Decision details

Moved by Councillor Thalis, seconded by Councillor Scully -

It is resolved that Council:

(A)        note:

(i)          that walking is an efficient, healthy, safe and sustainable form of transport in urban areas, both for short trips and to access public transport;

(ii)         walkable urban areas increase economic activity, add value to real estate and provide a more equitable use of public space;

(iii)        walking accounts for 92 per cent of all trips within the Sydney city centre and people waiting on the footpath outnumber vehicles waiting at many intersections;

(iv)       Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) is responsible for traffic signals and by their operation they generally give priority to motor vehicles over pedestrians;

(v)         reduced pedestrian waiting times reduce footpath crowding, encourage compliance with signals and can improve worker productivity;

(vi)       research by Transport for NSW in 2011 showed that pedestrians wait on average 50 per cent longer than motor vehicles at intersections in the city centre;

(vii)      Transport for NSW recently reduced signal phase lengths at most City Centre intersections from 110 seconds to 90 seconds with a marked reduction in pedestrian wait times and no measurable impacts on traffic operations;

(viii)     pedestrians are poorly served by the Sydney Coordinated Adaptive Traffic System (SCATS), which is currently programmed to respond to motor vehicles, generally by reducing crossing time for pedestrians; and

(ix)       in Central Sydney, pedestrians won't get a green signal without pressing the activator button outside the daytime (7.00am to 7.00pm Monday to Wednesday, but until 9.30pm Thursday to Saturday); and

(B)        request the Lord Mayor write to the Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight requesting:

(i)          expansion of the 90 second signal phasing to the whole City of Sydney local government area, with a focus on intersections within the City Villages;

(ii)         revised RMS policies for signal plans to increase priority for pedestrians consistent with NSW Government strategies and policies, especially increased pedestrian phase time at intersections with high levels of pedestrian activity;

(iii)        a review of the Sydney Coordinated Adaptive Traffic System to support the NSW Government's "movement and place" policy in relation to improvements or alternatives to better serve pedestrians;

(iv)       all signals in the city centre include automatic pedestrian phases at all times and shorter wait times when the actuator button is pressed;

(v)         countdown timer indicators to be rolled out at all appropriate major intersections within the City of Sydney, including all new pedestrian signals; and

(vi)       installation of speeding and red-light speed cameras at all intersections in Central Sydney to improve safety in areas of intense pedestrian activity.

Carried unanimously.

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