Better Transport for NSW - Rail, Tram and Bus Union of NSW

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BETTER TRANSPORT FOR NSW Increase Efficiency A number of initiatives can be implemented at strategic points to improve the efficiency of the NSW rail network. Passing Loops Passing loops can reduce bottle necks on rail lines that are struggling with capacity issues due to single lines or lines that cross over each other. Grade Separations Level crossings around the state are not only less safe for drivers and pedestrians but they hold up train services. Rail line intersections also affect the number of services that can run on both lines. Grade separations where possible would allow greater frequency of services on rail lines. Double stacking Introducing ‘double-stacking’ road containers on rail freight is an easy way to increase capacity on the rail freight network. Case Study: Improving Rail Freight Infrastructure at Dubbo Dubbo is strategically located on the freight route between Melbourne and Brisbane. As demand for freight transport increases, so too does pressure on Dubbo rail infrastructure. A number of improvements have been identified to increase capacity in the short term. These include: • A passing loop on the rail line between Dubbo and Sydney to help improve freight access to Port Botany. Currently, the majority of the line is single-track after previous governments decommissioned double track sections. This has left the remaining rail infrastructure with capacity constraints. • Upgrading points at the Dubbo ‘triangle’ to dramatically improve travel times through Dubbo for freight trains. Upgrade Rail Lines There are a number of upgrades to rail infrastructure that would provide increased capacity and services on the rail network. Many branch lines have extremely old infrastructure, in some places over 100 years old, which leave them as the rail equivalent of ‘dirt tracks’. Sydney to Melbourne line Stretches of track along this line are severely suffering from neglect and cost cutting measures. Recent re-sleepering done using a side insertion method for concrete sleepers has seen mud holes develop forcing reduced speeds, sometimes as low as 60km p/h, along sizable stretches of the journey. Use Existing Infrastructure and Corridors NSW has a number of rail corridors and existing infrastructure which are being left unused, despite communities crying out for transport services. Casino to Murwillumbah line Although the line from Casino to Murwillumbah closed 8 years ago, the infrastructure remains and the land is still owned by the government for transport use. A recent commitment by the state government to fund an assessment of the viability of restoring the line should be the beginning of a plan to reintroduce services on the line and improve transport in the region. Community Group: Trains On Our Tracks (TOOT) TOOT is community group committed to reintroducing passenger services on the Casino to Murwillumbah line. They have developed a plan over the past eight years to link buses, planes, taxis, cycleways, walkways and cars throughout the region in a user-friendly transport system, with the railway line as the backbone. TOOT want to see: • sixteen local passenger train services per day on the Casino/Murwillumbah line; • an Integrated Transport Plan for the Northern Rivers; and • planning for a rail link from Murwillumbah to the Gold Coast to commence immediately. Maldon – Dombarton link The Maldon-Dombarton line is considered to be the “missing link” in the State’s rail network. In 2011 Federal Government $25.5 million in funding was allocated for pre-construction work on this project. Funding is still required to make sure the project goes ahead. The positive impacts of the Maldon-Dombarton rail link would include: • more coal mining jobs in the Illawarra and Central West • construction jobs during the project’s construction phase • freight access from Minto direct to Port Kembla without having to pass through Sydney • extra passenger and freight rail capacity • reduced freight truck movements, leading to improved road safety and less pressure on road infrastructure • greater overall coal and other exports. Coonamble line This line is in such poor condition that a blanket 20km speed restriction is in place for 56 kilometres from Armatree to Coonamble. This has turned a 45 minute trip into a 3-hour trip. 10 RAIL, TRAM AND BUS UNION - BETTER TRANSPORT FOR NSW
BETTER TRANSPORT FOR NSW Tamworth to Newcastle Peter Draper MP, Member for Tamworth: Rail services between Tamworth and Newcastle Mr Draper has developed a policy to have the current service between Scone and Newcastle extended to Tamworth. Additional services along the line should be priced as interurban, rather than at Countrylink prices. The service would provide an affordable means for the Tamworth community to access Newcastle and Sydney for medical appointments and other key services as well as trips to the beach while reducing road congestion and improving the impact on the environment. The Demondrille Line Before parts of the line were shut down in the 70s and 80s, the Demondrille Line ran from Blayney to Demondrille, carrying freight from the Central West and West down to Young, bypassing the Blue Mountains and then on to the Main South Line to the coast. The NSW Government is currently undertaking a business case study to determine if recommencement of services and the longterm retention of this line are warranted. The Lachlan Regional Transport Committee The LRTC is calling for the return of freight services on the Demondrille line to reduce freight traffic on the roads in their communities. The LRTC works to open disused rail lines and to generally improve all modes of transport in NSW. It believes that rail should handle mass freight loads to a central point for distribution by truck to end-users. Better Interchanges and Intermodal Hubs Broadmeadow Station Broadmeadow Station is a crucial interchange for passengers changing between Countrylink and Cityrail services as well as being the gateway to Newcastle’s major sporting and cultural facilities. It is a busy station all-year round. Provision of a new bus interchange and improved car parking facilities would significantly improve access to Broadmeadow Station for passengers using CountryLink services. Dapto A new station and transport interchanges for bus services are needed in the Dapto region to deal with increased demands on public transport as it experiences population growth. Parkes The creation of an “inland port” facility at Parkes is an important project that would recognise Parkes’ important strategic location on the national freight network. The future of Parkes as an inland freight hub would be further strengthened by the expansion of the Parkes Regional Airport. Dubbo The Dubbo Chamber of Commerce has prioritised strengthening the region’s identity as a transport and distribution hub in its 10 Big Ideas for Dubbo. Providing increased opportunity for freight transport through Dubbo would see a more decentralised network that would allow, for example, freight travelling from Melbourne up to Queensland to bypass the already congested Sydney lines. Extending the light rail The light rail network should be expanded to help cut congestion and improve mobility in the Sydney CBD. More public transport options make it easier to move around the city, and will cut down overcrowding on existing services. Any extension to the light rail should be designed to complement other transport options – not to compete with them. Bus, tram and train services must feed effectively into each other to provide an integrated public transport service. For example, extending light rail links to the Moore Park sporting precinct, the University of NSW and the Prince of Wales Hospital would be great for providing easy travel to these key destinations. Traffic congestion, particularly around the stadiums on match days, is a major problem. A light rail link, complemented by the existing bus connections, would make accessing these areas far more easy. RAIL, TRAM AND BUS UNION - BETTER TRANSPORT FOR NSW 11
Page 1 and 2: Better Transport for NSW A Communit
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Page 13 and 14: BETTER TRANSPORT FOR NSW Cross-Bord
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Page 19 and 20: Conclusion There is much that can b

Better Transport for NSW - Rail, Tram and Bus Union of NSW

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