Beach front parking lot

The idea of being able to park your car in front of a beautiful beach and stay there quietly watching the sun going down sounds great, right?  This was one of the Herring Cove Beach attractions until the damage started. Due to climate change, the continued rise in sea level caused the erosion of the […]

Presentation; World Parking Symposium 2016

  Cristina Lynn, ptc.‘s managing partner, talked about repurposing car parks during her presentation at the 2016 World Parking Symposium in Vancouver, Canada. Register to our Resources area to download the presentation:… Please Register or Log In for more....

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Superblocks: Barcelona’s concept for traffic reduction

Modification of the basic road network and the differentiation of street use according to the mode of transportation are the two main characteristics of “Superblocks”, an urban mobility solution that increases the availability and quality of pedestrian spaces. In 2003, Barcelona implemented its first Superblock in the Gràcia neighbourhood, and next year the city is […]

The use of technology and creativity to improve safety

Recent initiatives from around the globe demonstrate a wide variety of creative solutions aimed at improving safety for pedestrians and cyclists. India and China are using optical illusions to induce drivers to reduce their speed. Two artists from India, Saumya Pandya Thakkar and Shakuntala Pandya, created a 3-D crosswalk that tricks drivers into thinking they […]

Solar car park doubles as research lab

PTC has been following the news of solar car parks since 2010, and their incidence is steadily increasing. Last month, Florida Power & Light (FPL) announced the installation of a new commercial-scale solar array in one of Florida International University’s parking lots, as reported by the Miami Herald.  The difference is that this solar parking […]

Debate continues over mandatory helmet laws

The mandatory helmet law debate has been ongoing for several years. On one side, the legislators are claiming that this law is essential to guarantee cyclists safety. Opposing groups, however, assert that the mandatory helmet laws are driving people away from adopting bicycles as a transport mode. Last year, a study conducted across Canada brought […]

Safer infrastructure key to cycling uptake

One of the best ways to increase the number of cyclists is to improve safety. A study conducted in Toronto, Canada indicated that the shift in Sherbourne Street’s bike track from a painted lane to a physically separated cycle path resulted in an increase of 300% in cyclists, as reported by I Bike TO. According […]

Paris to become more pedestrian friendly

    Popular squares in Paris are being redesigned to hand the city back to pedestrians and cyclists. According to CO.EXIST, seven Parisian plazas located in high traffic zones will be remodelled; the new designs will reserve at least 50% of the space for pedestrians and cyclists. The motivation for this shift is that “Parisians are […]

Enforcement procedure, Sicilian style

Cristina Lynn, Managing Partner of ptc., observed curious behaviour from her temporary residence in Modica, Sicily. This is what happens when you commit a traffic offence in Modica: Enforcement officer ambles towards offending vehicle(s); Enforcement officer blows his whistle to advise the drivers that they need to come and move their car; Enforcement officer walks […]

5 year old cyclists leading the way in Odense, Denmark

Whilst in Australia parents are reluctant to let their children walk or cycle to school, things are certainly on the move in Denmark.  School children in Odense are more likely to show up on a bike at school than be dropped off in a car, as posted in fastcoexist.com Contrary to statistics in Australia where […]

V2V and V2I new transport technology in NYC

Vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication is fast becoming one of the biggest sea changes in transportation technology, following right behind the foot steps of self-driving vehicles. The core essence of this technology allows cars, signs and traffic to communicate with one another over Wi-Fi-like airways, according to theverge.com. As such, drivers will have access to more […]

Solar panels to hit the roads in France

Over the next five years, and with the support of the country’s Agency of Environment and Energy Management, France will install some 1,000km of solar roadways using cutting edge technology, according to treehugger.com. In a joint venture between France’s National Institute for Solar Energy and Colas (a transport infrastructure company) solar panels will be glued […]

How Chinese companies are dealing with carpooling

General Motors in China have developed an app to enable their 700 employees to share rides with their colleagues and combine their “employee carpooling program with intelligent mobile technology”. According to carscoops.com the program allows drivers to input their preferred route, departure time and number of seats available, while riders will submit their commuter requests. […]

The woman behind 640km of bike lanes in NYC

Janette Sadik-Khan, NYC’s recent transportation commissioner, was instrumental in the introduction of over 640 km of bike lanes to the NYC cityscape.  She was the driving force behind the impressive makeover of NYC’s Department of Transportation (DOT) from 2007 to 2013 with bikes, cycle paths and a new way of mobility top of mind.  As […]

Robotic car parks – how successful are they?

Automatic robotic parking garages have been popping up around the world from Miami to Denmark for many years.  Whilst they represent a sign of the times in terms of the development of technology and smart cities, their design and implementation can sometimes be problematic. Take for instance what is considered the perfect car park in […]

Can Sydney develop its own digital traffic plan?

