Candidate for Unley Council - Goodwood Ward I’m Tom Jones. I have lived in the Unley area since 1977, moving to our current Millswood address in 1990. I have traded on Unley Road with, firstly, an antique shop, then, subsequently working in the computer industry, I’ve worked there from three other commercial premises. Since working in the computer industry, I obtained my real estate ticket and took up rural sales with a leading Adelaide company for half a dozen years. I was particularly interested in the sustainable actions of rural residents like solar power and rainwater management, so when the drought bit, I moved into this arena, along with much study; resulting in a handful of Certificate IVs and a new career. Our two children have grown up and been educated in this council area. I’ve restored both of our homes from semi-derelict, learning about heritage and planning along the way. We have a privileged lifestyle in Goodwood Ward. We’re a short stroll from the increasingly interesting Goodwood Village shops and Community Centre with the Capri on the way. Our surroundings and our street are full of trees and the morning bird chorus sounds like the backblocks of the Adelaide Hills. We can jump onto a train, tram or bus to get to the city; if we need the car to carry things, we arrive in minutes. This must be one of the most liveable suburbs in our “top 100” Adelaide city. I’m concerned about transport, though. Our main roads are becoming increasingly constricted, especially at peak times. Freight trains are getting longer and faster. I find more residents agreeing that their carcinogous particulate smoke is unacceptable, let alone their noise and growing disruption to traffic at the crossings – speaking of which, a 1.8km freight train at up to 90kph surely has a zero chance of stopping if you happen to run out of petrol or have a bingle at the Cross Road crossing! We need to think ahead about planning to integrate the new tramline extension up Unley Road, about safe bicycle tracks, about the fact that 40% of congestion can be alleviated by putting 10% of existing motorists onto motor scooters/cycles, according to a recent study. There is much to contemplate regarding transport. I own a little corner of Brownhill Creek. The danger of flooding is real and the solution is complex and controversial. I think that we need to even out the flow rate at peak times, to retard the dangerous flood-burst. I think that the best solution is to arrest the flow from the rural catchment – whether that involves a dam at one or other of the proposed sites or else if the whole concept is re-examined to look for alternative locations or perhaps several detention basins – all along with appropriate, measured work along the existing watercourse. Comments, criticisms, congratulations or complaints...? |
