Jan Gehl - 5 factors for a liveable city

I've just spent half an hour listening to the Bike Show Podcast. It is my favourite not only podcast but radio show - and coming from me that's pretty big. Jack Thurston's guest in the recent program was Mark Ames who writes the increasingly popular ibikelondon blog. What was interesting was not his ideas on how to be a blogger (and a cycling one at that) but his opinions from the Creating Tomorrow's Liveable Cities forum where the star speaker was Jan Gehl and his ideas on making cities more cycling friendly and getting more people using bikes (five factors for a liveable city). The show contains a couple of excerpts from the forum but you can watch the entire 44 minute presentation on the Economist's website here. He also mentions Melbourne and talks about Sydney's plans which are beginning to eclipse Adelaide's in speed of roll-out which is a bit unfortunate.

I highly recommend listening to the The Bike Show podcast and following some of the links to interesting cycling bloggers. Mark also posted on I Bike London he opinion about the forum and his account of asking a question to Eric Pickles, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government who in his reply said:
"Don't be such a puritan. Not all of us can pedal up and down in rubber knickers you know; we need to find balance. Of course, let's encourage cycling and walking, and we need to make cycling safer, but let us not treat people in cars like the enemy!"
Let's hope there are no attitudes like that in our city's leaders.
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Tags: city, commuting, gehl, livable

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Permalink Reply by heather on February 7, 2011 at 14:41

One 'city leader' vehemently said, when I requested that on-road space be retained for cyclists, "YOU cyclists are NEVER satisfied!" I do not consider that leading, more like going backwards.

Eventually with Peak Oil, Climate Change, population growth, road congestion, etc, the majority will recognise that truly encouraging sustainable transport is progressive. Electric cars are not sustainable: sourcing materials for production; dealing with toxic waste batteries; road congestion; building roads from polluting asphalt when a small light bicycle needs only a fraction of space and does less damage to the road surface; etc.

Permalink Reply by Michael Warner on February 7, 2011 at 22:54
Rubber knickers? It sounds as though cycling is something his mistress makes him dress up and do for being a naughty boy - no wonder he doesn't like it.
Permalink Reply by Stephen Janes on February 8, 2011 at 21:23

More encouraging words from Jan Gehl. With the high rate of apartment building in the CBD and the fact that most cycling commuters converge on the CBD, the ACC needs to take note of Jans words, especially as the city population grows.

 'One is to create the bicycle infrastructure which is inviting and which is as safe as possible. It's very important, especially the crossing of other streets, that the bicyclist can feel reasonably safe going through the city and that's why it has to be inviting the way it's constructed."

 

The current facilities of white lines does not come up to this standard and many would-be cyclists still view the these facilities as inadequate. Below is the West Tce end of Franklin St, the bike lane is under the cars (the enemy.....this is why)

 

 

 

 

 

 The above does not encourage new cyclists or fits the image of a people friendly city,but nothing some bold engineering would fix. Hopefully Steve Yarwood is encouraged by Jan's words.

 

 

Permalink Reply by Michael Warner on February 8, 2011 at 21:44
It's similar at the West Terrace end of most of the CDB streets - when it's busy I take the left car lane early, so they have plenty of space to queue up for a left turn without bothering me.
Permalink Reply by Stephen Janes on February 9, 2011 at 11:30
Yes, thats I do as well to ensure my safety. These West Tce intersections are just demostrations of how the white lines don't work in these situations and need further engineering to create a liveable city and encourage more riders.
Permalink Reply by heather on February 8, 2011 at 22:25

Reminds me of a Stephen Terrace intersection, either Payneham or Magill Road.

Also the intersection of Osmond Terrace and The Parade. While I enjoy a coffee in Palazzo's, watch many cyclists go by, but also vehicles wanting to turn left that block the bicycle lane.

If one spoke to the drivers, bet they would all say they were good drivers.

Permalink Reply by Dominic Mugavin on February 8, 2011 at 22:50

Got a question for Yarwood?

Come along to 'Politics in the Pub' tomorrow night!

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=187784941243123&index=1

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