Launching the Greens Sustainable Transport Plan for Sydney, NSW Federal Senate candidate Lee Rhiannon today called on the Minister for Infrastructure Anthony Albanese to take a greater role in delivering transport planning for Sydney.
“The NSW government has dropped the ball on public transport, leaving an enormous vacuum which the Gillard government should help fill,” Ms Rhiannon said.
"The Australian Greens propose a dedicated, sustainable transport arm within Infrastructure Australia to develop public transport.
Summary of Greens’ Sustainable Transport Plan for Sydney
· Dedicated, sustainable transport arm within Infrastructure Australia
· No new motorways and a shift in spending from roads to public transport
· Incentives to move freight by rail rather than trucks
· Prioritising areas in Sydney where there is little or no public transport
· Integration of land use and transport planning
· Well maintained, safe and integrated network of walking and cycleways which follow useful routes to work, shops and schools
“Australia is the only OECD country where the federal government has no formal role in delivering public transport. The Gillard government should partner with the NSW government to engage more closely with Sydney’s transport future.
“This week’s announcement on the Parramatta-Epping rail link is a start, but Western Sydney will still wait too long for action. This
project is virtually ‘shovel ready’, yet it won’t be complete until 2017.
“Other areas of Sydney, like the North West, remain public transport vacuums.
“The US provides a good model, where its federal government funds public transport, including capital support to kick start projects and provides some recurrent funding for operating costs.
“The key to reducing greenhouse emissions is not Gillard’s ‘cash-for-clunkers’ scheme, or new motorways like the M5 duplication and F3 to M2 link which Minister Albanese is backing.
“The future should lie with prioritising a low carbon public transport system for Sydney.
“Three past Federal Parliamentary Committee reports and Ross Garnaut have called for increased federal involvement in developing public and active transport.
“Infrastructure Australia, in releasing its priority list for funding in June, expressed disappointment at the NSW’s government’s lack of transport planning, judging nothing was ready to fund in this state.
“The Federal government has a responsibility to insulate Sydneysiders from the pain felt from our poor public transport system. Where public transport is built, research shows people will get out of their cars and use it.
“Residents on low incomes and those living in middle and outer suburbs would be the biggest beneficiaries of greater federal investment, allowing them to connect to transport hubs.
“Traffic congestion, air pollution, road trauma and high petrol bills would be reduced if upgrading public transport in Sydney became a Federal priority,” Ms Rhiannon said.
Contact: Lee Rhiannon 0427 861 568
See also the Greens' Transport Plans for Western Sydney, Light Rail and High Speed Rail.
Background – Greens sustainable transport vision for Sydney
Sustainable transport combats climate change
The transport sector is the third largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in Australia, contributing 14.4% of emissions. Road transport accounts for 88% of this. The greatest projected growth in emissions is expected to come from an increase in road travel. Public transport is the key to reducing this growth, tackling congestion and air pollution and improving quality of life.
More federal government involvement needed in public transport
Until the Rudd government established Infrastructure Australia, public transport had not received Commonwealth funding since the Better Cities Program in the 1990s. Transport has traditionally been the domain of state and local governments, with the Commonwealth topping up funding for projects of major significance. Infrastructure Australia has assessment processes which are meant to ensure more sustainable public transport funding. The major parties defeated Senator Christine Milne’s proposal to more embed sustainability principles in Infrastructure Australia’s charter. As a result, most Commonwealth funding is still spent on roads.
The Greens seek a shift to sustainable transport – cycling, walking and heavy and light rail - to help the environment and combat air pollution. New motorway projects like the M5 duplication and M4 East should not proceed.
Rail not trucks
Investment in roads and subsidisation of the trucking industry at the expense of the rail network has seen a big increase in road freight. The number of b-doubles on our roads has rocketed from 700 in 1997 to more than 6,000 currently, increasing air pollution, worsening congestion and posing a considerable safety risk.
The expansion of Port Botany and Sydney Airport will substantially increase truck movements across Sydney. There is no indication the government will meet its target of moving 40 percent of an expanded Port Botany’s containers by rail. Even if this target is reached, the expansion will still see a 200-300% increase in containers transported by trucks through the arterial road network.
Research shows that if just 15 percent of road freight was transferred to rail then the number of road deaths would be reduced by 45 each year. Putting 10 percent of road freight on rail would save 250 million litres of diesel fuel a year. A 2006 study shows that
approximately $3 billion is lost annually through the under-recovery of external costs such as crashes, air pollution, noise and greenhouse gas emissions. These are caused by the extensive use of b-doubles, road trains and semi-trailers.
The Greens seek an end to the federal and state subsidisation of the trucking industry, proper road pricing and implementation of the Henry Tax Review’s recommendation for mass-distance location pricing for heavy vehicles to help pay for their specific marginal road-wear costs. We want increased investment in rail freight, including more funding for the Australian Rail Track Corporation to create local jobs in improving rail infrastructure.
Active transport
Active transport will reduce our reliance on oil and greenhouse emissions. It also has significant health benefits.
· Cycling
Federal Greens Senators negotiated an additional $40 million in funding for cycleways as part of the Economic Stimulus package, but much more is still needed.
The NSW government’s Bike Plan, released in May, allocates a paltry $16 million a year for cycling. This lack of investment flies in the
face of a growing thirst for cycling in Sydney. There was a 6% increase in the use of bicycles to commute to work in Sydney between
2001-2006. Over 50 % of car trips in Sydney are under 5km and 30% are less than 3km, making cycling a perfect alternative to the car.
Providing safe routes for cyclists will encourage even more to ride. Studies show cities that consistently invest in connected bicycle infrastructure enjoy a higher share of cycling as a mode of transport.
The Greens advocate a safe and secure network of separated bike routes and safe on road paths. We want to integrate cycling and public transport by providing a range of end-of-ride bike facilities, such as accessible, undercover racks, showers and lockers at stations and wharves. Transport fares for bikes should be dropped. All new commercial and large residential development should be built with secure bike parking, shower and locker facilities.
· Pedestrians
While everyone is a pedestrian, little detailed planning occurs for this form of active transport in Sydney and many streets are hostile
to pedestrians. In Sydney the average walking only trip is 700 metres. Failing to plan for pedestrians is detrimental to public transport use as almost all public transport trips have a walking component.
The Greens support increased use of traffic calming measures and lower speed limits, separated walking paths, wider footpaths and raised crossings, increased opportunities to cross roads safely and at intersections, better street amenities (eg shelters from rain and sun, seats, toilets, trees to provide shade) and improved street lighting.
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Lee Rhiannon
Greens NSW lead Senate Candidate
19 Eve Street, Erskineville
0427 861 568