Article: Baillieu shelves state transport plan

[ozbob]

From the Melbourne Age click here!

Baillieu shelves state transport plan

Baillieu shelves state transport plan
Clay Lucas
January 7, 2011

TWO years and $6 million in taxpayer-funded ads later, the Brumby government's Victorian Transport Plan has been laid to rest by the new state government.

The Baillieu government has shelved its predecessor's much-promoted strategy, which pledged a cavalcade of new transport projects - many of which were unfunded - worth $38 billion.

All of the major projects put forward in the plan, including a $5 billion metro rail tunnel from Footscray to Caulfield and a $4.3 billion rail line from the CBD to Werribee, are being re-evaluated.

The transport plan was launched by John Brumby with his public transport minister, Lynne Kosky, and then roads minister, Tim Pallas, in December 2008. It was followed by a $6.6 million advertising campaign featuring television ads that screened at least 2500 times, as well as radio, newspaper, online and outdoor billboard promotions.

Transport Minister Terry Mulder in opposition branded the ads ''electioneering'' and vowed to cut ad spending in the transport portfolio and put money into ''nuts and bolts business, not self-promotion''. Mr Mulder yesterday confirmed the government was reviewing all projects proposed in the Victorian Transport Plan.

His spokesman, Paul Price, said the projects would be reviewed by the soon-to-be-established Victorian Public Transport Development Authority, one of Premier Ted Baillieu's key election pledges.

Transport Department secretary Jim Betts has previously opposed a public transport authority, saying in June that existing arrangements sufficed.

[#Metro]

High cost, high visibility, low-impact.
I wonder how much it would cost to just put more buses and trains on..

[Stillwater]

Given his public stance, Mr Betts should not be long for the high jump.  Like a penitent at the Inquisition, perhaps he could recant once shown the instruments of his torture (his dismissal if he doesn't get with the new mantra).  The other detail is worrying ... a $6 million advertising campaign for a strategy that includes $38 billion dollars in unfunded projects.

Queensland's Connecting SEQ 2031 has unfunded projects worth more than double that amount.  In the private sector, if a company advertised a product that didn't exist, or was unable to provide it in the timeframe stated, it would be done under the Trade Practices Act.  Airlines have successfully sued manufacturers of new aircraft in circumstances where they have failed to meet contractural arrangements for not delivering aircraft on time, or didn't meet the product specifications.

Ironically, it is the politicians who make laws such as the trades practices legislation, but they can't be held accountable for a 'politician's promise' other than through the ballot box.

No doubt Queensland's Opposition would order a halt to the SEQ transport plan upon election to office, and would conduct a review.  At least the Baillieu administration went into the election with an alternative transport plan.  In Queensland, the alternative government says it will devise a plan after the election.  Is it good enough for Queenslanders to be expected to buy a pig in a poke from the Opposition?

A post on this site from someone, pointed to a recent paper from Dr Paul Mees, who argued  that the proposed Melbourne Metro was not needed - advice that the Opposition, now government, has heeded (at least until it is reviewed).  He also made the interesting point that grandiose and costly transport plans often swamp worthwhile operational efficiencies that could be achieved with more modest spending.  In other words, rather than spend a million or two here and there to achieve a reasonable outcome, multi-millions are spent.  The public is conditioned to accept the 'big thing' through hype and advertising.

Regular posts here argue precisely that (the expenditure on costly road upgrades and tunnels is overkill and the money could be spent better on PT).  In the light of the unexpected costs to government of the Queensland flood repairs, perhaps it is time to ask the government and opposition to present a short, medium and long-term transport plan that gives alternatives and costs them.

Connecting SEQ 2031 is an aspirational document, in that it indicates the government's preferred way forward.  However, we have not seen anything that discusses the worth and cost of alternative PT solutions to the ones proposed.  Rather than leave the promises uncosted, we should insist that politicians also publish the taxes, fares increases and other fiscal measures that will need to be introduced to pay for the dream.  Then the public can see if it is getting value for money.

Right now, the Queensland Government's revelation of its transport plan is like a plastic surgeon who has shown a client desirous of a nose job the 'how it will look afterwards' images without revealing the pain to the face and the hip pocket nerve.  The Opposition is like a doctor without a license to practice.  The Queensland travelling public is the patient.

What a choice.

[#Metro]

In the private sector, if a company advertised a product that didn't exist, or was unable to provide it in the timeframe stated, it would be done under the Trade Practices Act.  Airlines have successfully sued manufacturers of new aircraft in circumstances where they have failed to meet contractural arrangements for not delivering aircraft on time, or didn't meet the product specifications.

I know, tell me about it!

He also made the interesting point that grandiose and costly transport plans often swamp worthwhile operational efficiencies that could be achieved with more modest spending.  In other words, rather than spend a million or two here and there to achieve a reasonable outcome, multi-millions are spent.  The public is conditioned to accept the 'big thing' through hype and advertising.

