Adelaide Traffic - Is anyone listening?

I wrote about this last year - but obviously no-one was listening - probably time to regurgitate it.

Many years ago when I was a conscript we had a saying about the mission of the Australian Army - it was “Hurry up and wait”. That seemed to be the single thing that drove the place and which all conscripts could identify with - we had to rush to get somewhere and then we had to wait.

Well it seems that Adelaide has adopted the theme.

The local traffic management system was obviously designed to keep people waiting in the city. It’s a stop start system that seems intent on wasting time and money. Progress through Adelaide is a series of small steps from intersection to intersection - each followed by an excruciating wait for the signals to change to green so we can continue to the next - only to approach and get the dreaded red light.

Some think this was designed to slow us down - but did anyone calculate the impact in terms of fuel and pollution cost and wasted time?

A simple analysis shows that the cost of the Adelaide traffic management system in wasted time, fuel and pollution is around $1 billion annually. The cost of fixing the system is also large but using new and smart technology, it is likely to be less than $100 million. The benefit/cost ratio is compelling – so why won’t the state fix it?

Good question – the answer is because the state has become dependent on red light, speed camera and other penalty revenues which are designed to exploit the dysfunctional system. It’s about exploiting traps and is a Catch 22.

These revenues are generating huge monthly income for the state and that is something Messrs. Rann, Foley and Co. have come to rely on. Is it sustainable?

Never mind the poor old motorist - why isn’t the business community up in arms? It’s a standing joke with interstate visitors. The worst thing is that it’s been like this for over 30 years - and no-one locally seems to have noticed.

Zzzzzz.