Melbourne Town Hall, 13 March 2020.

This symposium brought together some of the world’s most respected speakers on road safety and city design, to tackle the major challenges to Australia becoming a world leader in road safety.

Australian state governments have established targets to reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries that occur on our roads. In most cases, current trends suggest these targets are unlikely to be met.

Download the seminar flyer and agenda

This one day symposium focused on evidence-based road safety policies and implementation, with leading international and Australian road safety experts highlighting how we are tracking and what we need to do to achieve our road safety targets.

The Institute for Sensible Transport would like to thank the City of Melbourne for continuing to support our transport seminars.

Download the audio

Two highlights of the day included the opening address from the Chair of the City of Melbourne’s Transport Portfolio, Cr Nic Frances Gilley and former CEO of VicRoads, John Merrit. Click on the links below to hear their presentations.

Cr Nic Francis Gilley, Chair, Transport Portfolio, City of Melbourne

by Institute for Sensible Transport | Road Safety Symposium

John Merritt, former CEO, VicRoads

by Institute for Sensible Transport | Road Safety Symposium

Speakers

Emeritus Professor Fred Wegman

Emeritus Professor Fred Wegman

Former Head, Dutch Road Safety Institute

Fred Wegman is Emeritus Professor Traffic Safety at Delft University of Technology and was a ‘Thinker in Residence’ in South Australia. During this time, Fred developed a strong understanding of the Australian road safety context and insights into the challenges for road safety in Australian cities.

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Fred is also the former managing director of SWOV Institute for Road Safety Research in the Netherlands. He is one of the designers of the Dutch version of the Safe System approach (called Sustainable Safety). He regularly advises governments all over the world on road safety and has developed insights on how Australia could improve its track record on road safety.

 
Meredith Glaser

Meredith Glaser

Urban Planner, University of Amsterdam

Meredith, originally from the US, has lived in the Netherlands for nearly 10 years, where she specializes in mobility research, cycling and the creation of vibrant cities. She is also one of the world’s most experience study tour leaders for professionals seeking to learn Dutch cycle planning concepts and practice.

John Merritt

John Merritt

Former CEO VicRoads and current TAC Board Member

John Merritt is an advisor to Ministers, Boards and Chief Executives, on leadership, culture, engagement, strategy and change.  He is a Non Executive Director of the Transport Accident Commission, an Advisor at the global engineering firm, Arup, a Special Advisor to the Planning Minister on combustible cladding, a member of the Advisory Council for the Monash University Accident Research Centre, and a member of the Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee at the St Kilda Football Club.

John successfully led large and complex organisations for over twenty years.  He was the Chief Executive of VicRoads, the CEO of the Environment Protection Authority, and Executive Director of WorkSafe Victoria. He was also the Chief Executive of the National Safety Council of Australia, and held senior management roles in the Fletcher Challenge organisation.

Associate Professor Jeremy Woolley

Associate Professor Jeremy Woolley

Director, Centre for Automotive Safety Research

Jeremy Woolley has over 20 years’ experience in road safety research. His experience includes in-depth crash investigation, vehicle safety
performance testing, police crash and injury data analysis.

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Jeremy has spent much of his career focussing on knowledge transfer activities and capacity building to better manage road safety in the public and private sector. Together with Dr John Crozier from the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, he co-chaired an inquiry into the National Road Safety Strategy with the final report delivered to parliamentarians in Canberra in September 2018. In the same year Jeremy was made a Fellow of the Australasian College of Road Safety for his contributions to road safety.

Vijaya Vaidyanath

Vijaya Vaidyanath

CEO, City of Yarra

Vijaya Vaidyanath has been CEO of the City of Yarra since 2012.  Prior to this role Vijaya spent over a decade as CEO at Waitakere City Council a very large metro City in New Zealand and as the CEO of Rodney District Council in New Zealand.   She also worked for 15 years as a senior Executive in the Reserve Bank in India with brief stints in the USA before migrating to New Zealand. Her presentation will detail the results of the City of Yarra’s 30km/h trial.

Topics

Understanding current trends and challenges in road safety

What are the main risks to Australian road users, how has this been changing over time? Learn the safety challenges on the horizon that may threaten to increase the risk profile on Australian city streets.

What has and hasn’t worked in road safety?

A critical examination of the policies that have bolstered road safety outcomes and the transport policies that continue to increase the risk of serious injury and fatality. Learn from best practice cities on how to minimise safety risks, and enhance the liveability and sustainability of our cities.

Target setting for road safety

Is Australia meeting its road safety targets, and what can be learnt from the world leaders in transport safety? Has politics got in the way of effective transport policy? How can areas like parking and speed management be used to bolster safety outcomes on city streets?

Driverless vehicles

What are the implications for a future in which driverless cars share the city streets with pedestrians, cyclists and human driven vehicles? What policies need to be in place to ensure the safety benefits are maximised and walking and cycling participation is not stunted?

Boosting participation and safety for pedestrians and people on bikes

Most cities have goals to grow active transport and lower the number of injuries to people on foot and bike. What can Australian cities learn from best practice countries in simultaneuously growing active transport & boosting safety levels?

Speed: Is 30 the new 40?

Many cities in Australia are debating the merits of moving to 30km/h on certain streets. Delegates will hear from a leading Australian council on their experience following the first area based trial of a 30km/h zone.