Isn't it amazing. High subsidy levels and megaprojects do not automatically mean fantastic transport, indeed they seem to indicate the exact opposite - huge amounts of waste (a la route 88, empty trains running parallel to buses) and a "product" so bad that it actively repulses its potential customers and that is if they allow you to even get close to the station to save you from the woe of transferring! A business like that would be expected to go broke quicksmart, instead the subsidy goes through the roof (75%!!!) and the ticket and fare prices are ratcheted up at 15% compounding annually, the result is a high cost-low quality, low patronage system. This is obviously not helped one iota by pro-road policies everywhere, and ridiculous things like removing bus lanes on Coro drive so that buses are slowed down and cost even more to run.

I agree there is a case for using subsidy (seeing that car is subsidized as well), but there is definitely not a case for misusing subsidy. Some megaprojects are required-- the Cross River Rail, others are highly questionable -- the metro and these rail lines out to paddocks like Yarrabilla, Ripley and Flagstone (why not build nearer to the existing Rosewood line?)

The SEQ 2031 plan is full of great ideas, but they are that- ideas, and we know for sure that most of it can't possibly be funded and will probably be pushed further out into the future or be dropped entirely. This is not necessarily a good or bad thing (dropping the metro, for example).

There are many things that could be done rapidly and cheaply - more BUZ routes on a selected, strategic core frequent network and upgrading the GCL to turn on the network effect rather than a random, unfocused scattergun of improvements (no, school bus improvements do not count as PT in my books!) and other longer term projects that may take many years and decades to deliver. Re-organisation of many, but not all, bus routes to feed rail will probably cut both the subsidy level AND improve service levels AND local suburban bus frequencies at the same time (it is possible have your cake and eat it too).

We can only hope. There are improvements like BUZ and more trains for Ipswich-Caboolture lines but the pace is glacial. I don't mind if the price goes up IF service levels are increased to match and the money is used both efficiently and effectively. Sad to say, but not only will the fares go up at my train station, but I doubt my train service will show any increase in frequency for many years to come yet!

[ozbob]

From the Melbourne Age click here!

State of limbo: Baillieu's project logjam

State of limbo: Baillieu's project logjam
Jason Dowling and David Rood
March 25, 2011

TAXPAYER-FUNDED projects worth billions of dollars inherited from the former Labor government have been shelved or remain in limbo under Premier Ted Baillieu - placing future investment in Victorian projects at risk.

More than three months after the Coalition took office, it is still to decide on the fate of the $300 million Epping wholesale fruit and vegetable market now being built, and has not guaranteed the future of the $5 billion Regional Rail project.

In Caroline Springs, a road has been built to where the new $55 million railway station was intended to go. But the station project, like so many others in the state, is in limbo with no start date in sight. The road leads to empty paddocks.

Also shelved is a $4 million plan to deal with Hoddle Street congestion, and the Baillieu government is also considering scrapping the $360 million HealthSmart IT project for Victoria's hospitals and the $1.3 billion myki ticketing system.

The controversial $700 million north-south pipeline - built over the Great Dividing Range - will be used only in emergencies.

As the Coalition government approaches its first budget, industry leaders, unions and planning academics have expressed alarm at the number, size and cost of projects placed in jeopardy.

The budget is under increasing pressure from the Victorian floods, a likely $2.5 billion cut to GST revenue and the need for the government to deliver on its election promises.

The Victorian Employers' Chamber of Commerce and Industry's Chris James said the government had to be prudent in assessing projects for taxpayer value, but sovereign risk and the investment climate required consideration.

''We hope a clear direction is provided in the May budget,'' he said.

Dr Alan March, an urban planning expert at Melbourne University, said the knee-jerk reaction to review so many major projects showed a lack of confidence in the public service and a culture of ministers acting like corporate chief executives.

''It is also show-boating, it's opportunistic, and unfortunately it encourages short-term approaches, and most of these large important projects will go over the length of a government's term,'' he said.

He said a more robust public service or a new metropolitan authority would prevent so many major projects being delayed or ditched every time the government changed.

''We are not talking about small amounts of money and some of them [projects] have huge implications for our children and beyond,'' Dr March said.

Victorian Trades Hall Council secretary Brian Boyd said the Baillieu government was ''getting cold feet'' and placing at risk projects vital for the development of the state.

Opposition scrutiny of government spokesman Martin Pakula said Mr Baillieu had done nothing but dither and delay on every important decision.

''They appear to be spending most of their time trying to find political strategies to wriggle out of delivering important projects and breaking promises,'' he said.

Mr Pakula said if the government's concerns about cost-of-living issues were serious, it would turn the north-south pipeline back on as the water was cheaper than desalinated water.

A spokesman for Mr Baillieu said the former Labor government had left the Coalition with a number of black holes, cost blow-outs and hidden project failures and costs, which the government was investigating.

"It is understandable that Labor is very nervous about the reviews being conducted by the Coalition government because of what these reviews will uncover,'' spokesman Simon Troeth said.

Melton shire mayor Justin Mammarella branded the connection to the Caroline Springs railway station a ''road to nowhere''.

''It is ironic that the current state government has commenced works on the road extension ... but has placed the construction of the station on hold,'' he said.

Last October, the former Labor government announced it had turned the first sod on the Caroline Springs station.

With CLAY LUCAS