News & Discussion: O-Bahn

[Llessur2002]

Transport Minister Stephan Knoll rules out shops, apartments at Paradise O-Bahn interchange

The State Government has ruled out a controversial suggestion of shops and apartments at the Paradise O-Bahn interchange.

Transport Minister Stephan Knoll said a proposed $7.5 million park ‘n’ ride would be restricted to providing carparking for commuters.

Mr Knoll was responding to a call by Campbelltown Council member Sue Irvine for the new structure to include retail outlets, a cafe, apartments, a shared community working space and toilets.



Councillors attracted the ire of Paradise residents by voting to ask council chief executive Paul Di Iulio and mayor Jill Whittaker to seek a meeting with Mr Knoll to discuss broadening the park ‘n’ ride to include more features.

The decision to pursue Ms Irvine’s idea with Mr Knoll saw dozens of residents pack the public gallery at the most recent council meeting as representatives voiced their objections through three deputations.

Approached for comment, Mr Knoll told the NorthEastern Weekly the park ‘n’ ride would not be changed from the original concept promised by the Liberals before last year’s state election.

“The State Government does not support the proposal to put shops or apartments within the car park,” he said.

Mr Knoll said designs for the car park were being finalised, with the likelihood it would provide more than the 775 car spaces announced before last year’s state election.

Paradise residents have been calling for extra parking for years, with nearby streets and roads regularly congested by commuter parking and vehicle spillage from urban infill.

Construction of a car park at the O-Bahn interchange became a key election issue, with sitting Liberal MP Vincent Tarzia pledging it would be built as he fought off a challenge from former senator Nick Xenophon.

Mr Tarzia said he had been campaigning to have more parking at Paradise since 2012, when he first entered politics.

“Residents have been calling for more parks and this news will be to the benefit of residents and commuters when the project comes to fruition. It means we can get more cars off nearby residential streets.”

Mr Knoll said the exact number of carparking spaces would be finalised through the planning process, which was well-advanced.

“It’s exciting that it appears through the design process we are discovering that we will be able to deliver even more than the 775 car spaces than we first thought,” he said.

Mr Knoll expected concept designs would be released soon for public feedback.

The project would then be submitted to the State Commission Assessment Panel (SCAP) with construction expected to start later this year depending on approvals.

A spokesman for residents, Kym Tilbrook, said they were pleased the park ‘n’ ride would be restricted to a carpark, which was much needed in the area.

“It’s a commonsense decision and good news for residents,” he said.

“Only yesterday I went for a walk and counted 437 cars parked on streets, on the bridge and behind the (Paradise) church.

“It’s great that the minister has listened to the residents, unlike most of the council.”

Meanwhile, construction work will start later this month on the installation of new traffic control measures outside the Dernancourt Shopping Centre on Lower North East Rd.

The $1.25 million upgrade includes traffic lights, a right turn lane, new kerbs and traffic islands and upgraded pedestrian access, bus stops and road lighting.

State Liberal MP for Morialta John Gardner said the upgrades — long called for by local councillor Robin Coleman — were vital to ensure community safety.

“This is a dangerous intersection which often results in major delays for drivers and we’ve had many residents and business owners calling for this upgrade,” he said.

From: https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/messenge ... 6d914600f2

[Westside]

Groan. Another desolate car park. I hope this doesn't preclude turning this interchange into a proper destination in the future, once residents realise the value of more people places. I'd much rather live next to a vibrant complex of shops and apartments than a wasteland of cars devoid of people for 8 hours of the day.

[Waewick]

Just seems like a real waste.

[crawf]

That image looks like it was pulled out of the 1970s

[citywatcher]

It's a marginal seat

Sent from my SM-J730G using Tapatalk

[Goodsy]

How about servicing the area with a new interchange at Grand Junction instead of trying to shoehorn as many people into Paradise as possible

[Westside]

How about servicing the area with a new interchange at Grand Junction instead of trying to shoehorn as many people into Paradise as possible

How about making the feeder routes more accessible - ie shelter upgrades, more frequent services and fewer transfers outside of peak. Don't give people a reason to have to drive to an interchange unless absolutely necessary.

