20 May 2013: SEQ: Spin, inaction and chaos, welcome aboard!

[ozbob]

Media release 20 May 2013



SEQ: Spin, inaction and chaos, welcome aboard!

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 says we are caught in a death spiral of spin, inaction and chaos.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"Our buses are in crisis. Today Brisbane City Council concludes its 'bus review'. This deficient and defective plan will see any savings from it wiped out in the next year as costs to run the inefficient bus system rapidly escalate. Entire suburbs such as Bulimba, Yeronga, Centenary Suburbs and the Northwest will be denied access to the frequent bus network. Huge amounts of money are being spent on running air around and to the city. To add further insult, the Kiwis did an identical review, came to identical conclusions got the job done with minimal fuss and are now approaching implementation (1)."

"Our trains are in crisis. Perth, Western Australia, now carries more passengers than Queensland Rail does, runs trains to all stations all day with twice the frequency that we do, have cheaper fares and better cost recovery. And they run identical trains to QR. The stage 2 timetable improvements promised in 2010 are now years late (2). This is unacceptable. Do we have to wait another 15 years for the next major timetable improvement?"

"Our fare affordability is in crisis (3, 4). We have had the worst fare affordability statistics in 5 years. We have some of the worst fares in the world and highest subsidies to fund this failing system. And fares are set to rise by 7.5% next year. Why? So the '9 then free' gimmick and rort can be funded. There is no such thing as a free ride."

"Transport governance is in crisis. The Merivale bridge is set to congest in 3 years and what are politicians doing? Playing games with the project scope and funding. The cost has already blown out. Even if construction began tomorrow, it would not be completed soon enough to save us from the rail congestion crunch."

"Public Transport in SEQ is caught in a death spiral of spin, inaction and chaos."

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org

References:

1. New Public Transport Network http://www.aucklandtransport.govt.nz/improving-transport/new-network/Pages/default.aspx

2. http://brizcommuter.blogspot.com.au/2013/05/stage-2-timetables-delayed-yet-again.html

3. http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=9292.msg126155#msg126155

4. http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=9292.msg126032#msg126032

[ozbob]

From the Couriermail click here!

Budget puts federal projects closer to the too-hard basket

Budget puts federal projects closer to the too-hard basket

    by: Scott Emerson
    From: The Courier-Mail
    May 20, 2013 12:00AM

CHANGES to the normal state-federal funding formula have put future federal transport infrastructure projects at risk.

Hidden in the detail of last week's federal Budget are new arrangements that require hundreds of million of dollars in extra state funding to get federal projects off the ground.

Under the changes worthy projects on the Gateway Motorway, Ipswich Motorway, Warrego Highway and Cross River Rail won't get off the ground.

Upgrading federal roads will become a 50-50 state-federal split and urban rail projects a 75-25 split.

This is a significant shift from the historical split where the Federal Government funded its own infrastructure at least 80-20.

The change has taken place without consultation with the State Government, which means the time is coming to make some tough decisions.

If the Queensland Government is going to live within its means, we won't be signing on to any deal that is going to place further burden on future generations of taxpayers.

Reckless spending from the State Government is not the answer.

As a Queensland Government minister it is my job to fight for Queensland and get the best deal possible to ensure the future of crucial transport projects.

We can't afford to stand by and let the Federal Government handball responsibility to the State Government.

The federal Budget transport announcements were filled with these 50-50 potholes on the Warrego Highway ($317.5 million), Ipswich Motorway ($279 million) and Gateway Motorway ($718 million).

Likewise Cross River Rail (in the Budget at $715 million) will receive only 25 per cent federal funding because the State Government would need to hand over half that amount in GST revenue to plug the hole.

We are prepared to go 50-50 on Cross River Rail, however the sleight of hand deal means it's not a genuine partnership and therefore not affordable.

The repayment on Canberra's offer would put upward pressure on fares, taking southeast Queensland passengers back to the dark days of fare increases in the order of 15 per cent.

That's unacceptable. Ongoing 15 per cent increases put in place by the previous Labor government have already priced many people out of public transport.

And what good is new infrastructure if no one can afford to use it?

We also can't keep deferring the bill to future generations of Queenslanders.

The Federal Government didn't use the latest Budget to make announcements on what it could deliver.

Instead it announced what it wanted the state to try to fund.

While it gave Wayne Swan a good Budget-night sweetener, the reality is that it won't deliver projects in his home state.

Queensland's top three transport infrastructure projects, sitting with Infrastructure Australia, are the Bruce Highway, Cross River Rail and Toowoomba Second Range Crossing.

Through its Budget, the Federal Government managed to get halfway for its share of the Bruce Highway and Cross River Rail, while Toowoomba Second Range Crossing didn't get a mention.

As important as these projects are, a responsible government needs to see through the smoke and mirrors and accept that signing up to desperate short-term announcements can lead to long-term pain.

Our efforts to secure these projects will continue by lobbying both the federal Coalition and Federal Government to get them underway.

We'll continue to aim for a genuine partnership that gets these crucial projects delivered, not an attempt to short-change Queenslanders.

Scott Emerson is the Minister for Transport and Main Roads in the Queensland Government.

==============

Time for the tough decisions indeed Mr Emerson, pity they are not being made - yet  ....

[ozbob]

Discussion re fares --> http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=9292.msg126391

Discussion re Cross River Rail / Infrastructure --> http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=2034.msg126389