News & Discussion: Trams

[Eurostar]

The most basic problem with Prospect Rd, The Parade, Henley Bch Rd etc etc is actually fitting trams (with cars/ traffic). Probably all off street parking would need to go. So what do you think the traders will say? Only maybe if trams share the road with cars/traffic as they do on Jetty Rd Glenelg may it work.

Interestingly enough, these strips are attractive to traders because they are destinations in their own right, and should not be just treated as arterial roads. Construction of trams/light rail allows for higher capacity public transport, away from footpaths (outdoor dining), and generally should lead to higher density living, bringing in even more customers. Traders need to get over the idea of rows of cars parked in front of their shops, and the trams themselves have a traffic calming effect-(yes they do slow down cars!), which in turn discourages people using these routes as a thoroughfare. The traders should realise, that 90% of the single occupant traffic passing them by does not stop in their shop/café.

There are many car parks behind or under the shops along Prospect Road, The Parade and Henley Beach Road

[how good is he]

Yes there are with many full/near full most of the time.

[aaronjameslange]

Over the past few years i have noticed all the overhead powerlines along prospect road have been undergrounded and new light poles installed as far north as grand junction iirc. This could purely be for aesethic reasons or it could be in preperation for tram overheads

[Nathan]

"State Library" and "Museum" naming has been (rather poorly) tacked on on to the Art Gallery tram stops.

[Waewick]

Yes there are with many full/near full most of the time.

Ahh, but if people take the tram for their coffee instead of the car!

[how good is he]

That’s fine if you live close to the limited tram network we have. I also doubt car use/parking would diminish that much if just another road/route like Prospect Rd was added (I hope I am wrong). I also doubt how many are using cars/parking just to grab a coffee (maybe dining yes) or more likely using cars for their bags of shopping (added with employees/owners parking all day.)

[claybro]

Just imagine the boom for cafes along Prospect road after AFL/ cricket fixtures at Adelaide Oval if the tram went along Prospect road. It would spread the activity beyond the immediate vicinity of North Adelaide.

[Eurostar]

Just imagine the boom for cafes along Prospect road after AFL/ cricket fixtures at Adelaide Oval if the tram went along Prospect road. It would spread the activity beyond the immediate vicinity of North Adelaide.

Also having tram along Prospect Road to Blair Athol can mean buses currently doing G10 (north of city) can be replaced by regular trams, freeing up buses for other runs.

[bits]

Just imagine the boom for cafes along Prospect road after AFL/ cricket fixtures at Adelaide Oval if the tram went along Prospect road. It would spread the activity beyond the immediate vicinity of North Adelaide.

Last I heard the North Adelaide traders were flat after the Adelaide Oval redo. Zero loss or gain in trade.
Bugger all of the attending people do any spending in the area. Most get on free bus or trains and bypass all shops. Those not attending avoid the area due to full public transport and car parks.

I think there was a view that maybe they should change parking restrictions to encourage people to drive to the events and park on the roads in North Adelaide. People would need to get there early to get a good park and then need to waste time at stores until the event.

Did Westfield West Lake ever really get much trade from Football Park? I think the Hungry Jack's was the only winner because everyone's on street parking lead to walking pass them.
Westfield prevented football fans using their car park because no one attending actually shopped.

[Eurostar]

Just imagine the boom for cafes along Prospect road after AFL/ cricket fixtures at Adelaide Oval if the tram went along Prospect road. It would spread the activity beyond the immediate vicinity of North Adelaide.

Last I heard the North Adelaide traders were flat after the Adelaide Oval redo. Zero loss or gain in trade.
Bugger all of the attending people do any spending in the area. Most get on free bus or trains and bypass all shops. Those not attending avoid the area due to full public transport and car parks.

I think there was a view that maybe they should change parking restrictions to encourage people to drive to the events and park on the roads in North Adelaide. People would need to get there early to get a good park and then need to waste time at stores until the event.

Did Westfield West Lake ever really get much trade from Football Park? I think the Hungry Jack's was the only winner because everyone's on street parking lead to walking pass them.
Westfield prevented football fans using their car park because no one attending actually shopped.

When Footy games were played at Football Park in West Lakes I know KFC in the Westfield West Lakes food court opened late on those nights, at half time the McDonalds was also very busy.

[JAKJ]

Just imagine the boom for cafes along Prospect road after AFL/ cricket fixtures at Adelaide Oval if the tram went along Prospect road. It would spread the activity beyond the immediate vicinity of North Adelaide.

Last I heard the North Adelaide traders were flat after the Adelaide Oval redo. Zero loss or gain in trade.
Bugger all of the attending people do any spending in the area. Most get on free bus or trains and bypass all shops. Those not attending avoid the area due to full public transport and car parks.

I think there was a view that maybe they should change parking restrictions to encourage people to drive to the events and park on the roads in North Adelaide. People would need to get there early to get a good park and then need to waste time at stores until the event.

Did Westfield West Lake ever really get much trade from Football Park? I think the Hungry Jack's was the only winner because everyone's on street parking lead to walking pass them.
Westfield prevented football fans using their car park because no one attending actually shopped.

During special event periods the streets of North Adelaide are more empty than they would be otherwise! Easing parking restrictions could result in additional trading in North Adelaide but it would be discouraging the use of public transport which given the stadium is next to our main public transport hub there is no excuse for. Ideally there would be a free tram up through North Adelaide which might encourage people to go that way and then catch it back to the train station/ currie street etc. to then take a train/ bus back home.

As an interim measure, not sure why the council aren't using the lecournu site as a paid car park to generate revenue and attract additional visitors to O'Connell street.

[how good is he]

The West Lakes restaurants/cafes that had car parking were often booked/full before the game as patrons who dined there would get a "free" car park and save the $20 they would have paid just for a car park.

I think with the Le Cornu site the ACCC are compromised/would be seen as hypocritical as their policy is not to allow owners/developers to turn their empty, land banked sites into car parks.

While I understand the argument to basically penalise owners/developers to hurry up and develop vacant land it doesn't help customers/traders/businesses that could use the extra car parks.

[Waewick]

North Adelaide is empty becuase everyone is in the small bars or peel street

[Nathan]

I think using the Le Cornu site as a car park would be a terrible idea, and set a precedent which they'll struggle to ever come back from. The public chucks a fit if you dare remove one or two street parks from a road for improvements (see Jetty Rd Glenelg), and I'd imagine once people are used to parking there you'll never be able to take them away.

[SBD]

North Adelaide is empty becuase everyone is in the small bars or peel street

Exactly!

North Adelaide doesn't advertise itself well. If it wants footy/cricket fans to go that way for food/drink/entertainment, then it needs to say so in places the fans will see and consider.

How many people here include O'Connell or Melbourne Streets in their top four city destination streets for this sort of thing?

They are just as close, but a little further back to the railway station or east/west/south buses afterwards than going south, but probably not too much of a problem for most people. If a "free" (ie included in the ticket you have/will buy anyway) tram (or even a bus) is available and promoted they could change that.