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Travel Australia - October 2006

Australian transport needs to go green

October 23rd 2006 06:36

electric car

I watched a television show today and part of it featured how Portland in the USA had a very environmentally friendly transport culture. I am not sure how old the program was, but it got me thinking about Australian transport, particularly after watching scientist and environmentalist David Suzuki speak at the National Press Club the other day on the ABC. What Portland had was a city culture that promoted a clean way of moving around the city. First of all bicycles were given a lot more pride of place. Around Australia, people should be encouraged to get on bikes. Pass laws giving them right of way, dedicate lanes or routes to bikes and eventually bicycles will become a much accepted part of the city culture. One thing in Portland that was great was the racks on the back of buses where cyclists could put their bike while they were on the bus. The trains also had big enough spaces for cyclists to take their bikes on. All these things encourage people to take to bikes as a means of getting about, as opposed to NSW, where it would be impossible to take your bike on the bus and where they charge you a second ticket to take your bike on the train at certain times.

Another great thing in Portland was the infrastructure for electric cars. In places around the city there was free parking for electric cars and electricity docking stations where you can hook up your car for FREE electricity. A great green idea that should be tried down under! Of course it wouldn’t be any good using electricity generated by burning coal, but wind and solar power could easily be used for this project.

With these projects in place just think how much better our cities would be with less cars on the road, more exercise through cycling and walking from public transport and therefore happier people. A top down approach please State and Federal Government. Nuclear power and motorways aren’t the answer; spending money on truly green power and cleaner transport solutions is the answer!

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Posted By: Glen - Category: Sydney

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