REPORT: Program

Healthy Cities Onkaparinga

Transport in the South’ Community Forum

 

 7th July 2010,  Civic Centre,  City of Onkaparinga

 Healthy Cities Onkaparinga hosted a community forum on the subject of transport and health on 7th July. The event was attended by about 65 people from a range of community based organisations and individuals. The first guest speaker, Prof Anthony Capon, Australian National University, described some of the impacts of a growing world population and an increasing market for private transport. He highlighted some of the negative impacts of mobility and transport issues, for example, long journeys to and from work or study cut into time available for building family relationships; having to travel a long distance to purchase food and other necessities restricts people’s access to good food and services.

Ms Trudi Meakins, DTEI, presented some of the achievements and plans for improving transport in the south for example the recently announced extension of the rail line to Seaford and the duplication of the Southern Expressway. Development to improve the junction of South and Sturt Roads at the end of the Expressway will be a priority for the future. Following the presentations, the audience was invited to note down transport issues of importance to them. A panel consisting of the two speakers plus Paul Tulloch, City of Onkaparinga; Brett Manuel, Public Transport Services, DTEI; and Ashley Barnes, Southlink was facilitated by Derek Mikolaj, President, Southern Cross Toastmasters Club. The panel answered questions from the floor.  The main issues raised can be summarised as:

  • Congestion on Commercial Road 
  • Need for better bus and train connections, and more services to areas such O’Sullivan’s Beach
  • Pedestrians and cyclists needing safe routes
  • More consultation on transport needs
  • More focus on spending to develop public transport for sustainability, rather than infrastructure for private vehicles
  • Strong support for rail extension and electrification.

HCO will be examining the outcomes of the forum in more detail over the next few months and will work with our partners in planning the next step. This may include forming a coalition of transport advocacy groups, setting up petitions on specific issues and inviting local MPs to talk about how they see transport in the south being developed sustainably for all.

HCO would like to thank Flinders University and the City of Onkaparinga for their support in running the forum.

 Guest speakers:

Prof Anthony Capon, Australian National University

Trudi Meakins, DTEI Policy & Planning, Government of SA. 

 

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