Cr Steve Griffiths

Checking in over at Moorooka Ward where we caught up with long time Councillor Steve Griffiths (Labor). Peter and Kurt from South BUG were both very excited to discuss the pedaling potential of their own streets and the issues that stop people getting around by bicycle.

Cr Griffiths is supportive of 40km/h speed limits, but is on the fence when it comes to one of our big asks (and international best practice) of 30km/h speed limits on neighbourhood streets.

The Councillor also talked about ongoing efforts to remove truck movement from Watson Road. The difficulties along Watson Road stem from the mix of industrial use and residential areas including a school. Much of the ward is also a mix of residential and industrial, so the Watson Road situation is an example of a much wider issue. At road and ward level there’s no clear way to eliminate the risks of heavy vehicle movement, and much of our conversation was centred around that topic. How can we make it safe for people to move around these areas?

Cr Griffiths made it clear that the small allowance the Ward office gets for these projects, makes it nearly impossible to have a wide impact, especially when compared with the amount of issues the funding is meant to cover.

Peter from South BUG is an example of how confident you often need to be – riding from his home through the Ward’s industrial area to get to work. Due to a health directive, Peter’s drivers licence was temporarily suspended. This now meant his bicycle (though already the primary commuting vehicle) was the only viable option for him to get to work. That’s OK for Peter but could be a huge issue for residents in similar circumstances, who don’t have the confidence to ride in and across our neighbourhoods. Nor should confidence be a prerequisite to hop on a bike.

Cr Griffiths mentioned that most people want to drive. It is true that most people currently drive, but if we gave people alternatives by investing in a safe, comfortable and connected bikeway network, they’d have more options available. Do they want to drive? Or do they have no other choice?

Thanks to Cr Griffiths for taking the time to meet with us and sharing your experience and insights as councillor for this area.