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

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BETTER TRANSPORT FOR NSW 3. Planning for the Future NSW needs a long-term plan for transport that has vision. Investment in 21st century infrastructure that can service the needs of a growing state must be a priority for the NSW government. Long-term infrastructure planning will mean new projects can be pre-approved and construction can start quickly as funding becomes available. This would also provide investment certainty for industry. Planning for New Rail Infrastructure Planning for improved regional rail infrastructure is necessary to ensure rail remains viable for both passenger and freight transport. High-Speed Passenger Rail The Federal Government has recently announced funding for a feasibility study into a high-speed rail link between Newcastle and Sydney, which it says would be the first stage in a bigger network. This must be a priority nation-building project for the future. Extending this high-speed rail link to connect Sydney and Canberra should also be considered. Connecting Australian cities via hassle free, affordable travel through high speed rail would ease the traffic of some of the busiest flight paths in the world and provide a greener travel alternative. Second Sydney Airport As Sydney Airport approaches capacity, a new site for an airport that services Sydney will need to be identified. Regardless of whether the final site is in the Sydney Basin, near Newcastle or via an expansion of Canberra airport, it is imperative it is properly serviced by heavy rail. Easy, affordable travel to and from an additional airport will have to be taken into account in the final Transport Masterplan for NSW. Kiama – Wollongong Duplication The Illawarra region had the second largest population growth outside of Sydney in the lead up to June 2010, and its transport system is struggling to keep up. Strain on the rail line between Kiama and Wollongong could be eased by a line duplication and would help service the growing region. Urban Rail Capacity Sydney’s public transport network is already reaching capacity. A comprehensive plan for expanding the network and increasing services, which recognises and addresses looming capacity constraints, will be necessary to meet growing demand from Sydney’s fast-increasing population. In particular, a second harbour crossing for trains should be considered to allow increased access to the city for services travelling from Sydney’s north. Electrification to Picton At present metropolitan rail services cease at Macarthur, leaving outer suburban commuters in the Picton area without direct access to the CityRail network. Electrification of the rail line between Macarthur and Picton would enable the expansion of metropolitan rail services to a major designated urban growth area. Separate Passenger and Freight Lines. Creating fully separated freight and passenger networks would significantly increase the efficiency of rail transport, and improve its competitiveness against road transport. North/South Sydney Freight Line A dedicated freight line into and out of Sydney is desperately needed as a major bottleneck currently exists where freight trains share existing rail lines with passenger services. During morning and afternoon peak periods passenger trains are given priority which means freight services cannot arrive or depart Sydney at the optimum times. This affects the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of rail freight services. To alleviate this bottleneck, the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) has begun construction on the Southern Sydney Freight Line (SSFL), which will provide a third track along the rail corridor specifically for freight services, allowing passenger and freight services to operate independently. The Northern Sydney Freight Corridor, which has been allocated over $1 billion from the Federal and NSW Governments’, will increase the number of freight trains on this corridor by 50 per cent. These projects are important steps in separating the freight and passenger rail networks. Western Freight Line In addition to the North-South freight line, a duplicated track on the Main Western line between Lithgow and Bathurst should be reinstated to reduce congestion on the current line and allow an easier flow of freight and passenger services. 12 RAIL, TRAM AND BUS UNION - BETTER TRANSPORT FOR NSW
BETTER TRANSPORT FOR NSW Cross-Border Connections Better coordination of rail freight infrastructure between States is required. This needs to be driven by a national rail infrastructure agenda. Public Authority: New England South East Queensland Rail Infrastructure Authority (NESEQRIA) NESEQRIA recommends passing a Special Identical Act of both NSW and Queensland parliaments to establish a Public Authority oversee the re-opening of the New England Rail Corridor which already exisits between Werris Creek and Warwick and join this line to the North Coast line in Queensland. This would include coordinating all the infrastructure necessary to connect the New Engalnd Corridor to the old corridor branch line to Killarney, back over the border through NSW at Lugume, through Woodenbong to then join the North Coast line at or near Glenapp in QLD and on to the Port of Brisbane and Roma St, Brisbane. Community Group: The Tweed Rail Society The Tweed Rail Society has put together a proposal for how an inland rail corridor could be introduced between Melbourne and Brisbane. The Tweed Rail Society recommends the following improvements to the inland rail corridor: 1. Premer to Armidale upgrade 150 kilometres of existing rail line between Werris Creek and Armidale; 2. Reconstruct existing line between Armidale and Tenterfield – approximately 180 kilometres to double stack standards; 3. Construct new section of line between Tenterfield and Casino – approximately 140 kilometres to double stack standards; 4. Modify new tunnel and adjust bridge clearance between Casino and Brisbane for double stacked containers. Until this is completed single stacked freighters could negotiate the entire route from port to port; and 5. Upgrade existing Casino to Murwillumbah and extension to Coolangatta Airport for single stack freight trains (due to tunnels and bridges). Urban Planning Long term planning from governments must take into account the specific needs of communities. In particular, thought needs to be given to where demand lies to connect people with work opportunities and overcome the problems of social isolation. Regional Transport Authorities The establishment of Regional Transport Authorities to oversee local transport planning, and potentially to operate local public transport services, has considerable community support. Public Inquiry: Hunter Independent Public Transport Inquiry The Hunter Independent Public Transport Inquiry (HIPTI), coordinated by Professor Howard Dick, called for the establishment of an independent Hunter Transport Authority. The Inquiry argued that public transport should be organised on a regional basis, with funding and decision-making decentralised from Sydney. Citing examples from the UK and New Zealand of the success of decentralisation, the Hunter Business Chamber and the NRMA have also called for an autonomous transport authority. The Inquiry claimed the Hunter region is falling behind in its development potential and at the same time inhibiting the State Government’s ability to reach its objective of achieving 20% peak-hour travel on public transport. The lack of independent planning creates a situation where public transport, including private operators, are managed from Sydney without flexibility or regard to local conditions. Improving Regional Roads Inadequate road infrastructure in regional NSW has led to increasing traffic congestion and safety issues. Improvements to local roads are needed in a number of regions to cater for future growth. Upgrades should be considered for the following roads: • The proposed F6 extension in the Illawarra region should be completed • Plans to upgrade remaining sections of the Pacific Highway to dual carriage-way should be expedited. Responsibilities for funding and maintaining regional roads must be clear. Often these responsibilities have been passed down to local councils with limited financial capacity to keep roads adequately maintained. Case Study: Cost-shifting to local government for infrastructure maintenance Responsibility for maintaining and co-ordinating transport needs to be clearly demarcated. Local councils, for example have been hit by a ‘double whammy’ on road maintenance. Maintaining roads has been cost-shifted from State to Local Government authorities, while State Governments have left rail corridors neglected - leading to increasing use of heavy vehicles on country roads increasing the need for maintenance. RAIL, TRAM AND BUS UNION - BETTER TRANSPORT FOR NSW 13
Page 1 and 2: Better Transport for NSW A Communit
Page 3 and 4: BETTER TRANSPORT FOR NSW Introducti
Page 5 and 6: BETTER TRANSPORT FOR NSW What Sydne
Page 7 and 8: BETTER TRANSPORT FOR NSW 1. Investi
Page 9 and 10: BETTER TRANSPORT FOR NSW Improve Bu
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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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