Transport initiatives - government policy

Extract from Hansard
[COUNCIL — Wednesday, 10 August 2011]
p5524c-5525a
Hon Lynn MacLaren; Hon Simon O'Brien

TRANSPORT INITIATIVES — GOVERNMENT POLICY

Hon Lynn MacLaren to the Minister for Finance representing the Minister for Transport

(1) Will the Minister please briefly outline Government policy on the future prospects for the private motor
vehicle in Perth?

(2) Will the Minister please briefly outline recent achievements in, and future plans for, the TravelSmart
program?

(3) Will the Minister please briefly outline recent achievements in, and future plans for, the LivingSmart
program?

(4) Does the Minister acknowledge that the introduction of the current section 56 of the Road Traffic
Act 1974 has resulted in problems with the reporting of single vehicle, single occupant accidents in
Western Australia?

(5) If yes to (4), does the Government intend to fix the problem?

(6) If yes to (4), by when does the Government intend to fix the problem?

(7) What approach do other States and Territories take to riding bicycles on footpaths?

(8) Given the answers to (7), does the Government acknowledge that it would provide a great advance to
cycling in Western Australia if the rules here were to be changed to allow either cycling, by all persons
on all footpaths, or cycling by adults on footpaths, if they are accompanying and supervising their
children?

(9) In particular, given the answers to (7), does the Government acknowledge that parents should be able to
ride along footpaths with their young (under 12) children to school?

(10) Has the Government received any complaints about faulty or insensitive vehicle detectors at traffic
lights, such that cyclists on those roads have to wait for a motor vehicle to arrive at that intersection
before being allowed to advance through the lights?

(11) If yes to (10), what action has been taken about those complaints, and has that action included changing
the purchasing specifications Main Roads uses to acquire those vehicle detectors, and/or the
maintenance policies Main Roads uses for those devices?

Hon SIMON O’BRIEN replied:

The Department of Transport advises:

(1) Transport planning for the Perth metropolitan area recognises that private motor vehicles will continue
to be used for a significant share of trips.

(2) The TravelSmart program was established in Western Australia by the Coalition government of the
late 1990s to manage demand pressures on the road system, improve public transport patronage and
increase the uptake of walking and cycling. Since its inception it has reached directly into households,
businesses and schools across Perth.

(3) The Living Smart program for households is an extension of the TravelSmart approach.
The Living Smart program is currently being delivered to around 10 000 households as part of the Perth
Solar City program.

(4)–(6) These Questions should be referred to the Minister for Police, as the Minister responsible for the Road
Traffic Act 1974.

(7) This question should be referred to the relevant States.

(8)–(9) Not applicable

(10) Yes

(11) The sensitivity of the detector loop was reset.