One-way glory days are gone

ANOTHER LOOK AT TRAFFIC

THE 1960s were halcyon days, and nowhere more so than in Hobart, Tasmania. The Hydro-Electric Commission with its stupendous dams, hydro-industrialisation and gorgeous Art Deco buildings, all added to the splendour of post-war modernism. It is hardly surprising traffic engineers were attracted to one-way streets. Motorcars were like little parcels of water in a pipe, speeding to their destination. Even back then there were spoilers who couldn’t quite see how making people do circuits rather than taking the direct route could improve traffic flow.

Some said one-way streets were designed to create congestion to give a “big city feel”. These misgivings were reinforced by the absurdity of two side-by-side streets, Collins and Macquarie, running in the same direction. Engineers failed to understand that the popularity of the car was nothing to do with commuting; we had electric trolley buses for that. It was freedom. Freedom to shop, freedom to socialise, to visit, to explore and strangely freedom to drive our kids around.

Old photos reveal a well laid-out grid of wide streets offering a generous choice of pathways to any destination. Since the 60s there have been changes to disrupt the utility of the one-way system. The speed limit was reduced from 60 to 50km/h. Enforcement has become more ruthless. The advent of Lycra, lightweight frames, gears and electric drive has made it easy for bicycles to merge with traffic. There are a wide range of self propelled vehicles that have escaped the attention of lawmakers. It is now legal to ride on the footpath.

First reinstate two-way streets. Then get rid of the bike-only lanes. Then get rid of the dangerous protuberances and traffic islands that were meant to calm the traffic, but instead provoke rage. Cities of similar size have reverted to two-way streets with good outcomes. But one thing can be said with certainty, these changes would make Hobart a much more pleasant and vibrant city for locals and visitors.

Toxic freedoms

FREEDOM is wonderful. But when combined with population growth, ideologies of unbridled consumption, production, growth and the unlimited use of cars, the results are toxic — to the environment and to lifestyle. We still haven’t come to the realisation that building bypasses consumes enormous amounts of energy, contributes excessively to climate change and allows the same number of cars on the roads. Will we wake up? It doesn’t look like it. No wonder our democracies are floundering. We seem to be incapable of realising what is wrong and how to fix it without more of the same.

Drive-through world

MINISTER Ferguson, great to see you are working on fixing gridlock with new signage and tow trucks. The trucks may be closer to an incident but it will still take time to remove vehicles. If two vehicles are involved there will still be a delay to remove a second car. Breakdowns may not be such an issue at least. I recall growing up in a state that had ferries, trains, even trams and buses. Few families had two cars and of course the kids did not have one each. There was no expectation to park outside your destination and people walked — not so many obesity issues then. Today it’s drive-through coffee, drivethrough takeaway, drive-through service National parks passes to be more affordable for regular visitors but more expensive for short-term visitors Free market should rule. Charge what you can. Parks are one of our best assets and need a lot of money to maintain. The track work is first class. stations. No wonder it’s gridlocked. There is a sure-fire method to reduce traffic — light rail, ferries, park and ride. Public transport usually does not run in the black, it is essential infrastructure that provides a service at whatever the cost. With decent services, parking should be expensive to encourage public transport, not first-hour free. Business would retain customers.

The car has taken over Hobart’s streets and pedestrians need to take it back. Walking through Salamanca Place during Dark Mofo and market days is fantastic, the roads are closed and people flock there, the sky does not fall in and drivers find somewhere else to park. Fortunately, I do not need to traverse major arterials in peak hour. I feel sorry for those who do, because until 21st century public transport is provided, very little will change.

Running the gauntlet

WELL said Glen Pears, these monstrosities are indeed an eyesore (Letters, August 5) and the Bathurst St overpass should be re-erected at Clearys Gates. I have been advocating for a crossing there for years, but it falls on deaf ears. I have seen a few pedestrians nearly come to grief. I am retired from the City of Hobart after 29 years and ran that gauntlet many times, narrowly missing being a statistic myself. Council duty of care finishes outside the gate for their workers. Some years ago a 12m high fence was erected to stop pedestrians crossing, and it just moved the problem further down the Brooker Highway. With the increase in traffic the chance of a fatality is extremely high. DIER needs to give this problem a high priority.

High-rise firefighting

IF there is a fire in a high-rise in Hobart, do we have the firefighting capacity and technology to deal with it? Do we have fire engines here capable of reaching to 45m, 50m, 60m or more? I doubt it.

Top treatment

MY wife Kaye has just spent a week in St John’s Hospital, we could not have received better treatment anywhere. All staff, doctors, nurses, office, catering, cleaning, the lot were so friendly and went out of their way to make you at home. We, Kaye and myself, would like to thank the entire staff including the kiosk, we are grateful for the attention that was received. Thank you again.

Don’t single out groups

ANY state or country that partitions on the basis of ethnicity or race is doomed. To demarcate government members on this basis is a backward act. Any recognition constitutionally or otherwise of any group in society is fraught with consequences. But reconciling issues of land may be required. Australia for Australians.

Basil’s seafood episode

AFTER looking at an old episode of Fawlty Towers I had a dream that Basil Fawlty moved to Hobart to open a restaurant. He was having a quiet word with his staff after taking an order from a table of four seafood connoisseurs: “Listen, don’t mention Macquarie Harbour! I mentioned it once, but I think I got away with it all right” (”Let’s learn the lessons”, Editorial, July 31).