The footpath on Lake Albert Road is not exactly crowded with hikers headed for work. It is a long uphill walk to get home!

So having waded through the GTA report, (78 pages long, admittedly with many pages being almost blank) I have contented myself with comment on the most contentious parts, as noted by people who have contacted me, or stopped me in the street.

The most common reaction to the “Integrated Transport Strategy” is that our new council should return it with thanks, and ask for their money back.

This is a “Yes, Minister” report, reeking of inner Sydney “walk and ride” green ideology. Visiting Wagga for a couple of days does not make the report valid. 

We could have spent the $240,000 on a few junkets for councillors and community influentials (like the Committee 4 Wagga) to places where something unique is happening.

We then would have had the decision-makers discussing first-hand with Wagga ratepayers why certain ideas that worked in say, Tamworth, would work here.

Let’s talk bike tracks for a moment.

When I was transferred to the Riverina in 1966, I was 83 miles (140km) from Wagga, and 84 miles from Albury.

I visited both shopping centres in rotation on Saturday mornings.

I noticed that in Albury very many people, including middle-aged women, rode bikes around town. In Wagga this was not so. Why?

Only in Central Wagga would people consider walking or riding a bike, because Wagga’s newer suburbs at that time such as Turvey Park had steep hills.

Much of Albury is flat. Also, Albury has spreading shady trees along its trunk roads, whereas the summer sun in Wagga is searing, winter is freezing.

Most of us drive, and that particularly includes mums doing shopping with families, older people, workers at distant locations such as the abattoir, and those who have to arrive at work looking neat, tidy, and unsweaty! Workers and shoppers need to park the car.

Have you ever tried to disperse your children to several Saturday sporting venues by bus?

The Busabout services in Wagga are excellent if you are going to work, and live near the network (I don’t!) but let’s be frank, dragging the weekly shop home on the bus with the kids is no joke.

Buses in Sydney are heavily subsidised by us, the taxpayers.

“Fresh air buses” (those with few passengers) serve suburbs at night and on Sundays.

Would the State Government like to provide similar subsidies for Wagga? 

Shoppers from out of town need to be able to park near the businesses that have brought them to Wagga.

Parking meters? You’ve got to be joking! I pay more that $40 a week to Wagga City Council in rates. Doing business with Wagga retailers (or visiting the hospital or specialist) does not mean that I should pay a few extra dollars every time for the privilege. What a great way to kill Wagga jobs!

Before we spend millions on what will be under-used bike lanes, we should expect our new council to look with fresh eyes, and then get on with the job, starting with adequate covered parking near where people need to be.