Infrastructure South Australia’s Discussion Paper released on October 2023 provides opportunities for South Australians to view the infrastructure needed for the next twenty years to formulate the state’s next 20-year state infrastructure strategy.
According to a report from In Daily, the strategy is scheduled for completion in late 2024 and is intended to guide the State Government’s infrastructure decisions until 2045.
Infrastructure SA presented its first strategy to the state government in May 2020. The 2023 report notes that developing a 20-year Infrastructure Strategy is a vital part of Infrastructure SA’s responsibilities, and they are required to review the strategy every five years and are now in the early stages of preparing its next strategy.
However, the article notes that state and federal governments have been criticized for not following the recommendations of the 2020 report.
This year’s discussion paper identified the “megatrends” in the world since 2020 that are most relevant to South Australia:
- Climate change and the need to adapt to it and mitigate its impacts;
- Digital transformation that is driven by the widespread adoption of artificial intelligence, remote sensing, quantum computing, 3D printing, drones, and more;
- Shifting population, workforce, and skills base. The increasing number of aged 65 and above will lead to a rise in healthcare costs, while overseas and interstate migration will impact the workforce;
- Increasing global instability due to a rise in geopolitical tensions and the growing connectedness of supply chains can make them vulnerable to disruption caused by pandemics or natural events and
- Globally pushing towards an inclusive society and economy.
Infrastructure plays a crucial role in SA’s vision of economic growth and prosperity. Transportation is one of the critical infrastructure, and the paper discussed how the state could improve it and cope with the challenges posed by climate change.
South Australia’s capital, Adelaide, is still very much car-centric. Private motor vehicles remain the dominant mode of transport at 71%, public transport only accounts for 5.51%, and active transportation (biking and walking) is at 2.04%.
The report pushes to improve public transportation networks and assets like rail lines and trunk bus routes to encourage more residents to use public transportation.
“Adelaide’s public transport network is reasonably good at connecting the suburbs to the CBD during peak commuter periods and providing high coverage service to those with limited choice. Future planning and designs should aim to optimize the utilization of the road network through maximizing the use of public transport.”
“There is an opportunity to improve and redesign the bus network to create a more streamlined and efficient network that provides better cross-suburban connectivity and modal integration. Improving the bus network may encourage a greater modal shift towards public transport and make it the option of choice.”
Infrastructure SA CEO Jeremy Conway says that instead of investing in new infrastructure like rail extension, the state should first improve existing public transportation in the short term.
Jennifer Bonham, a spokesperson for public transport advocacy group the Transport Action Network, also advocates for accessible public transportation access to new developments outside of the city. “Locating people in outer suburbs and on the outskirts of our cities without providing quality public transport means affordable housing will not translate to affordable living.”
She adds that failure to provide public transportation will increase household costs if they have to buy and operate many vehicles to go to work or access services.
In the case of lower-density areas like outer suburban and regional communities where public transportation could cost more per person, the paper suggests that a viable solution could be on-demand bus services.
“Approaches such as on-demand bus services, as currently being trialled in Mount Barker, can support greater levels of uptake for public transport in a more cost-effective way than investing in new infrastructure. When coupled with urban design and active travel modes, demand can be reduced for private car usage.”
A shift to public and active transportation could yield many benefits. It improves the city’s liveability, reduces road congestion, and helps achieve its decarbonization goals.
The report notes, “Public and active transport options can contribute to improved productivity and overall quality of life. Walking and cycling also offer significant benefits for health and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from other forms of transport. Newer transport forms using micro-mobility technologies, such as e-scooters and e-bikes, also offer pollution-free convenience for movement.”
Sources:
South Australia’s 20-Year State Infrastructure Strategy. Discussion Paper. (2023, October). Infrastructure SA. Retrieved from https://www.infrastructure.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/945154/ISA032-SIS-Discussion-Paper-12.pdf
Kelsall, T. (2023, October 13). Adelaide’s public transport problems under microscope. InDaily. Retrieved from https://indaily.com.au/news/2023/10/13/adelaides-public-transport-problems-under-microscope/
Washington, D. (2022, May 19). New lobby group wants to transform transport policy in SA. InDaily. Retrieved from https://www.indaily.com.au/news/2022/05/19/new-lobby-group-wants-to-transform-transport-policy-in-sa
Leave a Reply