Trams along Unley Rd, The Parade would slow peak-hour traffic to crawl, says the RAA

TRAM lines along Unley Rd and The Parade would slow traffic to a crawl during peak hour and offer more disadvantages than advantages, the RAA says.

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TRAM lines along Unley Rd and The Parade would slow traffic to a crawl during peak hour and offer more disadvantages than advantages, the RAA says.

RAA senior road safety manager Charles Mountain last week told a residents’ meeting that while he supported extending Adelaide’s tram network in some parts, he did not think light rail was feasible in Unley and Norwood.

His comments came as Unley Mayor Lachlan Clyne proposed a $300 million underground line as an alternative to the State Government’s plan for trams along Unley Rd and an Eastern Courier Messenger poll showed only half of respondents supported the network extension locally.

Speaking at a Friends of the City of Unley Society meeting, Mr Mountain — who worked as Unley Council’s traffic manager until 2012 — said the government’s tram line proposal had “more disadvantages than advantages”.

“You have wonder how it will manage morning and afternoon peak traffic,” Mr Mountain told the meeting.

“It will be able to work when there are less cars on the road, but until people decide to make that transition … I do not know.

“I imagine you would have the same problems in Norwood, although they would probably be worse.”

About 30,000 cars use Unley Rd every day and approximately 23,000 motorists pass through The Parade each day.

A recent RAA survey found morning peak travel times along Unley Rd to the CBD had jumped to 31 minutes — up from 27 in 2005 — due to increased traffic congestion.

Mr Mountain said while a tram line to Port Adelaide and extending the CBD network were good ideas, electric buses were a cheaper and “more flexible” public transport option for Adelaide’s east and inner south.

“Trams are quite inflexible,” he said. “If there is a crash or a burst water main, it is easy to re-route a bus.”

The State Government’s plan to extend Adelaide’s tram network along The Parade, Unley Rd, Prospect Rd, Henley Beach Rd and along the existing Outer Harbor line received a significant boost last week, with Federal Labor pledging $500 million to the project if it won the July 2 election.

Mr Clyne last week urged the State Government to explore an underground tramline.

Mr Clyne predicted it would cost about $300 million to put a 3km line under Unley Rd.

“We need to be looking at transport for 2050, not just models from 1950,” Mr Clyne said.

“Adelaide is one of the few cities of its size not to have a portion of transport underground.

“I think we really need to explore it”.

Federal Labor estimates the overall cost of extending Adelaide’s tram network at around $3 billion.

The State Government is spending $4 million on a business case for the proposal.

Transport Minister Stephen Mullighan said the business case would be released “in the coming months”.

For or against?

Messenger Community News polled 500 people across Adelaide on their support for an extension of a tram network.

■ Unley: 60 per cent for, 40 per cent against

■ Norwood: 43 per cent for, 42 per cent against, 15 per cent undecided

■ North Adelaide and Prospect:

69 per cent for, 28 per cent against, 3 per cent against

■ Western Adelaide: 71 per cent for, 21 per cent against, 8 per cent undecided

■ Outer Harbor: 83 per cent for, 15 per cent against, 2 per cent undecided

■ Total: 65.2 per cent for, 29.2 per cent against, 5.6 per cent undecided