Four of our group members attended the WSROC Transport Forum today and found it to be interesting and different - especially different to what we will be holding on this Saturday 19th as our Transport Forum.
I have taken notes and provide an outline of the program:
Forum was opened by President of WSROC Councillor Alison McLaren, whom stated the Epping-Parramatta Railway line and the Northwest rail link to Parramatta must go through to cater for workers. Current NSW government is relying on cars - widening roads - this was the main details that came out of this speech.
John Robertson, NSW Minister of Transport, made his presentation theme on 'Commuters need less time on public transport leaving more time for families'!
Since December there has been a forcing on the the capping of public transport fares, leaving fairness for the family as the Liberals have sold out on 'The tree of Truth!' when the shadow treasurer made transport announcements instead of the shadow Minister of Transport. The current NSW Government is committed to increased services and carriages on the Western Express and for completion of the Epping-Parrmatta. This will create an extra 640,000 seats on trains alleviating commuters left standing on trips.
NSW Government has introduced 13 metro buses: 10 minutes services in peak times and 15 minutes in off-peak times and announcement of 3 new metro services: Mount Druitt to Castle Hill. They looking to expand the Free WIFI from Metrobuses to all transport services also expansion of SMS bus stop texting system to be working on all bus stops making it friendlier transport service.
Over 31,000 transport staff, clean buses and trains, platforms, drive bus and trains, sell tickets and maintain safer transport services as transit officers. Always there is 400 staff at Custom Coaches producing buses. Liberals are looking to privatise ferries which would cut staff by half. Travels from Blacktown today and sees all these employees that is why the NSW wanted to also protect all employees position and build further jobs.
Gladys Brejiklian, Shadow Minister of Transport, started by saying she has been a shadow Transport Minister for 4 years and claimed that the NSW Labor Government was failing commuters in public transport. That the Minister of Transport hasn't told of the many bus services lost in vital communities and not replaced and 16 years of Labor government 12 promises of new railway lines and 7 of them not built. We need a metropolitan strategy for public transport as the NSW government has no public transport for these plans. Liberal Party supports the Northwest and Southwest rail links, which will take pressure off the western line, road congestion and compliment existing rail networks.
She further stated and emphasised that the community needing public transport and good public transport. She is against the opposition of the Epping-Parramatta railway line as Parramatta growth has challenges in the future. This line is costing one and half of a normal railway line and has been 16 years in the planning stage.
Claims all governments and stake holders need to outline priorities and establish one Transport planning authority for NSW as this will rid the 10-12 different government authorities - cutting more red tape. Than a special Western Sydney transport plan can be considered within the State Plan.
Claims by the NSW Minister of Transport that Liberals will cut services is wrong.There nothing in plan to cut services. In fact there is a plan to increase the western Express to an extra 135 extra services: some express and rest other services. The NSW Government took away 7 services per day from the city rail in 2005, there are 2 1/2 less railway trips per week compared to last year. Although the NSW government is reporting 90 percent of trains running on time, they are congested relatively or not clean and the travel time is longer, especially on non-air conditioned carriages.
Future price of oil will force more people on public transport.Current community Transport is going backwards due to centralisation of health services. Liberal party will double the funding to 60 different community transport groups. Bus services will be integrated. Metrobuses not seen as an ordinary bus services. Metro buses are a good thing to get to locations easier. The NSW Government issues with these bus is it doesn't connect properly with other transport services on arrival thus making announcement without an integrated planning structure.
Government should control fares, routes and have private sector join in like the ferry called 'The Great Barrier Reef" under Sydney Ferries which will provide better services to the private sector, keep existing staff that the NSW government shared the opposition would cut jobs. The NSW Liberals will make transport workers feel part of government team and that will then provide a vision for public transport service.
Over the year 600 rail staff have been taken away, some train stations have no or little staff commuters that need and require access to gain entry to trains after 6pm. What is needed is an integrated ticket system,building infrastructure and networks appreciating commuters using public transport for their quality of life.
David Shoebridge, NSW Greens MP and leader of the Upper House Candidate, previously lived in Western Sydney a great place to live but needs an urban public transport system to get to jobs. If adequate long term investment in public transport is made, in the future Parramatta would be the 2nd Sydney CBD.
there has to be a rethinking of transport in how we do public transport in Sydney. Coalition plans to increase car dependency for example Liverpool has 89 percent car dependency rate. Key public transport plans of 1930's is not generated into the urban consolidation around existing hubs.
Penrith to Sydney CBD.
Southwest and Northwest rail links will reduce other lines need as we have commitment from the coalition onn the Western Express. As to why the coalition is not going ahead with when the Federal government had nearly offered to pay for all of it. 2 Billion dollars will have to be given back to the Federal government. Greens will seek Liberals to break this promise when they win government.
