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Sydney. What’s the best word to describe that place, way over there? Picturesque is the first thing that comes to mind, and yes perhaps Sydney is the most beautiful city in the world. 
However, beneath the cities handsome exterior lies years of neglect and denial that has seen the development of a diabolical transport infrastructure shortage. Not only that, a poor social attitude towards transport means the cities streets are congested, travel times are long and expensive, and perhaps more importantly, place a great deal of stress on commuters and business. The NSW Government has consistently shelved proposals to redefine the public transport framework of inner Sydney. The projects were just too ambitious, too costly and outright, too hard. While these reasons may be justified, it’s a position that no city should ever place itself in. While Perth has a rather small public transport network, our current position gives us an opportunity to make the most of our transport future. It wasn’t that long ago that Sydney had a chance to be making similar decisions about its transport future and the connectivity of the next generation. As a city we should always be looking to do even more with what we have and we should always consider that sometimes the worst type of action is inaction. Let’s not waste any opportunity.  The past half decade, or “boom” period, has proven a true test of the transport infrastructure in Perth. We think the city has done quite well. We have consistently improved the quality and quantity of our public transport infrastructure while investigating innovative ways to shape how people travel. There has been a drastic increase in the number of people using multiple modes of transport, such as bikes and buses and we’ve taken large steps forward in creating a “smarter” bread of public transport users. So what’s wrong with the way we travel around Perth? Or, more importantly, what are the important decisions we need to shape today, in order to be better prepared for tomorrow? What can we do to provide better infrastructure and how should we shape our city in order to promote “smarter” and more efficient travel? FuturePerth is conducting a series of lectures surrounding many urban issues throughout 2010. It’s called PERTHour and we want you to be involved. Come share your thoughts on the future of your city at the inaugural PERTHour. Its a free, and open event that gives as all an opportunity to shape our future. CLICK HERE for more details.
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