Statement: Review to improve long-distance travel

[ozbob]

http://statements.qld.gov.au/Statement/2013/2/13/review-to-improve-longdistance-travel

Minister for Transport and Main Roads
The Honourable Scott Emerson
Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Review to improve long-distance travel

Making passenger services to some regional communities more frequent will be considered as part of a review of all Queensland Government long-distance coach, train and air services.

Transport and Main Roads Minister Scott Emerson will write to all regional mayors and councils this week to get their ideas to better utilise transport across the state.

"We can deliver better outcomes for regional Queensland by improving regional services," Mr Emerson said.

"There are some areas of the state with subsidised bus, train and plane routes while some of our most remote communities have only one service a week.

"Patronage on air routes in fast growing communities like Roma has grown by almost 500 per cent in six years and the industry is telling us it could now support competition.

"The review will also look at better value on western train services where the Westlander between Brisbane and Charleville, and the Inlander between Townsville and Mt Isa costs taxpayers more than $2000 for each passenger.

"This will be the first review in almost six years and will reflect the changes to how people travel in regional Queensland communities."

The Queensland Government currently subsidises 16 long-distance coach routes, five air routes, five regulated air routes and the TravelTrain network.

Some of the areas under review will include:

·         Better connections for Gulf and Torres Strait Island communities

·         Better services for growing mining communities

·         Duplication of subsidised train, bus and air services between Brisbane and Charleville

·         Duplication of subsidised train, bus and air services between Townsville and Mt Isa

·         Deregulation of air routes

The review is expected to be finalised later this year.

A full list of Queensland Government long-distance services is available at www.tmr.qld.gov.au

[ENDS] 13 February 2013

[colinw]

"improve", what does that mean in the Newspeak dictionary? 

[somebody]

"improve", what does that mean in the Newspeak dictionary? 

Probably this is a hint:

·         Deregulation of air routes

[SurfRail]

"improve", what does that mean in the Newspeak dictionary? 

I doubt that word is present.  I think you'll find it's doubleplusgoodify.

[ozbob]

Queensland Parliament Hansard Questions without notice ...

http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/documents/hansard/2013/2013_05_02_DAILY.pdf

Passenger Transport Services, Review

Mrs MENKENS: My question without notice is to the Minister for Transport and Main Roads. Could the minister please provide an update on the current review of long-distance passenger services and the government's response to the Commission of Audit in relation to long-distance rail services?

Mr EMERSON: I thank the honourable member for her question and for the great welcome to Ayr for the recent community cabinet. There were wonderful questions asked and great community involvement at that community cabinet meeting. I think all who attended welcomed the opportunity to go back to Ayr for the first time for many years for a community cabinet.

As the Commission of Audit indicated, the review has been going for some time already. We have been reviewing long-distance passenger services on air, rail and road—that is, coach. In order for those in the chamber to understand where we are at the moment I indicate that there are 16 long-distance subsidised coach routes across Queensland, five subsidised air routes, five regulated air routes and also the Traveltrains—the Sunlander, the Spirit of the Outback, the Inlander and the Westlander. As I have announced previously, we have been undertaking a review of those services.

We have written to communities and particularly to mayors to ask what they want in their areas, because the reality is that things do not always stay as they are. The travel needs and desires of communities do change over a period of time, and we want to ensure that what is happening in those areas is what communities want. A perfect example of that is the situation in Roma. Over the past six years we have seen a 500 per cent increase in the number of people travelling by air, so we are looking at that area as well. But we want to look across the state.
I thank all those who have responded to our review. Nearly 3,000 passengers have been surveyed or have provided submissions: 62 per cent regarding air services, 30 per cent regarding coach services and eight per cent regarding train services. There has been a great response and we are looking at that.

I particularly thank some of the mayors for their responses. This is the first review in six years. As I said, travel patterns do change. Also, obviously some issues have garnered headlines and have raised concerns in terms of the high level of subsidies for some forms of travel. For instance, on some of our Traveltrain services—say, the Westlander or the Inlander—we are seeing subsidies of $2,000 per passenger per trip. So it is well worth undertaking this inquiry.

In terms of the Inlander particularly I thank Mayor Tony McGrady, who was at Parliament House yesterday. I caught up with him briefly. He suggested in his response that he wanted more investment in air services. Mayor Belinda Murphy from the McKinlay Shire Council said that the airline service was essential to her community but that she believed the era of traditional passenger rail travel had passed. I also thank Mayor John Wharton, from the Richmond shire, who agrees that the current subsidy is unsustainable. I thank all of those mayors for their input. We will continue working on that inquiry.
(Time expired)

[ozbob]

Get on the Westlander and Inlander real quick ...  soon gone ..

[Stillwater]

Maybe it's time for a RailBOT excursion to Longreach aboard the SOTO.

[SteelPan]

Get on the Westlander and Inlander real quick ...  soon gone ..

Sadly, I agree - it's not looking promising - as I've said for years QR should partner with private sector operators to enhance product delivery!