Fringe benefit tax, NSW offered a car dependency package when Labor was elected , these costs will need to be removed.building north to south transport links if transport is missing is the introduction of light rail that can take people to places that other transport cannot do. The modern light rail can easily carry passengers to cut down the travel time as it can reach speeds of up to 90 kilometres. This can be paid for from the pool of funds in Infrastructure Australia. At present the NSW government and the Liberals will use these funds for motor ways.
Well deserved, well scoped and well funded light rail would connect to important destinations, which will meet to regular public transport initiatives
We then had a break for morning tea.
Then Chris Brown, Chair of the Parramatta Economic Development Forum, advised we need a democratic outflow on public transport.Transport is the Number one issue on the election not law and order today.
Parramatta-Epping last link finishes the Liverpool to Chatswood link. Public transport legitimately should be there should take people from where they sleep to where they work. Start taking jobs to the people. Transport must have mechanism to achieve social and economic requirements.What should be done is planing on how to get to the current CBD.
After there was an open panel discussion to the floor: members of the Panel were:
Councillor John Perry( WSROC Vice-President), Councillor Benn Banasik (MACROC President), Peter Phibbs, (UWS), Hugh Worrall (western Sydney Community Forum), Susan Day (Western Sydney Public Transport Users) and Mr David Wilson (Planning Institute of Australia)
Topics that were raised were ferry service by our Group member Peter, bus Stops that need footpaths compliant to the Disability Services Act where this is to be completed by 2012, transport for University of Western Sydney for student, Dundas area trains transport issue - waiting for trains since 1898 and on behalf of our group, asked questions of 'What instantaneous measures can be taken to make Mount Druitt and our places in Western Sydney a safer community for commuters and all transport staff on a day-today basis as we have 4 cancelled bus service so far due to anti-social behaviors?
Hugh Worrall advised that groups like ours need to work closely with transport stake holders and Local Councils to get a better result for the community.
I also asked about the Disadvantage of the Myzone weekly ticketing where Western Sydney commuters are paying (for 3 zones) more for Myzone weekly tickets traveling within the zone three as opposed to commuters in zone one only paying for one zone?
The Panel didn't answer this question.
Councillor John Perry closed the meeting abruptly after making the following statements:
I have taken notes and provide an outline of the program:
Forum was opened by President of WSROC Councillor Alison McLaren, whom stated the Epping-Parramatta Railway line and the Northwest rail link to Parramatta must go through to cater for workers. Current NSW government is relying on cars - widening roads - this was the main details that came out of this speech.
John Robertson, NSW Minister of Transport, made his presentation theme on 'Commuters need less time on public transport leaving more time for families'!
Since December there has been a forcing on the the capping of public transport fares, leaving fairness for the family as the Liberals have sold out on 'The tree of Truth!' when the shadow treasurer made transport announcements instead of the shadow Minister of Transport. The current NSW Government is committed to increased services and carriages on the Western Express and for completion of the Epping-Parrmatta. This will create an extra 640,000 seats on trains alleviating commuters left standing on trips.
NSW Government has introduced 13 metro buses: 10 minutes services in peak times and 15 minutes in off-peak times and announcement of 3 new metro services: Mount Druitt to Castle Hill. They looking to expand the Free WIFI from Metrobuses to all transport services also expansion of SMS bus stop texting system to be working on all bus stops making it friendlier transport service.
Over 31,000 transport staff, clean buses and trains, platforms, drive bus and trains, sell tickets and maintain safer transport services as transit officers. Always there is 400 staff at Custom Coaches producing buses. Liberals are looking to privatise ferries which would cut staff by half. Travels from Blacktown today and sees all these employees that is why the NSW wanted to also protect all employees position and build further jobs.
Gladys Brejiklian, Shadow Minister of Transport, started by saying she has been a shadow Transport Minister for 4 years and claimed that the NSW Labor Government was failing commuters in public transport. That the Minister of Transport hasn't told of the many bus services lost in vital communities and not replaced and 16 years of Labor government 12 promises of new railway lines and 7 of them not built. We need a metropolitan strategy for public transport as the NSW government has no public transport for these plans. Liberal Party supports the Northwest and Southwest rail links, which will take pressure off the western line, road congestion and compliment existing rail networks.
She further stated and emphasised that the community needing public transport and good public transport. She is against the opposition of the Epping-Parramatta railway line as Parramatta growth has challenges in the future. This line is costing one and half of a normal railway line and has been 16 years in the planning stage.
Claims all governments and stake holders need to outline priorities and establish one Transport planning authority for NSW as this will rid the 10-12 different government authorities - cutting more red tape. Than a special Western Sydney transport plan can be considered within the State Plan.
