want more than that, just ask. Crazy eh?
I was wondering how they do it and even offered to donate some money on PayPal. They're close to securing a sponsor so order now.
Here's the video:
Saturday, 23 June 2012
Foxes and Buses
Yesterday it rained. A lot. It rained pretty much solidly for 24 hours. The city had about 35mm of rain. Other parts of the State had much more. It rained again today.
When it rains here, the number of people commuting by bike generally decreases. As a rule, our bikes do not have mudguards. Even if they did, riding along in the dark, when it's raining, with cars speeding past you is not everyone's cup of tea. It feels dangerous and it probably is.
Instead of riding, people either take the bus or, more likely, take the car. Hence the increase in traffic whenever storm clouds appear.
People don't take the bus as a rule because the prevailing view seems to be that the service leaves a little to be desired. Our poor beleaguered Transport Minister, Chloe Fox, apparently gets about 350 complaints a day. The numbers of people taking the bus is dropping.
Minister Fox says, "we are trying our best".
And so she is. The timetables have been revised, buses have been fitted with GPS equipment and, according to the Minister, "I think we should also consider increased bus lanes in and around the city." On top of that, some of the contractors running the services have been fined for consistent lateness.
Changing timetables is all very well but a timetable is only as good as the driver's ability to follow it. On our roads there are all sorts of things that get in the way of timetables. Such as other traffic. A big problem we have in Adelaide is that a bus full of 80 people is treated with the same priority as a car with a single occupant. They all sit in the same traffic jams. I don't know about you but faced with the choice of sitting or standing on a crowded bus or sitting by yourself in your own car in the same traffic jam, a lot of people go with the latter. It's not really a huge hassle taking the car into the city because there is abundant cheap car-parking.
Rather than just consider priority lanes around the city, the Minister should seriously consider them around the entire metropolitan area. The GPS should help with that because they will show those places where buses are getting stuck in traffic and where, as a consequence, lanes are needed. If not a whole lane, then at least slip lanes and priority at traffic lights should make a big difference.
Moving people by bus, train and tram is very efficient compared to everyone sitting in cars. It is also much cheaper. Fewer money and resources need to be spent on upkeep and the money people save not having to spend on driving a car quite so much can be spent on local businesses. Plus there are the health aspects that we have heard time and time again.
If you want people to choose the bus, the service needs to be good enough for them to want to choose it. It musn't be late. You shouldn't have to wait a long unpredictable time (I once stood at a bus stop for 40 minutes wondering when the bus might appear over the horizon). You shouldn't have to be stuck in traffic if at all possible.
Avoiding traffic is easy. You make lanes for buses only where it is possible (and it is on most of Adelaide's main roads) and at intersections you have priority passing lanes for buses with traffic lights that allow them to go first. Instead of worrying about timetables, you just have buses coming every 10 or 15 minutes at the same time throughout the day. Rather than a timetable, you just have four numbers printed on the bus stop, eg: 5, 20, 35, 50. They are the minutes past the hour the bus arrives at that stop.
There is a great video (a couple of years old now) on the BBC website about how the town of Lund in Sweden does it. The buses are regular and predictable and, surprise surprise, people use them. The BBC don't allow embedding so it's a case of clicking on the link and watching it after the advert:
I found this picture of Lund here. Hope it's ok to use.
When it rains here, the number of people commuting by bike generally decreases. As a rule, our bikes do not have mudguards. Even if they did, riding along in the dark, when it's raining, with cars speeding past you is not everyone's cup of tea. It feels dangerous and it probably is.
Instead of riding, people either take the bus or, more likely, take the car. Hence the increase in traffic whenever storm clouds appear.
People don't take the bus as a rule because the prevailing view seems to be that the service leaves a little to be desired. Our poor beleaguered Transport Minister, Chloe Fox, apparently gets about 350 complaints a day. The numbers of people taking the bus is dropping.
Minister Fox says, "we are trying our best".
And so she is. The timetables have been revised, buses have been fitted with GPS equipment and, according to the Minister, "I think we should also consider increased bus lanes in and around the city." On top of that, some of the contractors running the services have been fined for consistent lateness.
Changing timetables is all very well but a timetable is only as good as the driver's ability to follow it. On our roads there are all sorts of things that get in the way of timetables. Such as other traffic. A big problem we have in Adelaide is that a bus full of 80 people is treated with the same priority as a car with a single occupant. They all sit in the same traffic jams. I don't know about you but faced with the choice of sitting or standing on a crowded bus or sitting by yourself in your own car in the same traffic jam, a lot of people go with the latter. It's not really a huge hassle taking the car into the city because there is abundant cheap car-parking.
Rather than just consider priority lanes around the city, the Minister should seriously consider them around the entire metropolitan area. The GPS should help with that because they will show those places where buses are getting stuck in traffic and where, as a consequence, lanes are needed. If not a whole lane, then at least slip lanes and priority at traffic lights should make a big difference.
Moving people by bus, train and tram is very efficient compared to everyone sitting in cars. It is also much cheaper. Fewer money and resources need to be spent on upkeep and the money people save not having to spend on driving a car quite so much can be spent on local businesses. Plus there are the health aspects that we have heard time and time again.
If you want people to choose the bus, the service needs to be good enough for them to want to choose it. It musn't be late. You shouldn't have to wait a long unpredictable time (I once stood at a bus stop for 40 minutes wondering when the bus might appear over the horizon). You shouldn't have to be stuck in traffic if at all possible.
Avoiding traffic is easy. You make lanes for buses only where it is possible (and it is on most of Adelaide's main roads) and at intersections you have priority passing lanes for buses with traffic lights that allow them to go first. Instead of worrying about timetables, you just have buses coming every 10 or 15 minutes at the same time throughout the day. Rather than a timetable, you just have four numbers printed on the bus stop, eg: 5, 20, 35, 50. They are the minutes past the hour the bus arrives at that stop.
There is a great video (a couple of years old now) on the BBC website about how the town of Lund in Sweden does it. The buses are regular and predictable and, surprise surprise, people use them. The BBC don't allow embedding so it's a case of clicking on the link and watching it after the advert:
I found this picture of Lund here. Hope it's ok to use.
Thursday, 14 June 2012
Tweeling
Here's something you don't see here every day - a pair of his and hers Dutch bikes parked together. They were outside the Supreme Court building on Gouger Street.
The one behind is a Lekker. Lekker is apparently a Dutch word meaning hot, cool or damn tasty. Yes indeed. I have seen that bike parked there a few times and lusted after it.
The one in front is a Batavus something or other. It's unusual for a Dutch bike in that it has an external gear hub. The heavy duty rack on the front looks pretty impressive and I'm sure could comfortably carry a bag of cement - if you ever chose to carry one. Batavus have started selling a few of their bikes in Australia, including a children's version of their Omafiets.
Dutch twins in Adelaide. Awesome.
The one behind is a Lekker. Lekker is apparently a Dutch word meaning hot, cool or damn tasty. Yes indeed. I have seen that bike parked there a few times and lusted after it.
The one in front is a Batavus something or other. It's unusual for a Dutch bike in that it has an external gear hub. The heavy duty rack on the front looks pretty impressive and I'm sure could comfortably carry a bag of cement - if you ever chose to carry one. Batavus have started selling a few of their bikes in Australia, including a children's version of their Omafiets.
Dutch twins in Adelaide. Awesome.
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