Streets and People

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Parking affects far more than where we leave our cars. Itinfluences our main streets, local businesses, public transport, shopping centres and the way our communities grow. In this episode of Streets and People , Wendy Nashspeaks with urban planner Dr David Mepham, author of Rethinking Parking: Planning and Urban Design Perspectives , about why parking reform matters and how parking decisions shap...

What if our streets could do more than move cars—what if they connected us? Max McCardel, an active transport specialist, joins us to explore how thoughtful design can transform the way we move, live, and belong in our communities. From pop-up bike lanes to school street closures, Max shares stories of how small changes can create safer, more inclusive spaces for everyone. Whether you’re a parent...

What if our streets could be designed so that no one has tofear for their safety while walking, riding, or driving? In this heartfelt People and Projects episode of The Streets and People podcast, Wendy from Get Around Caboolture sits down with Kenn Beer, a passionate advocate for Safe System Solutions, to explore how we can create roads that protect everyone—no matter where they live or how they...

That moment when you watch your child run ahead on the footpath, and you wonder—what exactly are they breathing in? Physicist and science writer Laurie Winkless joins Wendy Nash for a conversation that gets to the heart of our daily lives: the invisible cloud of tyre and brake dust we’re all moving through. From Caboolture’s car-dependent streets to Wellington’s urban corners, we explore how the c...

Why do our streets belong to cars? It wasn’t always this way—and it wasn’t an accident. In this eye-opening episode of Get Around Caboolture, we’rejoined by Professor Peter Norton, historian and author of Fighting Traffic , to uncover the shocking truth about how car dependence was engineered—not by public demand, but by powerful industries, clever language, and forgotten protests. What You’ll Dis...

How can we design public transport networks that truly serve communities? In this People and Projects episode of the Streets and People podcast , Wendy chats with Nicolas Reid , transport planner and author of Transit by Design: A Practical Guide to Planning Public Transport That Works . Nicolas shares his journey from commuting across Auckland’s Harbour Bridge to shaping transport systems in Berl...

Queensland’s proposed eBike laws could strip away the independence of thousands of disabled riders including children with cerebral palsy, elderly cyclists, and people with mobility challenges. In this urgent episode, Andrea Herklots , co-founder of EveryBody eBikes (formerly Blind Freddy eBikes), joins us to expose how these laws threaten eBikes for disabled riders and what you can do to help. An...

What if the key to solving the housing crisis lies in parking lots ? In this eye-opening episode, we sit down with Bryan Tony of the Dallas Housing Coalition to uncover how Dallas—a city built for cars—is leading the way in parking reform to make housing more affordable and communities more walkable. From outdated zoning laws to innovative transit-oriented development, Bryan shares how a diverse c...

Learning to Walk Again – How Communities Can Make Streets Safer for Kids Join Wendy on this People and Projects episode from the Streets and People podcast as she chats with Peter Murray, an urban designer and advocate for walkable, kid-friendly streets. Inspired by his work with Lucy Saunders and his travels to the UK, Peter shares how simple changes—like school streets, slower speeds, and play s...

Most parking lots sit empty most of the day. Acres of asphalt, silent and unused — while people struggle to find a home in the very same neighbourhood. In this People & Projects episode of the Streets and People podcast, Monte Anderson shares how communities are quietly turning underused parking into housing people can actually afford. Not through megaprojects or distant investors, but through...

What if the most powerful tool for changing your street fitsin your pocket? In this People and Projects episode of the Streets and People podcast, we speak with public health specialist Lucy Saunders about the Healthy Streets App , It’s a simple 5-minute survey that helps you rate how your street really feels. Is it safe to cross?  Is there shade in summer? Can you walk side-by-side with a friend?...

Why do cities keep saying they support bike lanes — yet so few actually get built? In this People and Projects episode of the Streets and People podcast, transport planner Will Symons joins the podcast to unpack the real-world barriers that stop bike lanes from being delivered as everyday transport. Drawing on his master’s research and current work with local councils, Will explains how approval p...

