Article: Transport Measures for Beaudesert Electorate

[ozbob]

From the Tamorine Times 22nd January 2009 page 16

Transport Measures for Beaudesert Electorate

Transport Measures for Beaudesert Electorate

Local Queensland Greens Candidate, Andy Grodecki used the recent visit of Ronan Lee, Queensland Greens MP for Indooroopilly to launch the public transport policy for the Beaudesert Electorate.

At Andy Grodecki's invitation Mr Ronan Lee MP toured the electorate to gain a better understanding of the appalling state of public transport across the electorate and the failure of successive governments to deliver on their promises on public transport. Andy Grodecki launched the transport measures with visits to Jimboomba, Tamborine Mountain, Canungra, Beaudesert and Boonah. He said "The Queensland Greens will turn around twenty years of neglect and provide the public transport that our community has demanded for so long".

We need to develop a public transport system that meets the needs of our community and is more attractive than the use of the private car. This must include a funding model that ensures public transport services are provided under community service obligations where demand is too low for economically viable services (most of the Beaudesert Electorate.

Oil depletion and global warming make our present transport arrangements, based on the personal vehicle, unsustainable. To respond to these we have an urgent need to reduce reliance on fossil fuels.

Communities across the Beaudesert Electorate have pressed for better public transport for over 20 years from an upgrade of the interstate line to more bus services across the region. None of this has been delivered by successive Queensland governments. The Queensland Green will turn this around.

Queensland's transport system must function on principles of ecological sustainability, equity of access and public ownership of critical public transport infrastructure. The planning for transport in Queensland must give high priority to environmental and social impacts. As an essential element of a modem economy, this includes a high quality and affordable Queensland rail network integrated with the national rail network.

Human settlements and their transport services must be designed and built to minimise environmental harm and maximise social well-being. New urban developments must minimise urban sprawl and be environmentally sound, publictransport friendly and must facilitate community interaction.

The measures for the Beaudesert Electorate are based upon the principles and goals of the relevant policies of the Queensland Greens http://qld.greens.org.au/policies/Qldpolicies/transport/

[mufreight]

The greens statement has some good theories but unfortunatly is just so much politicial spin, and while ideas are great unfortunately not one concrete and practical proposal has been put forward.