Goodbye to peak-hour traffic blues
Sun Herald
26 September 1999
By AMY LAWSON
CRUISING across Sydney Harbour, admiring the views and breathing the sea air is all part of Rose Malcolm's working day.
Tired of battling peak-hour traffic and paying large amounts for city parking, Ms Malcolm opted for a far more relaxing mode of transport to work from her Balmain home - a Sydney ferry.
“It's really easy, I get dressed in the morning, look out the window and see the ferry coming” said Ms Malcolm, an assistant accountant working at Circular Quay.
“Then I run around the corner, get on the ferry and travel 15 minutes across one of the most beautiful harbours in the world.
“Door to door it's about 20 to 25 minutes.
“If I was driving, considering you were travelling in the morning peak hour, it would probably take close to an hour by the time you get through the city and park.
“Not to mention how expensive the parking is. It's $12 an hour at the building.”
Thousands of people are expected to emulate Ms Malcolm and leave their cars at home on Friday, Walk To Work Day.
The aims are to promote walking as a viable mode of transport and to encourage the use and efficiency of public transport.
Air pollution would decrease as would our reliance on cars.
“Walking is something the majority of people are capable of” said Pedestrian Council chairman Harold Scruby.
“Consider walking to the station or the bus stop.
“Get your daily exercise this way.”
Ms Malcolm, 20, combines working five days a week with full-time study for a Bachelor of Business degree at the University of Technology.
Finding time to relax or catch up on some reading is a big priority.
“It's easy, convenient, you're not stressed when you get to work and you travel in a beautiful atmosphere,” she said.
“You couldn't ask for anything nicer.”
“Also, you can do other things while you travel, so you save time. You can read the paper or magazines or a book, which you can't do in a car.”
After discovering the advantages of a hassle-free trip to work, Ms Malcolm recoils at the thought of having to drive to work again.
“I've driven into the office before and it's just a nightmare. It's stop and start the whole way and by the time you get to work you're just so grumpy and fed up that it's not worth it,” she said.
“I can't imagine doing it on a day-to-day basis.
“I just can't imagine anything worse.”
A website dedicated to Walk To Work Day is at www.walk.com.au and free Walk To Work stickers are available from David Jones, Grace Bros, Rebel Sport, NRMA and RTA registries.
CRUISING across Sydney Harbour, admiring the views and breathing the sea air is all part of Rose Malcolm's working day.
Tired of battling peak-hour traffic and paying large amounts for city parking, Ms Malcolm opted for a far more relaxing mode of transport to work from her Balmain home - a Sydney ferry.
“It's really easy, I get dressed in the morning, look out the window and see the ferry coming” said Ms Malcolm, an assistant accountant working at Circular Quay.
“Then I run around the corner, get on the ferry and travel 15 minutes across one of the most beautiful harbours in the world.
“Door to door it's about 20 to 25 minutes.
“If I was driving, considering you were travelling in the morning peak hour, it would probably take close to an hour by the time you get through the city and park.
“Not to mention how expensive the parking is. It's $12 an hour at the building.”
Thousands of people are expected to emulate Ms Malcolm and leave their cars at home on Friday, Walk To Work Day.
The aims are to promote walking as a viable mode of transport and to encourage the use and efficiency of public transport.
Air pollution would decrease as would our reliance on cars.
“Walking is something the majority of people are capable of” said Pedestrian Council chairman Harold Scruby.
“Consider walking to the station or the bus stop.
“Get your daily exercise this way.”
Ms Malcolm, 20, combines working five days a week with full-time study for a Bachelor of Business degree at the University of Technology.
Finding time to relax or catch up on some reading is a big priority.
“It's easy, convenient, you're not stressed when you get to work and you travel in a beautiful atmosphere,” she said.
“You couldn't ask for anything nicer.”
“Also, you can do other things while you travel, so you save time. You can read the paper or magazines or a book, which you can't do in a car.”
After discovering the advantages of a hassle-free trip to work, Ms Malcolm recoils at the thought of having to drive to work again.
“I've driven into the office before and it's just a nightmare. It's stop and start the whole way and by the time you get to work you're just so grumpy and fed up that it's not worth it,” she said.
“I can't imagine doing it on a day-to-day basis.
“I just can't imagine anything worse.”
A website dedicated to Walk To Work Day is at www.walk.com.au and free Walk To Work stickers are available from David Jones, Grace Bros, Rebel Sport, NRMA and RTA registries.
