11 Dec 2010: Australia: Public transport now the priority ...

[ozbob]

Media Release 11 December 2010

Australia:  Public transport now the priority for Governments that want to really govern ..

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport commuters has said the latest Opinion survey from the Institute of Transport and Logistics Studies for Quarter 2, June 2010 has clearly indicated the immediate and long term direction for transport in Australia (1,2).

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"One of the key findings in the survey is that over half of Australians (53%) said the highest priority issue for transport in Australia is public transport improvements, more than double who said road improvements were the highest transport priority (22%)."

"A car centric, road centric transport policy is now demonstrably a failure all over.  All bulk freight needs to be moved back to rail, and  high frequency high capacity public transport put in place in all major population centres.  Further support for active transport needs ramping up."

"Governments all over Australia are captive to the road lobby.  As was demonstrated in the recent state election in Victoria, the citizens of Australia have had enough of the congestion, the chronic chaos and devastating road trauma, and governments will turn on this issue.  The looming oil crisis is another factor of why we need to act now (3,4)."

"The bulk of the road funding must be given over to sustainable transport options for the future. Electric rail, light and heavy will be the transport saviour for our nation, time to get cracking! The days of wine and roses are nearly over ... "

References:

1.  Institute of Transport and Logistics Studies–Interfleet Transport Opinion Survey (TOPS) Quarter 2, June 2010 http://sydney.edu.au/business/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/72397/TOPS-data-1006.pdf

2.  http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=5041.msg42144#msg42144

3.  New Zealand Parliament Report: The next oil shock? http://www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/ParlSupport/ResearchPapers/4/6/a/00PLEco10041-The-next-oil-shock.htm

4.  http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=4932.0

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org

[ozbob]

Discussion thread --> http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=5041.0

[Stillwater]

How inattention to an issue, and its manifestation across the public transport network, cost a government its grip on power:

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/trains-drove-poll-hopes-off-the-rails-20101203-18jwq.html

Is the Sunshine Coast Line the equivalent of Victoria's Frankston Line in its abilities to be a political Achilles tendon?  The line north passes through, or serves, these 16 electorates:  Brisbane Central, Nudgee, Clayfield, Aspley (held by the Shadow Minister for Public Transport), Pine Rivers, Kallangur, Morayfield, Glasshouse, Pumicestone, Caloundra, Kawana, Maroochydore, Buderim, Nicklin, Noosa and Gympie.

With some predictions saying that Ms Bligh's Labor team could be reduced to less than that required for a jury; and an Opposition determined to protect its heartland, the fight for these seats will be dogged.  The court of public opinion will be savage on any party without a comprehensive, cogent public transport policy (as opposed to an unfunded futuristic wish list a la Connecting SEQ 2031) from both sides of government.

What's needed is a transport fix for the present, with priority for the worst parts of the network.  Principal among them is the Sunny Coast Line.  The clock is ticking to the next state election – just 15 months away.

In the words of the old Chinese curse, may our politicians live in interesting times, even more interesting than right now.