Re: Trams vs pedestrians in Syd

["Nobody" <dweebken@NOSPAM.yahoo.com>]

"geoff dawson" <geoffrey.dawson@aph.gov.au> wrote in message
qHZQ6.68$3A6.13921@nsw.nnrp.telstra.net">news:qHZQ6.68$3A6.13921@nsw.nnrp.telstra.net...
> I recently suggested that a reasonable goal for congestion-free street
> public transport in Sydney CBD, after building the cross city tunnel,
would
> be Circular Quay to Central Railway in 8-9 minutes. Someone answered that
> this is unrealistic as even with PT priority traffic management there is
too
> much pedestrian activity.
> Out of curiosity I reran my calculation supposing a maximum line speed of
a
> modest 36kph - surely slow enough for the safety of jaywalkers.

That is a pretty fast pace - the average speed of a bike rider, or about the
same as a sprint. I believe on city streets trams are restricted to 20km/h,
though that may have been lifted somewhat.

Circular
> Quay to Central comes out at 7mins 55 secs. [2400m, accelerate/ brake at
> 1m/sec/sec to 36kph, 9 stops with 15 sec dwell time.]
> With an absurdly low max line speed of 30kph it comes out at 8 mins 25
secs.
> This tends to confirm my view that today's slower bus travel is mainly
> caused by red lights and traffic congestion, not by the need for low
speeds
> to avoid jaywalkers. The red lights and traffic congestion could be
removed
> by PT priority traffic management.

That is somewhat optimistic. That practice is common on Epping road amounst
others. You save a matter of seconds at best.

If trams were to resume the city circle run, you could reduce the number of
busses on this route. As well, if the tram tracks were cut off from cars,
that too would speed up things.

If they want to speed up trams in pedestrian areas though, they would have
to fit seat belts to trams and not allow any standing passengers. The brakes
on Sydney Variotrams are incredible, but only used sparingly due to their
violence.

> Note I am assuming streets much like the present ones, in which
pedestrians
> are meant to walk on footpaths and cross on the WALK sign.

What are those?

I am not
> suggesting a fully shared zone like Melbourne's Bourke St mall in which
> trams crawl through at a walking pace and it is rather unclear who has
right
> of way.

Unfortunately Sydney's Hay street is much the same, especially on weekends.
Market City and Paddy's Markets cause a LOT of pedestrian traffic on the
otherwise tram only line.

 I don't think this is very sensible. I suggest that trams in malls
> should be fenced off with frequent breaks in the fence for people to cross
> the line. The fence is not to limit pedestrian mobility, but simply to
> replace the function of the kerb and gutter as a physical warning to
people
> that they should look out and give way when crossing.

Nah you'lll still get your jaywalkers

Brendan

> Regards, Geoff
>
>