Canberra Liberals set sights on another bus lane

[Barry Drive]

Full media release can be found here.

In summary, Zed and Alistair have promised that, if elected, the Liberals will convert the Barry Drive Bus Lane into a T2 lane stating that "it will cost nothing, and can instantly improve the drive to work for thousands of Canberrans."

Of course, they completely ignore the fact that work is commencing shortly to extend the lane to Kingsley St, that there is a bus stop at Clunies Ross St (which is also the subject of a future upgrade) and, most importantly, that Canberra's car drivers have proven themselves incapable of sharing a lane with buses without crashing into them.

Why not instead of "improving the drive to work" look at more ways to encourage the "thousands of Canberrans" to swap their cars for buses. Reducing the effectiveness of dedicated bus lanes does the exact opposite.

[Maxious]

Take initiatives to build mass-transit systems as a helpful response to a city's chronic traffic jams. Not necessarily a bad idea, Owen notes. But here's the catch: such systems backfire "if the new trains and buses merely clear space on highway lanes for those who would prefer to drive — a group that, historically, has included almost everyone with access to a car." If mass transit is going to work in places such as Austin or Portland, it "has to be backed up by something that impels complementary reductions in-car use–say, the physical elimination of traffic lanes, or the conversion of existing roadways into bike or bus lanes, ideally with higher fuel taxes, parking fees, and tolls." Can you imagine any public official advocating such measures in a meaningful way? Hence the conundrum.