Safe streets? More like "woke streets," amiright?
"Sustainable transportation not only makes communities safer, it lowers travel costs; improves access to important services like medical care, schools, and work; and helps mitigate climate change."
Cars ruin cities. Don't take it from me. Take it from Top Gear's James May
HT Lemmy grue@lemmy.world
Cars don't belong in cities, says Top Gear's James May
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/transport/driving-london-cars-james-may-london-cycling-campaign-top-gear-b1218513.html
How do you say YIMBY in French?
via reuters
Paris residents vote in favour of making 500 more streets pedestrian
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/paris-residents-vote-favour-making-500-more-streets-pedestrian-2025-03-23/
They're about to block cars from more than 500 new streets in Paris. Fuck yeah.
https://www.dw.com/en/france-paris-to-increase-car-free-zones-after-referendum/a-72019387
So I found this ABC coverage as part of their 2017 Curious Adelaide series.
"Why was Adelaide's tram network ripped up in the 1950s?"
The article does play down any car company involvement and laughs off car industry involvement as just unfounded consipracy. But their skeptisism does not align with what we know of the pressure the car industry was putting on phasing out trams.
From the article:
"The Municipal Tramways Trust (MTT) introduced a 10-year plan to phase out trams in favour of buses by the mid 50s."
The public's affection for the network and dismay at its loss is evident in letters to the editor from the time.
C. Steele of Tusmore seemed to have a window to the future.
"A tram which carries 100 people has 50 times more right to be on the road than a car which carries only two people."
A scathing 1955 report by the Council of the South Australian Branch of Australian Electric Traction Association suggested some deeper issues..
I'll bet the middle/upper class who could afford a shiney new car on new roads had a very different take to more lowly workers who very much relied on the trams up to the end.. hmm
Im not satisfied that the article covers the question and is the end of it, but its definitley an nteresting read, especially the part on how folks responded in the last days of the tram and to the news of closure.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-12-01/why-was-adelaides-tram-network-ripped-up-in-the-1950s/9205768
#Trams #PublicTransport
#AdelaideMetro #WalkableCities #AdelaideTrams #AdelaidePublicTransport #AdelaideHistory #StrongerAdelaide
From the Wikipedia article:
“By 1945 the MTT was collecting fares for 95 million trips annually, representing 295 trips per head of population (350,000)”.
No mention of the tire company buying it out. The tramways trust was a gov endorsed tax-exempt non-profit, no mention of a sale.
I’m curious of if there was any pushback and more of the dynamics / politics leading up to 1958.
So I’ve looked over the main Wikipedia article for Tramways in Adelaide (thx Mathi also for sharing this) and it provides some interesting background.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tramways_in_Adelaide
Article raises some suspicion around unrecorded histories. The history section talks ALOT of the era 1901 to 1925, but gets pretty quiet after that. Come the 1940’s the network was pretty far reaching..
What happened to #Adelaide's tram network back in the day? (When it was all ripped out??)
This illustration, on display in historic Carrick Hill, Springfield of the land around Urbrae/Mitcham/Unley/Springfield just south of city of Adelaide, is pretty interesting.
Clearly shows (and emphasises) four nearby tram terminus.
> Mitcham Tram Terminus
> Kingswood Tram Terminus
> Fullarton Tram Terminus
> Glen Osmond Tram Terminus
Word was that a tram line ran up Glen Osmond Road and terminated near the bottom of the freeway, not far from the OTR/Hungry Jacks.
And this was all built without the tech of today.
Curious if anyone can date this further, but clearly this records a tram network that is now long forgotten.
Public transport tram infrastructure in #Adelaide #SouthAustralia is abysmal.
Our neighbouring big city of #Melbourne #Naarm has the most incredible tram system by comparison.
When pressure came to remove the trams in Naarm, its recorded that Professional and friendly ticketeting staff on trams (and their strong union) were an important part of retaining the network as was a much earlier decision when Melbourne was first planned for major roads to be wide enough to 'be able to do a u-turn with a bullock cart".
Across in Adelaide, which was established by the South Australia Corporation (you heard that right), trams didnt go so well.
Aparently the tram network once established was somehow bought out by the largest Tire Manufactuer of the day and along with immense pressure applied by the car lobby, the tram tracks were ripped up.
Anyone know more detail on what exactly happened to the tram network in SA?
I'm wanting to look beyond car industry history that records that 'people just wanted to drive, so it was pulled out', which seems like an incomplete narrative to me. What folks just went oh well, rip my local tram out, no worries? What went down?
Sean Duffy picked the wrong week to gut funding for bike lanes and other "green infrastructure." Right now DC is chock-full of bike advocates armed with talking points and maps to the offices of every Sen and Rep.
Hey Toronto! Make good trouble. I wish I could join you (but I'm in Madagascar).
HT Reddit u/Marslettuce
Urbanists.video is a PeerTube server for people interested in urbanism, walkable cities, public transport and related topics:
If you want to publish videos on these topics, this server is taking sign-ups that let you upload videos.
You can find out more at https://urbanists.video/about/instance or contact the admins @alex and @mattcaff
“Loneliness and isolation can lead to: 29% increased risk of heart disease; 32% increased risk of stroke; 50% increased risk of developing dementia among older adults; and 60% increased risk of premature death.”
Surgeon General recommends designing cities to create more connections. #WalkableCities
Walkable Neighborhoods Help Ad...
The experience jump cafe took requests for musical massages today at Oakland lake Merritt - this lady was massaged to Nina Simone 
#oakland #walkablecities
"Socialism" means having multiple travel options: walking, biking, public transit, car
"Freedom" means having one option: car.
(Seen in the comments to this CNBC video titled "How America Got Hooked on Cars")
It is so weird to remember that, 13 years ago, about this time, I was a guest of the #FederalGovernment at a #Conference in #WashingtonDC. I was a non-citizen, and flown over from the UK. It was quite the experience!
Me, an openly out #trans person, a guest of Uncle Sam, at a conference dedicated to #CleanEnergy, #ElectricVehicles, #WalkableCities and all the good stuff that #furher has now made an enemy of the people.
And more fool me for coming to live here 10 years ago….
The Rosa Parks of Jaywalking
On This Day 100 years ago: Electra Lynne was arrested for violating LA's newly enacted traffic ordinance that prioritized cars over people.
HT LinkedIn Peter Norton
Attn @notjustbikes
New survey shows growing support for new transportation options in Northwest Arkansas
https://www.nwahomepage.com/news/new-survey-shows-growing-support-for-new-transportation-options-in-northwest-arkansas/
Climate solutions from Specter.
HT Lemmy u/maxalmonte14@lemmy.world
