ACF: Australia’s public transport a poor cousin to roads

[ozbob]

http://www.acfonline.org.au/articles/news.asp?news_id=3378

Australia's public transport a poor cousin to roads

Date: 27-Apr-2011

New analysis shows governments across Australia are spending at least four times more on building roads and bridges than on public transport infrastructure.

Analysis by the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) shows over the past decade all levels of governments spent 4.3 times more on construction of public roads and bridges than on public railway construction.

"As people feel the pinch of rising petrol prices and concern about carbon pollution increases, more Australians are using public and active transport, but government planning and expenditure is not keeping up with this trend," said ACF sustainable cities program manager Monica Richter.

"Governments continue to preference road building and reward car drivers.

"We need governments to tip the scales and prioritise investment in sustainable transport.

"Two thirds of the transport budget should be spent on public and active transport and one third should be spent on roads," Ms Richter said.

The report includes a graph showing each state's 10 year average spending on roads versus spending on other transport, as a percentage of gross state product (GSP).

While $11.3 billion was spent on road construction around the country in 2008-9, $5 billion was given away as subsidies by the Federal Government through the Fuel Tax Credits program and another $1 billion was spent through the Fringe Benefits Tax to encourage the private use of company cars.  Meanwhile just $3.3 billion was spent on rail construction in 2008-9.

[Jonno]

The redirection of road funding to rail is more critical than ever.  Our economy can not afford both.  Rail has a very positive ROI whilst road expenditure fixes nothing and requires continual spending just to maintain status quo.

[ozbob]

Media release 28 April 2011

SEQ: ACF backed on call for funding shift to public and active transport

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport passengers strongly supports the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) in their call for 'Two thirds of the transport budget should be spent on public and active transport and one third should be spent on roads' (1).

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"South-east Queensland blunders on with worsening road congestion and road trauma,  and public transport poor utilisation and development. In the face of looming oil price rise crises and failing road tunnels the authorities continue to ignore reality and waste yet more funds on non-solutions (2)."

"Time is running out.  The ACF is correct in their call for the funding imbalance to roads be corrected with the majority of funding directed to sustainable transport solutions."

"The first thing that needs urgent action is to move forward with the Cross River Rail project. The Government's actions in delaying this project are grossly flawed (3)."

References:

1. Australia's public transport a poor cousin to roads http://www.acfonline.org.au/articles/news.asp?news_id=3378

2. Australia faces looming fuel shortages http://www.aspo-australia.org.au/References/Aleklett/News-release-v4-JG.doc

3. Cross River Rail should be expedited http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=5855.0

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org