I regularly catch the train into town. It is hassle free, as well as environmentally friendly way to get into and out of the city. It also saves the hassle of trying to find and pay for a park in the city. In addition, there are also the health benefits of walking to and from Smithfield train Station. In case you hadn’t guessed, Smithfield Interchange is my local train station. As a university student, it was a great way to get the readings done before getting to class.
One thing that I have noticed in the time I have been using Smithfield Interchange, is that there has been a phenomenal increase in patronage. This is especially true as the area around Smithfield has grown in terms of population and the buses also service the suburban area of Playford Council between Elizabeth Centre and Smithfield all go through, or terminate at, Smithfield Interchange, which increases the use of the Interchange. In the last 15 years I have lived in the area, there have upgrades to Smithfield Interchange. However, I wonder if these are only short term fixes.
In a time when people are being encourages to use public transport, it would make sense to address issues such as the lack of car parking that currently faces people at Smithfield Interchange. It is very rare not to see cars being parked illegally in the car park because the planning and development has not kept pace with the increased use.
It is not just car parking that needs to be addressed either. But the increase in traffic at peak times. There are many people who are dropped off by others to use the interchange. Gaining access to the Interchange during peak times can be a nightmare as people are trying to access the car park to park and others are trying to drop other people off.
It is important to point that that last year, the South Australian Government released a report, called “The 30 Year Plan for Greater Adelaide”. In this, both Elizabeth Station and Munno Para Station were identified as being in deed of upgrades because of potential increase in use. But how is this helping the stations that are experiencing increased use now and not keeping up with demand?
If the decision makers are serious about addressing this issue, then I challenge them to visit the interchange. Do not just brush it off and say “yes, we are aware of the problem” or “it’s not a priority for us”. Visit the interchange, look at the use and actually address ways of fixing it. Don’t just sweep it under the mat and thin it is going away. It’s not. People will continue to use Smithfield Interchange and the issues of increased use are not going to just go away, especially with the increasing development in the area. If Playford Council and the SA Government want to be seen planning for the future, then they need to address some points now and build them into future plans. Do not think that such things as this are going to go away simply because there are bigger plans in place. Part of looking at the bigger picture is addressing the little pictures that make up the big one. I challenge those with the ability to do something to actually get out there and do it.
By Sarah Jones © 2010
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