[1NEEDS2POST]

Park and ride is an idea that should only be tried on the urban fringe. It just moves the traffic jam out of the city and into a suburb. Many people use public transport because they don't have a car—park and ride forces you to buy one.

[Norman]

That image looks like it was pulled out of the 1970s

That is a render from the election campaign, hopefully we will get a better idea of how it will look soon.

[ml69]

Park and ride is an idea that should only be tried on the urban fringe. It just moves the traffic jam out of the city and into a suburb. Many people use public transport because they don't have a car—park and ride forces you to buy one.

What? How does park n ride force you to buy a car? If you don’t have a car and aren’t within walking distance of a park n ride, you catch a regular bus. It’s just slower and probably more infrequent. But you still have an alternative to buying a car.

Even heading to the north eastern suburbs, there are bus services along North East Rd, Lower North East Rd etc.

I think park n ride is a good solution in the low-density, middle-ring Adelaide suburbs (8-20km from CBD), offering both convenience and speed. Commuters have recognised this too, hence the popularity of Paradise and Klemzig.

[1NEEDS2POST]

Park and ride is an idea that should only be tried on the urban fringe. It just moves the traffic jam out of the city and into a suburb. Many people use public transport because they don't have a car—park and ride forces you to buy one.

What? How does park n ride force you to buy a car? If you don’t have a car and aren’t within walking distance of a park n ride, you catch a regular bus. It’s just slower and probably more infrequent. But you still have an alternative to buying a car.

Ok, I didn't word that properly, no one is forced to buy a car. Since people will be driving to the park and ride, there will be less demand for bus services to the park and ride. So bus services will be cut. This pushes more people to use the park and ride, some of whom will need to buy a car.

Will this park and ride be free? If so, it's a subsidy to car owners. Land around a public transport hub is highly valued and it would be disappointing to give it away for free.

[omada]

They just don't get it do they?

In a country like Japan, with a very successful public transport system, at almost every major station, there is a sizable shopping precinct, makes sense you see?

Off topic, but when considering the recent station upgrade at Marion - missed opportunity there too!

[Norman]

Building over train lines is expensive and not always desirable. We have better opportunities for suburban infill in the existing properties surrounding the train station, as well as the vacant land on the existing station which will be used for mixed use business.

When the time comes and demand is higher or supply is streched, I'm sure a building over the train lines can be retrofitted. Besides, I'm not sure how another shopping centre so close to Marion Shopping Centre would go.

[claybro]

Building over train lines is expensive and not always desirable. We have better opportunities for suburban infill in the existing properties surrounding the train station, as well as the vacant land on the existing station which will be used for mixed use business.

When the time comes and demand is higher or supply is streched, I'm sure a building over the train lines can be retrofitted. Besides, I'm not sure how another shopping centre so close to Marion Shopping Centre would go.

Im not sure Omada was referring to a SEPERATE shopping centre for Oaklands station precinct or a continuation of the main centre to link with the station and the council precinct. It really wouldn't have been that hard, albeit with some property acquisition. It absolutely makes sense as does building up the areas around the O-bahn interchanges where space permits as it appears to here. No we still don't get it, and the trouble is the more we build low scale carparking and housing around our major transport hubs, such as is the case here, and don't make them the focus of community and retail activity, we will never loose our dependence on cars.

[Nathan]

Yes, it's utterly baffling that we have a mentality that people should get off the train/bus/tram, hop in their car, drive somewhere else and park, shop/errands, and then drive home. It forces even those within walking distance from a station/interchange to have to use a car.

They don't even have to be shopping centres, but just the local high street, including the station/interchange as part of the local centre. Instead we create moats of low density housing with a shopping centre surrounded by car parking all the way over one side, and a train station surrounded by car parking all the way over the other side, and practically impose on people trying to use public transport that they still need a car to even access it.