Perth Voice Interactive

Lucky bustards
I WAS recently sitting on the bus, stuck in traffic on Charles Street on my morning commute into the city.
I was thinking about the lucky people zooming along the recently completed bus priority lanes on Beaufort Street and wondered why we couldn’t have the same on Charles Street and other major roads in the inner city.
With the 22km $1.8 billion light rail project shelved for who knows how long, isn’t this a good time for us to reconsider whether spending scarce public money on one light rail route is appropriate?
By my calculation, light rail will cost an incredible $81 million per km, whereas the Beaufort Street busway cost only $2.3m per km. To put this in context, you could construct 782km of bus lanes for the amount previously allocated for the Max Light Rail project. Not only this, the construction time would be years shorter and cause much less disruption and destruction.
Those in power and the self-appointed experts scoff at any criticism of light rail, yet to me it’s an extravagance that provides a very low cost-benefit ratio. With traffic and congestion a regular topic of concern, surely a greatly expanded network of bus lanes can quickly help to ease these problems in an inexpensive manner.
Andrew Main
Alfonso St, North Perth

Applying a full-time job
I AM one of those older Australians looking for a job.
The Australian government wants us to look for 40 jobs a month.  One in the morning and one in the afternoon. This is my afternoon search for today.
Please editor, can you give me a job? If you people get annoyed with job-seekers contacting you like this do not complain to them. Make your displeasure known to the government instigators of the program.
Raymond N Conder
Central Ave, Inglewood

Leedy’s looking good
AS a clothing retail owner for more than two decades in Leederville and a resident of City of Vincent, I have seen both the ups and downs for our area over the years.
I constantly see letters to your paper complaining about Leederville and the work going on there.
I feel as though this is the first time in 20 years that Leederville has had some changes made to it and I think they are all for the better.
I have been on the Leederville enhancement committee for a couple of years now, with the previous mayor and now with John Carey.
It seems like the first time the council has been interested in hearing opinions from residents and business owners and acting on them.
We’ve had the purchase of lighting for the tress, with more to come.
The new Oxford Street Park and nature playground is going to be a major drawcard to the area and is almost finished.
The Water Corp laneway is being upgraded with trees, seats and lighting (similar to the Fringe festival).
There’s new public art, murals and street furniture being purchased or worked on at the moment and the Oxford Street bike lane to Vincent Street will encourage people to ride to the town centre.
I usually can’t be bothered writing into papers but I feel a little positive feedback is needed when finally there’s good things happening in the area.
De Williams
Director, Atlas Divine
Oxford St, Leederville

Bike lane brill
WELL done Vincent council for getting bike lanes down Oxford Street approved. Sorry you have to put up with a badly behaved and vocal minority.
What I don’t understand is how any retailer could think adding bike lanes and removing parking could have an adverse impact on their business. Have a look at the case studies and data around the world and you’ll see pretty quickly the net result is positive for all.
I think those shop owners who are so afraid of change will be getting a rude shock when bike riders stop showing up for coffee.
I can understand someone’s concern about reversing over a bike on Oxford Street but the answer is not to send them the long way around to Britannia Reserve. The answer is bad drivers must wake up and realise they don’t own the road and never did. Should we make pedestrians also take the long walk in case an incompetent driver hits one too?
While ever you continue to push bikes and pedestrians to the outer you reaffirm that bad and selfish driving is acceptable.
One of the reasons Leederville is such an awesome place to live is the walkability and bikes. If you want to live in a car-dominated suburb move out to woop-woop thanks.
Alex Bruce
Wylie Place, Leederville

Aboriginals asked?
GREAT to see/read Bayswater councillor Stephanie Coats and her three children playing in Bardon Park (Voice, July 19, 2014).
But why would Bayswater council be developing an “Aboriginal heritage site “ with a European seasons design? Surely a Nyoongah seasons design would be more appropriate! And, on a procedural matter, shouldn’t the city consult with the community before submitting the plan to the state Aboriginal planning department?
Greg Smith
Rose Ave, Bayswater