Perth, Western Australia May 10, 2008 Home News Time Out Letters Write a Letter Special Coverage Walsham Classifieds Search Real Estate Trades & Services Submit About Contact Us Advertising Legal	Too many office blocks in Subi Robert McInnes ("Small business is set to quit Subi", POST letters, 12/4) is correct in saying that excessive density in the China Green proposals will aggravate Subiaco's parking problems, and in consequence its economic viability. When, in London in the 1960s, a bureau was set up to encourage office developments in the suburbs, this had the bad effect of increasing car usage because, as in Perth, London public transport radiates mainly from the centre. Surely the centre - served by stations from CityWest to East Perth and Esplanade - is where most offices should be. Mr McInnes mentions the problem that few staff working in Subiaco live on the Fremantle to Perth line, whereas workers in the centre have access from all rail lines, and from far more bus routes. As most readers have agreed - most recently those in Subi Centro, whose protests were reported in the May 3 edition - the amount of accommodation (both offices and residential) currently planned for China Green, must be drastically reduced. A particular absurdity is the idea of a 10-storey "entry statement"; this should be abandoned: it would be even taller than the ugly tower block of King Edward Memorial Hospital, and like it, out of scale and character with its surroundings. Even a reduced China Green development will produce much traffic. Rail use would be encouraged by a new station where the train comes out of the tunnel, halfway between Subiaco and Daglish stations; this could also serve the hospital, local residents and, hopefully, a retained Lord's. The government is right in encouraging public transport use, but needs to do more to make it acceptable. This includes increasing the frequency of trains and buses, improving security, and introducing new routes. If employers offered free public transport instead of free car parking, this would further reduce traffic problems. Peak oil is a reality, and we had better be prepared for its consequences. Tony Noakes Hardy Road Nedlands   Do you have something to say? Write to us and we may publish your letter next week. < PREVIOUS - HOME - NEXT> Copyright © 1999 - 2008 Post Newspapers Pty Ltd. All rights reserved.