Re-Imagining regional transport integration

Tackling 3 big regional transport questions in a Hackathon

In our upcoming Hackathon, we're asking teams to re-interpret the potential of our transport systems and connectivity between them with the following 3 big questions:

Q1: Bus and Beyond: how can we innovate, optimise or combine our use of existing transport options?

Q2: Pedalling for Impact: how do we make cycling experiences a more user friendly, integrated option in LakeMacquarie?
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Q3: LakeMac to Sydney: T-90 and counting. How can we optimise the use of rail and other transport modes to unlock the potential of our proximity?

​Let's break these down a bit and explore each of them.

Bus and Beyond

Integrated well, bus transport can provide a highly efficient means of moving people around. When bus routes are combined with other transport modes - walking, riding, rail, car - in a way that optimises journeys, we can see more time efficient journeys and convenience than a private car. Similarly, when bus fleets become more adaptive and connected to demand, by responding to user needs with more flexible trip routing, or integrating other transport options (eg bike racks), they become more responsive.

Using Transport for NSW OpenData and references to other international bus fleet innovations, we're asking teams to explore how bus use within our region can be transformed to make bus use more appealing and a great user experience.

ACT Bus and Bike integration

Read More:
http://citiscope.org/story/2016/why-helsinkis-innovative-demand-bus-service-failed 
http://www.bridj.com

Pedalling for Impact

Cycle based tourism has had real economic impact in regional Tasmania and is well known for creating exciting visitor experiences in spots like Whistler or Portland USA, Queenstown NZ or Thredbo in summer.  Startups like CycleLifeHQ have realised this and started to curate content showcasing cycling destinations around the world, including Australia. 

​Areas of Lake Macquarie offer great riding destinations with their mix of foreshore, forest and ocean views, but are poorly leveraged and integrated into a regional tourism experience. For example - if we could circumnavigate the East and West sides of the Lake, connect sections with diverse cycling and recreational adventure experiences, we could attract significant domestic and international rider interest and enhanced local options.

Groups around the world are reinterpreting bicycle use through initiatives like CycleHack What might we discover by applying some of that design thinking within our region? With technology innovation heavily influencing and evolving bicycle design, eBike choices are proliferating and lowering the barrier to positive cycling experiences, with designs now integrating cargo carrying choices better than ever before. Locally, we've got great innovations happening, from foreshore cycling experiences with LynchsHub, the HunterEV Festival eBike races and eBike share schemes from Bykko, but there's so much more potential yet to activate our regions assets.

The National Heart Foundation are working hard to encourage each of us to build more active transport choices into our daily routines, for good reason - check their Healthy Active Communities initiative and resources. 

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LakeMac + Sydney = T90

T-90 is a call to action to create a viable 90min trip to Sydney or back, whilst also making productive use of journey time. If you're using rail services now, what does your journey time look like? How could it be reimagined to make it a more productive and efficient choice? Whilst we know a hackathon won't deliver upgrades to rolling stock or corridor realignments, we know there's more to be achieve through the lens of innovation by setting a 90min transit target to help shape thinking about what would be needed to make it achievable. 

Innovation cues beyond the event

Beyond LakeMacHack, we're seeing resurgent interest in tackling the problems of creating liveable cities and their accessibility challenges for more vulnerable users. We're looking forward to seeing what our event teams can produce for urban space development and personal mobility choices that make our region a compelling and attractive choice.