Article: Transport head slams big delays

[ozbob]

From the Melbourne Age click here!

Transport head slams big delays

Transport head slams big delays
Reid Sexton
May 16, 2012

THE head of the state's new public transport authority has slammed delays to major train and bus projects after the Baillieu government failed to meet a swath of its own deadlines.

Public Transport Victoria chief Ian Dobbs said it was unacceptable that at least a third of Department of Transport projects scheduled for completion by midyear would not be finished.

Mr Dobbs said those overseeing the projects, which include the $195 million electrification of the Sunbury rail line - which is months behind schedule - and slashing travel times on different bus routes, must be made more accountable.
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The setbacks include a minimum 15-month delay in delivering the new $176 million digital radio system, which will stop frequent dropouts and is now set for late 2013.

The program to improve bus priority on the Ringwood to Tullamarine Smartbus routes is 15 months late, while a delay of several months applies to a similar project for buses that service Doncaster and a nine-month delay affects upgrading the rail network's control room, a project meant to be delivered in 2001.

''I have thoroughly reviewed these projects and expressed to all parties the need to ensure there are no further delays,'' Mr Dobbs said.

''One of my first tasks on establishing PTV was to undertake a thorough review of project delivery and I will be implementing major changes to the way projects are delivered in the future.

''There is no doubt there needs to be increased accountability and tighter controls, not just in PTV but with the operators and contractors. Late projects are just not acceptable.''

Mr Dobbs' remarks follow repeated warnings from business leaders that the government is at risk of losing its competitive edge to other states unless it upgrades major infrastructure in Victoria.

Transport Minister Terry Mulder was relentless in opposition as he attacked the then Labor government over delays to projects such as myki and a new rail radio system, saying it reflected the government's incompetence and apathy.

But this month's budget reveals that the government has fallen behind in delivering vital safety and reliability improvements, with the department set not to deliver five of the 14 public transport projects it was scheduled to by midyear.

These targets were set by the government in last year's budget, six months after the election, and do not include the Regional Rail Link because a target was not set then.

Public Transport Users Association president Daniel Bowen said the last government paid a high price for not delivering on public transport. This one was in danger of doing the same.

''It is surprising that a government that came to power on the back of public transport issues has not worked harder to ensure that projects are delivered on time,'' he said.

''People are still irritated by the lack of improvement in public transport and they're [the government] likely to get punished at the polls.''

Opposition transport spokeswoman Fiona Richardson said the budget revealed the government's incompetence.

''It takes a special kind of incompetence to grind the wheels of government to a halt, yet this is precisely what this Liberal minister has managed to do,'' she said.

A spokeswoman for Mr Mulder referred The Age's inquiry to Public Transport Victoria.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/transport-head-slams-big-delays-20120515-1yp57.html

[#Metro]

Whoops! Looks like they do need a co-ordinating authority after all!