The world is embracing digital transformation with gusto and speed.  Smart cities around the globe are reshaping and rebuilding themselves for the better and creating a more liveable and safe environment for residents. But for some reason Sydney is lagging behind. According to a recent report released by the Committee for Sydney, as reported in […]

Uber forces closure of London taxi college

Whilst Uber is yet to be legalised here in NSW (see abc.net.au), London cabbies claim Uber is responsible for the downfall of their training school, Knowledge Point (UK), as mentioned in the AFR. 70-year-old business owner, Malcolm Linskey, attributes Uber for the closure of the business he started 30 years ago in Islington, North London.  […]

Sustainable public transport the key to Shanghai’s bold development program

According to  ShanghaiDaily.com, the city is set to be developed into a ‘megacity’.    However, it will be a long journey for planners and policy makers. The thoughts of local residents resonate with many residents here in Sydney – ‘long commutes and traffic jams’.    Planners in both cities are faced with massive challenges to make them […]

Design & fashion make their way to the car park

Ask anyone about the definition of a car park, and you will instantly hear words such as: congestion, nightmare, traffic, expensive, hard to use or perhaps “I can never find my car”.  But has anyone ever responded with “they are the best place to hold a fashion show”?  Perhaps not. Earlier this year the British […]

Salt Lake City: less cars and more bikes = a boost to retail profitability

    Salt Lake City leads by example.  Retailers are renown for hitting the panic button when there are plans to remove on-street parking and add extra space for bicycles.  However, according to Streetsblog.org,  a growing body of evidence suggests that the introduction of additional bikes and bike lanes, can lead to a calmer streetscape […]

Adelaide reinvents itself as a vibrant new city with less cars and more people

  Placemaking plays a major role in the reinvention of Adelaide and has been the force behind Adelaide stepping into the world arena.  The city is now becoming daring and exciting, according to AdelaideNow.  It  is receiving international recognition due to its recent transformation through a dedicated program of infrastructure and redevelopment.  Adelaide City Council’s […]

Fast cars and freeways come to an end in Los Angeles

Los Angeles City Council takes a leap of faith and approves a new transportation plan, (Mobility Plan 2035), that would remodel the LA streetscape over the next 20 years.   The new plan could see the “sacrificing of car lanes to make way for bikes and buses”, according to the NY Times.   The plan aims to […]

Urban mobility goes electric in Copenhagen

  As reported in Inside EVs, a new initiative between leading business groups and providers of public transport has seen urban mobility jump to the forefront in Copenhagen. In a joint initiative between Arriva (Denmark’s provider of public transport), DriveNow (European car sharing operator) and BMW, means the people of Copenhagen can now enjoy urban […]

Traffic Flow and Technology

If you think your next road trip is in your own hands, think again.   Behind the scenes of traffic flow there may be a number of technologies controlling your journey.  From road, to air to even the waterways, your path from A to B may be subject to change in real time.  Today we look […]

Safety Trucks Hit the Road in Argentina

Argentina has one of the highest car accident rates in the world (alertdriving.com), claiming over 20 lives a day.  Most of these accidents involve cars passing trucks on two-lane roads, as reported in businessinsider.com.au.  To help combat this problem Samsung have released a prototype for a Safety Truck, which could potentially make driving a lot […]

Driverless Cars – Google’s vision for road safety

The Globe and Mail (Vancouver) reports on a recent TED Talk regarding Google’s driverless car program.  The man behind this program, Chris Urmson (Google’s Director of Self-Driving Cars) declares the technology designed to remove humans from the driver’s seat will be available within the next five years. Urmson remarks, “we’ve made some pretty exciting progress and at […]

Chinese High Speed Rail Set for Success

While China and Australia vastly different culturally, physically, and economically, a recent article in the Financial Review highlights something we have in common — both countries have a rail network that is required to cover an enormous amount of ground.  According to this article, the contrast between our countries’ transport systems on long-distance journeys is […]

Transport Stats – Sydney vs Vancouver

Following on from our Vancouver Promotes Active Transportation story, we were pleased to see a post recently from The Urbanist, ‘How Does Sydney Compare to Vancouver on Travel’. Vancouver and Sydney are often grouped together when it comes to comparing cities around the globe.  Built upon opposite shores of the Pacific Ocean, residents of both cities lead a very […]

Interactive Map Helps DC Manage Road Safety

The Swedish initiative of Vision Zero is gaining momentum in the USA.    Washington DC Mayor, Muriel Bowser, has taken a strong lead on Vision Zero as a direct response to the US Department of Transportation’s Mayors’ Challenge for Safer People and Safer Streets.  The aim for Vision Zero is to ultimately improve pedestrian and bicycle […]

Car-Free Areas announced for Central Park

A new initiative from the City of New York, Office of the Mayor, Bill de Blasio, has released some key improvements to major sections of Central Park, which will be solely dedicated to recreation.  Improvements to Central Park and Prospect Park will make the majority of each park car-free.  These changes will restore major sections […]


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