Patrick Siegman joins Wendy to reveal how parking policy secretly shapes housing, community, and urban life. Learn why small reforms can make cities more liveableand equitable. Wendy talks with Patrick Siegman about the hidden impact of parking policy on housing, community, and urban life. From costly university garages to minimum parking rules that inflate rents, Patrick explains why rethinking p...

What happens when an advertising creative turns his skills toward safer streets? In this episode, Wendy sits down with Tom Flood to explore how bold visuals, humour, and human-centred storytelling can transform the way we talk about road safety and urban space. From a family bike ride that sparked unexpected advocacy to poster campaigns that challenge “what’s normal” on our streets, Tom shares how...

What if the simple act of riding a bike could change an entirecommunity? In this inspiring episode, we sit down with Megan Ramey — a bold voice reimagining how children, parents, and neighbourhoods move through their streets. From joyful bike trains" to quick-build street transformations, Megan shows how two wheels can unlock independence, calm traffic, and reconnect people to the places they...

Transport expert Todd Litman , founder of the Victoria Transport Policy Institute , joins us to talk about rethinking mobility, reducing car dependence, and his research on the Mobility Productivity Paradox —why more driving can actually lower productivity. We discuss how walkability, public transport, and cycling make communities healthier and fairer, and how better planning can help suburbs like...

What if parking wasn’t really free? Tony Jordan from the Parking Reform Network joins us to explain how parking rulesquietly shape housing costs, transport choices, and the look and feel of our neighbourhoods. In this People and Projects episode of the Streets and People podcast, Tony shares how one blog post changed his life — and how rethinking something as ordinary as a car park canmake towns a...

In this People & Projects episode of Streets and People , we chat with Paris Lord, a passionate advocate who is reshaping communities in Canberra through cycling. From reconnecting neighbourhoods after the pandemic to inspiring people of all abilities to get involved, Paris’s journey shows the power of bikes to transform lives. Rediscovering Cycling's Joy Paris shares how his love for cycl...

Russell King joins Streets and People to discuss how conservatives can embrace active and public transport. It's about independence , choice , reducing government spending, and improving health outcomes. Active and public transport align with conservative values by giving people more freedom and autonomy while saving money in the long run. Tune in to learn why transport policy needs to be reth...

What if the biggest waste of space in Caboolture isn’t empty shops - but empty carparks? (Caboolture is a high growth outer suburb north of Brisbane). In this episode of Streets and People , Wendy sits down with Steven Burgess, one of Australia’s leading voices on urban planning and parking reform. Steven’s journey started with Brisbane’s iconic New Farm–Teneriffe renewal and led him to ask a powe...

In this People and Projects episode of Streets and People,Wendy speaks with Anna Gurnhill about the Healthy Active by Design initiative, exploring its origins and the significant impact it has on urban planning and community health. Anna explains how built environments can encourage physical activity and improve heart health, focusing on key principles like walkability, mixed-use land development,...

In this People and Projects episode of the streets and people podcast, Wendy sits down with Prue Oswin, a professional engineer and active transport specialist based on the Sunshine Coast. The conversation takes you through Prue's journey, from childhood days spent on bicycles and rollerblades to her experiences as a triathlete and her transition into transport planning. Prue shares her deep p...

In this People on Projects episode of the Streets and People podcast, we explore road safety education with John Duncan from Brake Australia. John shares his journey from psychology to road safety, inspired by his father’s experience as a police officer delivering life-changing news to families of crash victims. This deeply personal connection is the foundation to Brake Australia's mission to...

In this People and Projects episode of The Streets and People Podcast , Andrew Talati discusses the transition from BunchRides to NeighbourlyRide. He explains the motivation behind NeighbourlyRide, focusing on using cycling to address loneliness, encourage community engagement, and promote physical activity. Andrew also covers the challenges of securing grant funding, the diverse community partici...