City of Perth Showing Its True Colours

The City of Perth (http://www.perth.wa.gov.au/sites/default/files/events/Council_agenda_131119.pdf, pp122-129) is considering providing yet more east-west traffic capacity on Newcastle Street, which already has problems at intersections with north-south arterials. The proposal would require changes (= reduction) to footpath widths, loss of trees and restriction of right turns to turn back the clock ten years. As the City of Perth's report says, this would be returning the cross-section of the street to what existed ten years ago and operating the kerbside lanes as clearways.

More information on this at http://sustainabletransportcoalitionofwa.blogspot.com.au/2013/11/turning-back-years-but-why.html.

At present, the City of Perth cannot make this retrograde step off its own bat, as Newcastle Street is the boundary with the City of Vincent. I don't believe that Vincent Council would ever agree to this.

But come the Barnett revolution, if it succeeds, the City of Perth will control at least this part of Vincent and will be able to appease its big business masters by relocating traffic from the business strip of St George's Terrace onto the small businesses and residents of Newcastle Street.

Is this what any of us wants for any part of Vincent? I sincerely doubt that it is - but if all or part of Vincent disappears into Perth, this is what we'll get.