KARRINYUP / GWELUP Local Area Plan - City of Stirling

Pedestrian Amenity
A significant proportion of the Karrinyup-Gwelup Local Area street
network has been designed around a curvilinear and cul-de-sac
layout, typical of post-war subdivision design. More recently,
problems associated with such street designs have become
increasingly evident which can deter pedestrian amenity. These
include poor pedestrian legibility (ability to determine where you
are) and permeability (ability to easily get through the area).
Moreover, the area has not been designed to maximise accessibility
to key destinations such as shopping centres and community
facilities, meaning that opportunities for pedestrian trips are further
reduced. Pedestrian Access Ways do however provide some links
between areas and Council maintains and upgrades these where
appropriate to do so.
The City is responsible for the implementation and maintenance of
local footpaths. While most major roads have footpaths, there are
many streets without footpaths. This limits the connectivity and
safety of the pedestrian network. The City is proposing the
development of a policy to resolve such issues.
It is also the quality of the walking environment which can influence
pedestrian trips. Key issues with the pedestrian network include
lacking passive surveillance, lacking shade/shelter along pedestrian
routes and traffic related issues.
Public Transport
There are numerous public transport services that service the Local
Area, yet there remain some deficiencies in the network and its
quality. Parts of the area benefit from bus services running through
the area, connecting to Karrinyup Bus Station, Stirling Train Station,
Warwick Train Station and various other locations including
Scarborough and Trigg. Other parts of the Local Area have poorer
access to public transport and in some cases services are indirect
and/or infrequent. It is difficult, however, for services to be viable in
generally low density areas such as Karrinyup and Gwelup. As is
the case over many suburban areas, bus stops and shelters in the
Local Area, also generally fail to create an attractive or very safe
environment in which patrons are to wait which also restricts the
number of public transport trips taken. The poor quality pedestrian
network also limits the extent to which people may use public
transport.
It is also important for the City to consider land uses and activities
around public transport nodes and routes so as to capitalise on
public transport provision. There is some land use and transport
integration in the area in that the Karrinyup Bus Station is located in
the Karrinyup Regional Centre and a bus service runs past Gwelup
Plaza. There is still a need to consider how activities in centres
utilise public transport services, how well stations and stops are
designed and located to integrate with activities and how buildings
are designed to integrate with transport.
The City can liaise with the Public Transport Authority to review
public transport routes and services, stop locations and amenity at
bus stops as part of formulating an integrated transport network.
Cycling
Cyclist amenity is provided in the Local Area by way of pedestriancyclist
shared paths and the local road network. However, shared
paths often present pedestrian-cyclist conflicts, while the lack of onroad
cycling lanes generally means that cyclists face safety and
access problems due to vehicle traffic. Poor street-connectivity has
also resulted in the creation of a generally disjointed cyclist network.
It is also important for end-of-trip facilities (such as bicycle parking)
to be provided at important locations such as shopping centres to
fully provide for cyclist journeys which to date have generally not
been provided. The City is developing a bicycle parking policy
which mandates the provision of cycling end-of-trip facilities at
major destinations in addition to a policy aimed at strategically
planning for cycling routes.
CITY OF STIRLING 46
KARRINYUP-GWELUP LOCAL AREA PLAN
February 2010