What would it look like if our streets were designed to prioritise the needs of people, not vehicles? How would our communities change if we lowered speed limits, widened footpaths, improved pedestrian crossings, planted more shade trees and created separated bike lanes on busy streets?  

Can you imagine a city like this, where it’s not only safer and more convenient to walk or cycle rather than drive, but also more pleasurable? Where buses and trains are free, frequent and always full, high streets are closed to cars, and there is ample space for street parties, festivals and markets in every suburb. What impact would this have on our sense of belonging to a ‘neighbourhood?’ 

Nearly half of our city’s urban footprint is allocated primarily for the use of single- occupant motor vehicles. Pedestrians, cyclists, e-scooters and wheelchair users are forced to bump shoulders on narrow, shoddy footpaths at constant risk of collision around driveways, parking bays and intersections. 

How much public green space could we create if we dramatically reduced the number of cars on the road? How much money could we save on road maintenance if driving was not the main form of transportation? 

Join Councillor Jonathan Sriranganathan for a community forum to discuss all of these questions and more, to determine what it would be like if we designed streets for people, not cars. Bring along your thoughts, ideas and experiences, and help us brainstorm a vision for a more pedestrian-friendly city. 

This forum is part of Regenerate Brisbane, a series exploring how we can positively transform our city from the bottom up.