Conference Day Two: Wednesday, 6th December 2017
8:30 am - 9:00 am Registration and Coffee
9:00 am - 9:10 am Opening remarks from Conference Chair
9:10 am - 9:50 am Reducing Traffic Congestion – It’s Just A Matter of Smart Policy.
In the following session, Charles Casuscelli addresses how to tackle congestion on the road network with relatively little funding but achieving substantial improvements.
This is addressed through returning roads to their prime purpose; moving people and freight. This means the implementation of policies that address the fundamentals of operating a road network, with the following session outlining:
- The importance of maintaining motorways in states of free flow and knowing when to restrict access.
- Arterial roads – they are not cheap parking, city needs outweigh local needs, we need better use of these assets.
- Why local access restrictions are making traffic congestion worse.
- Are the Local Traffic Committees of Councils past their “use by” date?
- It’s time for a “Left Turn on Red Permitted” policy in NSW
- Road User charging – it’s just a matter of time
9:50 am - 10:20 am Thought Leadership Session
10:20 am - 11:00 am Utilizing Intelligent Transportation Systems to Optimise the Tram Network
Intelligent Transport Systems are utilised to optimise the Melbourne tram system with a focus on creating efficiencies in the tram network allowing for reduced travel times. This session will examine how the collection of data and utilising smart technologies will optimise you’re tram routes:
- Collecting key data in order to optimise faster travel between routes
- Utilizing new technologies to optimise the network – Bluetooth technologies, wireless and mobile communication.
- Managing tram priority within the inner-city – communication with traffic signals to optimise transport network.
11:00 am - 11:30 am MORNING BREAK
11:30 am - 12:30 pm Interactive Panel Discussion – Implementing Strategies to Reduce Overall Congestion in Council Areas
The following panel discussion examines the different policies and regulations that affects traffic congestion and improves traffic flow in council areas. With the focus around what to do around budget constraints for the resurfacing of roads, changes in traffic conditions during local construction projects and communication of network changes due to the building of transport infrastructure near local council areas.
This session will be our most advanced session where 3-4 industry experts will discuss a certain pressing topic in great detail and drawing on their organisation’s journeys. These sessions will be 1 hour consisting of 40 minutes of discussion. In the last 20 minutes the moderator will choose 4 questions from the audience for each of the panel members to answer.
Panel Members:
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm LUNCH
1:30 pm - 2:10 pm Creating Clear Communication Channels Between Different Stakeholders to Warn of Impending Traffic Conditions
NSW’s CBD Co-ordination Office won the Government Partnerships Excellence award, recognising the office’s collaboration with Sydney CBD employers and other private partners in relation to the development of Sydney’s light rail project. The following presentation focuses on the utilisation of different communication channels to warn the public of changing road conditions in relation to construction projects that affects businesses and individuals in major Australian cities.
- Warning employers in the CBD of construction works and how it will affect travel for their employees
- Live map showing construction updates allowing for drivers to be forewarned
- Alerts of traffic jams and provision of alternative routes and average speeds
2:10 pm - 2:50 pm Results of the Clearway and Pinch Points Programs Across Sydney’s Road Network:
The NSW Government has committed over $825 million to alleviating pinch points (congestion, intersections and short lengths of road at which a traffic bottleneck exists slowing down the broader network) across Sydney with the aim of easing congestion. The following presentation details how the Roads and Maritime Services Clearway and Fixing Pinch Points program is seeking to improve traffic flow in Sydney.
- Improving the operational efficiency of Sydney’s road network
- Developing better management to responses to incidents and planned events
- Increasing consistency of travel times for motorists, particularly during peak hours
3:10 pm - 3:50 pm Developing a Nationally Consistent Policy for the Introduction of Autonomous Vehicles in Australia
Autonomous vehicles offer the possibility of fundamentally changing transport through improved mobility, freight productivity and improving road congestion. With the National Transport Commission in charge of developing a reform agenda for the utilisation of autonomous vehicles in Australia this session examines the policy regulations that are completed or currently under development for the utilisation of autonomous vehicles in Australia.
- Establishing legal obligations for automated driving system (ADS) entities
- Guidelines for governing conditions for trials of automated vehicles
- Designing and developing a safety assurance regime for automated road vehicles
- Changing driving laws to support autonomous vehicles
3:50 pm - 4:30 pm INTERACTIVE PANEL DISCUSSION – How Future Technology will Impact People’s Methods of Travel
The following panel discussion outlines the future of transport services and how the consumer will chose to travel in the future. This is focused around different areas including the shared services economy, the utilisation of hyperloop technology for fast trains and autonomous vehicles.
This session will be our most advanced session where 3-4 industry experts will discuss a certain pressing topic in great detail and drawing on their organisation’s journeys. These sessions will be 1 hour consisting of 40 minutes of discussion. In the last 20 minutes the moderator will choose 4 questions from the audience for each of the panel members to answer.
4:30 pm - 5:10 pm Brisbane City Council – Improving the Transport Network Through Encouragement of Walking, Cycling and Bus Services
Brisbane City Council is seeking to improve the transport network through the encouragement of people to cycle or walk to there destinations, with research demonstrating that almost 40% of car trips are less than 3km - an easy walking distance. Increase in bus services will be added to improve the connectivity of the city in a series of ‘urban centres’ allowing people to live in walking distance of shopping centres, schools and work. Amanda Cooper, the Chair of Infrastructure at Brisbane city council explains the Brisbane Transport Plan and how it has impacted Brisbane residents:
- Results of the rollout of the bus upgrade zone services with results showing improvement in corridor growth leading to bus usage improving from a range of 48%-124%.
- Developing a travel demand management toolkit – Increasing the mode share of sustainable transport – travel blending and individualised marketing
- Improving flexibility and coverage of the public transport system - Translink Network Plan – developing busway stations at major urban centres, bus interchange facilities in the CBD and rail interchange upgrades.
5:10 pm - 5:50 pm Reducing Congestion Through Developing High Density Urban Areas Located Near Existing Transport Services
Increase in urban density has been shown to improve congestion conditions in cities. With studies demonstrating that for every 10% increase in population density leads to a 6% increase in passenger movement on trains, and the doubling of density known to reduce the number of cars and vehicle miles travelled per household by 25%. The development of urban centres is the focus of the following presentation which examines:
- Building relationships between town planners, developers and government to build transportation networks for high population growth areas
- Ensuring land use controls are developed for mixed use neighbourhoods in inner and middle ring suburbs with available transport infrastructure.
- Investing in Infrastructure encourages development – the billion dollar Western Sydney road investment and how it increases population density.
