The latest Census figures literally make a mockery of both the State Government’s, but more importantly, council’s pronouncements. The over-riding rhetoric has been that people who live near railways, major transport routes (in essence, Housing Diversity Areas) will not require as many cars. This myth, and its associated problems, has been further compounded by council’s failure to:

• Implement Parking Precinct Plans across the municipality, and especially in Activity zones even though the planning scheme still contains clauses that promise to do this. We’re still waiting!
• Council continually waives car parking requirements in development after development. The argument is that residents will avail themselves of public transport!
• There is no home-grown analysis of the impact of parking in adjacent streets or the creation of ever increasing ‘rat-runs’.
• Potential, albeit partial ‘solutions’ such as car share are pooh-poohed by administrators and put on hold
• Residential parking permits are handed out almost willy-nilly with no thought, or follow up, of what happens in all those ‘adjacent’ streets
• We also remind readers that there was the promise to ‘incorporate’ all the latest Census figures into the Community Plan once they were available. The community plan is coming up for review. We won’t hold our breaths however for any radical revisions!

The following statistics taken from the VicRoads Transport Portal (http://www1.transport.vic.gov.au/VTSP/homepage.html) should be carefully assessed by all residents. They reveal what we already know – a steadily worsening situation!

• We learn that there are about 48,500 cars in Glen Eira.  Of the 131,000 estimated population, just on 30,000 are 19 years or younger. That means there is close to one car in Glen Eira for just about every 2 people eligible to drive.
• We also learn that the numbers of people driving to work has increased by 2,200 since the 2006 census. Bike riding has only gone up by 170 individuals.

The ramifications of these figures must be addressed. The problems associated with parking and general traffic management have been brought up again and again by residents. Yet Council, true to form, has done practically nothing except produce ‘policies’ that are good on rhetoric and spin, but totally deficient in action, planning, and real analysis that should form the bedrock of all action plans. Real vision and long term planning simply does not exist.

Here are the stats. Click on each image to enlarge.

The minutes of last council meeting record the following in regard to a public question on traffic management –

“Councillor Lipshutz, our question to you is: Did you in fact inform the traffic department of the agreement you had reached with the Rowan Street Elsternwick residents group to hold off implementation? If so when did you inform the traffic department? How many survey returns did Council receive in order to proceed with this work? What was the total cost of running the Council survey & implementing the 6 parking restrictions signs in this small section of Rowan Street?”

Cr Lipshutz read Council’s response. He said:

“I met with two residents and requested the Transport Planning department on 5 June 2012 to hold off while the residents returned their surveys. At this time, the Transport Planning Department advised that the installation would be placed on hold for one month. The signs were not installed until 25 July 2012.

Eight questionnaires were received from residents during the consultation held in April 2012.

The parking restriction consultation was undertaken as part of the day-to-day operation of the Transport Planning Department. I am advised that the cost of six parking restriction signs manufactured and installed by Council’s depot was less than $200.”

All well and good EXCEPT that the first part of the question has been edited out. Whilst not strictly a ‘question’, the background provided is essential in order to understand the situation and the actions taken by council.

This is not the first time that residents’ questions are conveniently edited (censured?). The old excuse of exceeding 150 words is also invalid since many questions have been published that far exceed this count.

Residents rightly expect that when public questions are submitted that the full text of that question will be entered into the minutes. Without a firm, written and public policy on how public questions will be recorded, the pattern of rewriting history remains unchallenged.

Here is the full question:

“Below are questions personally directed to Councillor Lipshutz

Following notification by Council’s traffic department to Rowan Street Elsternwick residents in April/May 2012, of Council’s intention to erect 2HR parking restrictions in Rowan Street (section between Shoobra St & Orrong Rd, a group of residents met with Councillor Lipshutz on Monday 4 June 2012 to voice their concerns regarding Council’s decision to proceed with the parking restrictions, based on a very small number of responses received to its Survey. Of the total 15 properties abutting Rowan Street, 8 responses were received, which according to Council traffic department 5 supported the restrictions & 3 did not.

At the 4 June 2012 meeting, Councillor Lipshutz agreed to request Council traffic department to hold off implementation until all 15 properties had been surveyed by the residents group. The residents group kept Councillor Lipshutz informed of progress via email on following dates 7/6/12, 8/6/12, 13/6/12, 20/6/12, 13/7/12).  The last email to Councillor Lipshutz from the residents group dated 13/7/12 stated that as 2 properties were vacant (one being renovated & the other being rebuilt), efforts were being directed at locating the 2 owners and the email emphasised that it was expected as per our agreement, that in the meantime, the restrictions would not go ahead. The email also stated that of the responses received to the residents group survey, the majority were not in favour of the 2HR parking restrictions proposed by Council.

However, to the absolute amazement of the Rowan Street Elsternwick concerned residents group, despite the agreement reached with you Councillor Lipshutz, the Council traffic department disregarded this agreement you had with us & proceeded to implement the 2HR parking restrictions in late July 2012.

Councillor Lipshutz, our question to you is:

Did you in fact inform the traffic department of the agreement you had reached with the Rowan Street Elsternwick residents group to hold off implementation? If so when did you inform the traffic department?

How many survey returns did Council receive in order to proceed with this work?

What was the total cost of running the Council survey & implementing the 6 parking restrictions signs in this small section of Rowan Street?”