Claims by the NSW Minister of Transport that Liberals will cut services is wrong.There nothing in plan to cut services. In fact there is a plan to increase the western Express to an extra 135 extra services: some express and rest other services. The NSW Government took away 7 services per day from the city rail in 2005, there are 2 1/2 less railway trips per week compared to last year. Although the NSW government is reporting 90 percent of trains running on time, they are congested relatively or not clean and the travel time is longer, especially on non-air conditioned carriages.
Future price of oil will force more people on public transport.Current community Transport is going backwards due to centralisation of health services. Liberal party will double the funding to 60 different community transport groups. Bus services will be integrated. Metrobuses not seen as an ordinary bus services. Metro buses are a good thing to get to locations easier. The NSW Government issues with these bus is it doesn't connect properly with other transport services on arrival thus making announcement without an integrated planning structure.
Government should control fares, routes and have private sector join in like the ferry called 'The Great Barrier Reef" under Sydney Ferries which will provide better services to the private sector, keep existing staff that the NSW government shared the opposition would cut jobs. The NSW Liberals will make transport workers feel part of government team and that will then provide a vision for public transport service.
Over the year 600 rail staff have been taken away, some train stations have no or little staff commuters that need and require access to gain entry to trains after 6pm. What is needed is an integrated ticket system,building infrastructure and networks appreciating commuters using public transport for their quality of life.
David Shoebridge, NSW Greens MP and leader of the Upper House Candidate, previously lived in Western Sydney a great place to live but needs an urban public transport system to get to jobs. If adequate long term investment in public transport is made, in the future Parramatta would be the 2nd Sydney CBD.
there has to be a rethinking of transport in how we do public transport in Sydney. Coalition plans to increase car dependency for example Liverpool has 89 percent car dependency rate. Key public transport plans of 1930's is not generated into the urban consolidation around existing hubs.
Penrith to Sydney CBD.
Southwest and Northwest rail links will reduce other lines need as we have commitment from the coalition onn the Western Express. As to why the coalition is not going ahead with when the Federal government had nearly offered to pay for all of it. 2 Billion dollars will have to be given back to the Federal government. Greens will seek Liberals to break this promise when they win government.
Fringe benefit tax, NSW offered a car dependency package when Labor was elected , these costs will need to be removed.building north to south transport links if transport is missing is the introduction of light rail that can take people to places that other transport cannot do. The modern light rail can easily carry passengers to cut down the travel time as it can reach speeds of up to 90 kilometres. This can be paid for from the pool of funds in Infrastructure Australia. At present the NSW government and the Liberals will use these funds for motor ways.
Well deserved, well scoped and well funded light rail would connect to important destinations, which will meet to regular public transport initiatives
We then had a break for morning tea.
Then Chris Brown, Chair of the Parramatta Economic Development Forum, advised we need a democratic outflow on public transport.Transport is the Number one issue on the election not law and order today.
Parramatta-Epping last link finishes the Liverpool to Chatswood link. Public transport legitimately should be there should take people from where they sleep to where they work. Start taking jobs to the people. Transport must have mechanism to achieve social and economic requirements.What should be done is planing on how to get to the current CBD.
After there was an open panel discussion to the floor: members of the Panel were:
Councillor John Perry( WSROC Vice-President), Councillor Benn Banasik (MACROC President), Peter Phibbs, (UWS), Hugh Worrall (western Sydney Community Forum), Susan Day (Western Sydney Public Transport Users) and Mr David Wilson (Planning Institute of Australia)
Topics that were raised were ferry service by our Group member Peter, bus Stops that need footpaths compliant to the Disability Services Act where this is to be completed by 2012, transport for University of Western Sydney for student, Dundas area trains transport issue - waiting for trains since 1898 and on behalf of our group, asked questions of 'What instantaneous measures can be taken to make Mount Druitt and our places in Western Sydney a safer community for commuters and all transport staff on a day-today basis as we have 4 cancelled bus service so far due to anti-social behaviors?
Hugh Worrall advised that groups like ours need to work closely with transport stake holders and Local Councils to get a better result for the community.
I also asked about the Disadvantage of the Myzone weekly ticketing where Western Sydney commuters are paying (for 3 zones) more for Myzone weekly tickets traveling within the zone three as opposed to commuters in zone one only paying for one zone?
The Panel didn't answer this question.
Councillor John Perry closed the meeting abruptly after making the following statements:
- WESROC is proactive not as what it was before reactive. They work out transport infrastructure for western Sydney.
- 'Y link' - Liverpool to Penrith to be re-opened
- That we do not need a Western Sydney Greater Public Transport Alliance as these issues are dealt with WSROC - who have the resources and facilities to deal with these issues and closed on that note.
This was supposed to be panel resolutions and debate - but this wasn't allowed - because I thought the panel would some up from what the questions were asked , yet they weren't given a chance.
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