Federal Budget 2012/13

[Jonno]

Federal budget so 1500 is relevant as is the 40B in road trauma. 

Ask yourself this question. Had the rail network and long-distance passenger and freight services be given priority over road contruction back in 1980/1970, then how many people more people would still be alive? Way more than a bus load? 

You duplicate the highway and you get the massive numbers that drive long-distance as they do in the US.  It is almost a national past time and the deaths go up.  Ultimately motor vehicle transport is dangerous.  If 1500 were killed in the airline industry would planes still be flying?

Was unlucky to come across 50 car pile up on German Freeway and never want to see anything like it again.   

[somebody]

Freight, maybe.  If there are less trucks on the road, there will be less to hit.

But long distance passenger has little market in Australia.  It is far too slow and expensive to compete with flying, which is generally unsubsidised.  Why send good money after that?

I really think that you will find that the elasticity is low.  You might get a few trucks to move from the New England Hwy to the Pacific though, but I think that change has already happened.