Proudly supported by the Donaldson Conservation Trust
Karen PartingtonLake Macquarie City Council
Karen is a Senior Strategic Landuse Planner at Lake Macquarie City Council with more than 12 years’ experience in local government.
Karen is passionate about transport planning and strives to improve active and public transport opportunities within Lake Macquarie to reduce car trips and provide a more balanced and sustainable transport future for the community and visitors. Karen recently coordinated the Lake Mac Walks community engagement campaign, which brought industry professionals, community members and interest groups together to hear from international and national urban strategists on how to create a better walking and cycling environment in Lake Macquarie. She is a member of the Lake Macquarie Active Transport Working Group, assists with the coordination of the Active Transport Advisory Group and serves as Council’s representative on Lower Hunter Transport Group. |
Abstract
Tipping the scales: Putting people back into street design.
Over the next 30 years, Lake Macquarie Council estimates an additional 50,000 people will call Lake Macquarie home, taking the City’s population to around 250,000 people.
Council has made a commitment for the City to be carbon neutral by 2041. Recent community consultation to prepare the City’s new vision and values identified mobility and accessibility, including improvements to walking and cycling, as top priorities.
About 77 per cent of trips in Lake Macquarie are made by private vehicles, and projections show this is likely to continue to 2050. Carrying out transport trips by car potentially presents the City with a transport system that impacts negatively on liveability, sustainability, public health and economic development.
Walking and cycling are preferred for shorter trips and remain essential for incidental exercise and the vitality of our town centres. However, it is often hard to walk around our neighbourhoods due to lack of footpaths, indirect access and safety concerns. Similarly, riding a bike can be very difficult in Lake Macquarie. There are some terrific shared pathways, but they don’t connect well to shops and services. In most areas, cyclists have to travel on the road, which can be unsafe. Most people decide not to ride even though they would like too.
In the past, transport solutions have mainly been about wider and faster roads and cars are our default way of getting around.
Our streets are public places and should cater for all users – cars, buses, cyclists and pedestrians.
Tipping the scales: Putting people back into street design.
Over the next 30 years, Lake Macquarie Council estimates an additional 50,000 people will call Lake Macquarie home, taking the City’s population to around 250,000 people.
Council has made a commitment for the City to be carbon neutral by 2041. Recent community consultation to prepare the City’s new vision and values identified mobility and accessibility, including improvements to walking and cycling, as top priorities.
About 77 per cent of trips in Lake Macquarie are made by private vehicles, and projections show this is likely to continue to 2050. Carrying out transport trips by car potentially presents the City with a transport system that impacts negatively on liveability, sustainability, public health and economic development.
Walking and cycling are preferred for shorter trips and remain essential for incidental exercise and the vitality of our town centres. However, it is often hard to walk around our neighbourhoods due to lack of footpaths, indirect access and safety concerns. Similarly, riding a bike can be very difficult in Lake Macquarie. There are some terrific shared pathways, but they don’t connect well to shops and services. In most areas, cyclists have to travel on the road, which can be unsafe. Most people decide not to ride even though they would like too.
In the past, transport solutions have mainly been about wider and faster roads and cars are our default way of getting around.
Our streets are public places and should cater for all users – cars, buses, cyclists and pedestrians.
Presentation
Tipping the scales: putting people back into street design
Presented on 27th September 2017 at the Active Transport: The Richmond Vale Rail Trail Conference (2017)
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