The detailed plan which will be presented to Adelaide City Council on Tuesday reveals tram stops at the North Tce entrance of David Jones and the UniSA apartments and a major bus interchange along Grenfell St.

A civic hub including a piazza and outdoor dining area has also been earmarked for the centre of the mall, along with set busking performance zones.

The entire city block bordered by the mall, King William and Grenfell streets and James Place has also been earmarked for development.

Rundle Mall Management Authority chairman Theo Maras said the plan revealed an early wish list. “This time we’re not just looking at what colour the bricks on the ground are, we’re looking at what will reinvigorate a 24/7 environment,” he said.

via AdelaideNow

Transport Department figures obtained by The Advertiser reveal drivers reported 213 near misses between March last year, when the new line to the Entertainment Centre became operational, and the start of January.

Near misses involving vehicles tallied 121, while the number of pedestrian incidents was counted as 92.

A near miss is when, in the opinion of the driver, there is the significant risk of causing injury or death to any person or the potential to cause property damage.

Rail, Tram and Bus Union branch secretary Ashley Waddell said the figures showed some commuters were treating trams “with contempt”.

He said drivers had to be “very cautious” in the city because of the high number of near misses.

“Especially down along North Tce you get taxis and courier vans that do U-turns in front of trams and you get pedestrians that will try to run across in front of them,” he said.

“They’ll take the trams on.

“It’s an issue through the whole CBD.

“The police need to better police the tramline through the CBD.”

Pedestrian Council of Australia president Harold Scruby called for jaywalking fines to be increased to at least $100.

At present in South Australia they are $55, which includes the Victims of Crime levy.

“Also wherever there is … high pedestrian activity the speed limit should be 40km/h,” Mr Scruby said.

A poolice spokesman said transit officers monitored the North Tce tram line daily.

SA Police also frequently initiated “Operation Amble”, which targeted city pedestrians.

Transport Department spokesman Ross Stargett said many of the incidents involved pedestrians crossing tracks “in an unsafe manner at non-designated crossing points”.

He noted no fatalities had occurred on the tram network in the past six years.

“While the majority of pedestrians and motorists obey the law and behave in a safe manner, risk-taking behaviours continue to occur both within the CBD and elsewhere on the network,” he said.

via AdelaideNow

They have called on the major political parties to commit funding for the extension from Seaford in the lead-up to the Federal Election on August 21.

Onkaparinga Mayor Lorraine Rosenberg said road and rail infrastructure were two of the council’s main priorities for the election.

“We can validate the need for funding for road and rail because of growth infrastructure needs to match growth,” she said.

Ms Rosenberg said the extension to Aldinga had been identified as part of the council’s Integrated Transport Strategy 2008-2013.

The State Government has set aside $34 million to buy the rail corridor, but Commonwealth funds would be needed to ensure the project could proceed afer the corridor was purchased. The exact route is expected to be announced later this year.

Forums: Discuss and share your thoughts on the Aldinga rail line extension

Aldinga Arts Eco Village deputy presiding member Ray Mines said residents should be able to cycle to the local station and catch the train to work.

“From an environmental perspective I would welcome the rail extension because efficient, affordable public transport reduces traffic on our roads,” Mr Mines said. Willunga resident Joy Forrest said she supported the rail extension, so long as there were “sufficient feeder buses” to Willunga, Sellicks Beach and Port Willunga.

Friends of Willunga Basin secretary David Gill said the rail extension to Aldinga was an important long-term goal.

“Climate change means we have to be getting out of our cars and using other transport,” he said.

Sellicks Beach resident Jodi Honnor-Figuron said there were “a lot of beautiful spots” in the outer south, but it was difficult for tourists to get to.

Kingston MHR Amanda Rishworth (Labor) said she would “certainly support” an extension to Aldinga, once the corridor was bought by the State Government.

Liberal candidate Chris Zanker said his party supported the rail extension to Aldinga, and saw the need to extend even further south in the future.

Greens candidate Palitja Moore called for bi-partisan support to fund the project.

via Messenger News

Elders from the Kaurna Nation Cultural Heritage Association want Federal Heritage Minister Peter Garrett to intervene to protect ancient Aboriginal sites along the rail corridor.

“Having to prove once again our heritage, our existence and who we are is the lowest of lows,” association chairwoman Lynette Crocker said. “We are really devastated – it seems there is no respect for Aboriginal culture.”

The Southern Times Messenger first reported in March calls by the Kaurna people for an alternative route for the rail extension because of sacred Aboriginal sites along the Onkaparinga River.

State Aboriginal Affairs Minister Grace Portolesi last week authorised the Transport Department to go ahead with the project, which includes a 1.2km rail bridge over the river.

Ms Crocker said the association would try to evoke the Federal Aboriginal Heritage Protection Act as well as dispute the State Government’s decision in court.

“There is a very ancient women’s site in that area and I thought in the spirit of reconciliation there might be a window of opportunity to protect it. But we were never even given the opportunity to negotiate any other options.”

Have your say on the extension in our discussion forum.

Transport Minister Patrick Conlon last year applied to the Aboriginal Affairs Minister, under Section 23 of the State Aboriginal Heritage Act, to disturb Aboriginal sites, objects or remains along the 5.5km rail corridor.

Ms Portolesi, who recently took over the portfolio from Jay Weatherill, said she made her decision based on consultation with the Kaurna community and advice from the State Aboriginal Heritage Committee.

She said she expected some “disagreement” but every effort would be made to respect Aboriginal culture throughout the works.

Transport Department spokeswoman Bobbie-Jean Stevens said an Aboriginal Heritage Plan was being developed for the project, which would include using Kaurna monitors, stop-work procedures for the discovery of significant items and Kaurna place names, artwork and cultural mapping for the Onkaparinga Estuary.

Mr Garrett’s office could not be contacted before the Southern Times Messenger’s deadline.

Major design and construction works, including the rail bridge, are expected to start in September and train services to Seaford will be operating by 2013.

via The Southern Times Messenger

The Transport Department applied under the Aboriginal Heritage Act last September to disturb the sites as part of the $300 million rail project.

Now the Kaurna people have met Minister Grace Portolesi to urge her to reject the application.

She is waiting on advice from the Aboriginal Heritage Committee.

“I do intend to proceed with as much as much respect for culture and history and heritage, but there will be times when we disagree,” she said.

“There is no doubt that the buck stops with me and I’ll be making a decision over the next few days about it.”

Onkaparinga Council says the rail electrification will boost transport-oriented development in Adelaide’s south.

via ABC News