[Peakoil] Public transport 'needs federal help'

[Alex Pollard]

http://news.theage.com.au/public-transport-needs-federal-help/20080205-
1q9o.html

Public transport 'needs federal help'
February 5, 2008 - 3:55PM

The federal government must intervene to assist public transport systems in 
Australian capital cities, a peak transport union says.

The NSW branch of the Rail, Bus and Tram Union (RBTU) said the federal 
government must "rethink its role" and become involved in the funding, 
delivery and expansion of urban public transport.

"I think there needs to be intervention in all the capital cities," RBTU 
NSW secretary Nick Lewocki told AAP.

"Public transport has just become too big a part of state governments and 
local governments (for them) to handle."

"Just like education and health, transport is a very important national 
matter, not just a state issue."

Mr Lewocki's comments come after the NSW opposition released a discussion 
paper which calls for the state's buses, trains and ferries to be run by a 
single transport authority.

At present, 10 separate agencies fall within the NSW transport portfolio.

Mr O'Farrell said one agency would allow for more reliable services that 
would connect with each other.

"It's time to ease the transport stress on commuters and provide services 
that get them to work on time and home as quickly as possible to allow 
families extra time together," Mr O'Farrell told reporters.

"Until we have an integrated system we won't see any improvement."

The opposition has cited cities such as London, Zurich and Vancouver as 
places where a single entity has worked to provided better transport 
services for commuters.

The white paper is the first policy the opposition has released since its 
election defeat in March last year.

Mr Lewocki said he supported any move towards a centralised transport 
agency, saying the RBTU had released a similar discussion paper 
recommending the same proposal at the start of 2007.

"We support this concept, which is a bit unusual for the opposition," he 
said.

"It's not seen as a razor gang, its a genuine coordinating body which 
coordinates both public and private transport and coordinates fare 
structures ... I think it's a good thing."

But Transport Minister John Watkins has dismissed the opposition's 
discussion paper, saying all it did was shuffle bureaucrats about.

"Nothing about new buses, new trains, new train lines and new ferries," he 
told ABC Radio.

"This is what the travelling public really care about."

The Greens said they supported a separate public transport planning 
authority as long as it wasn't part of a larger plan to privatise the 
public transport sector.

© 2008 AAP


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Alex
O4O4873828

ACT Peak Oil
http://act-peakoil.org