Roads

M4 East and M5 duplication flawed transport priorities

aorme — 2010-07-14T22:54:36Z

'Pains, trains and automobiles', pp 4-5, Daily Telegraph today.

"Mega motorway proposals, like the M4 East and the M5 duplication, have hurt Labor in the past and will do so again. They are a non-solution to manage traffic congestion in Sydney," Ms Rhiannon said.

"It is clear $10 billion for the M4 East would be better spent on public transport in the many areas of Sydney deprived of this bread and butter service.

"Both the M4 East and M5 duplication will add to congestion and air pollution and divide communities. These motorway proposals will certainly not be vote winners in the Inner West.

"The Keneally government's motorway plans smack of desperation. If these are the Premier's big 'transport' plans she deserves to be kicked out at the next election.

"In the final months of the reign of NSW Labor this government should put the public before its own self interest.

"The public would welcome this $10 billion ear marked for the M4 East to instead flow to the expansion and upgrade of public transport," Ms Rhiannon said.

For more information: Lee Rhiannon 0427 861 568

NSW govt warned on speeding truck fatalities – fails to act

aorme — 2010-07-11T22:29:47Z

Sydney Morning Herald page 5

“Roads Minister David Borger should move quickly to clean up the
trucking industry and put public safety first,” Ms Rhiannon said.

“The Labor government were warned 13 months ago about problems in the
RTA’s truck safety program and the rise in fatal crashes involving
trucks.

“Minister Borger should come clean with the public and explain why his
government has failed to adopt all the recommendations of the Auditor
General.

“The latest RTA report on speeding heavy vehicles and high fatality
rates underlines the government’s own failure to act when it
previously received this advice.

“The government has been sitting on the important Auditor General
report, 'Improving Road Safety - Heavy Vehicles'.

“Their failure to crack down on the trucking industry has cost lives.

“This latest report reveals that heavy vehicles that make up three per
cent of vehicles on NSW road are involved in 20 per cent of
fatalities.

"The RTA must crack down on unsafe trucks to reduce accident rates but
this is only a part solution - the best protection is to transport
more freight on rail.

"The bottom line is that freight on rail is some 20 times safer than
trucks on our roads.

"The government must boost funding to rail and upgrade and expand
freight rail infrastructure or risk a big increase in accidents and
deaths from trucks as their numbers rise.

"Last June the Auditor General highlighted big problems with the RTA's
risk management approach to trucks and its ability to detect and
respond to dangerous trucks on our roads.

“The government has failed to ensure that the RTA effectively target
its resources to upgrade truck inspections, introduce covert and overt
methods to detect breaches and adopt measures to identify all heavy
vehicles travelling in NSW,” Ms Rhiannon

For more information: 0427 861 568

Infrastructure Australia priority list out: NSW transport gets an F

aorme — 2010-07-02T06:23:49Z

“The Keneally government should be embarrassed by this report card,
which shows it lacks the ideas and capacity to deliver much needed
transport infrastructure for Sydney," Ms Rhiannon said.

"No NSW government projects are judged 'ready to proceed' by
Infrastructure Australia. The South East Rail Link and Moorebank
Intermodal are categorised as 'threshold'.

Infrastructure Australia's report, "Getting the fundamentals right for
Australia's infrastructure priorities' is available here:
http://tiny.cc/6ae24

"Infrastructure Australia has again criticised the NSW government for
failing to develop public transport network to ensure a sustainable
city. COAG now has little before it from NSW deemed worthy of funding

"The government's failure to even bid for funding for the North West
Rail Link is a major blow for commuters in the region.

"Infrastructure Australia notes that the Keneally government's metro
plans have fallen over, leaving 'a strong need to further develop
Sydney's public transport network'.

"A promise by Infrastructure Australia to work with the government to
get transport plans underway should embarrass the Premier, revealing
that nothing will be done without hand-holding.

"The problem, yet again, is that this government has no worthy plans
able to attract funds to build Sydney's public transport system.

"NSW Labor is better prepared to deliver motorway projects, like the $4
billion M5 East expansion, than the public transport which is the key to
reducing congestion and increasing productivity.

"This report confirms Sydneysiders will continue to suffer an archaic
transport system, with all its frustrations and economic costs," Ms
Rhiannon said.

A proposal to build a dual track heavy rail line from Rouse Hill, via
Epping and Chatswood to the south side of Sydney's CBD is put by a
private sector proponent, Australia Infrastructure Solutions, and is
judged as being at an 'early stage' of development.

For more information: 9230 3551, 0427 861 568

Goverment ignores Street ruling and withholds Metro documents

leerhiannon — 2010-06-17T00:25:53Z

Read the article in its original context here:http://www.altmedia.net.au/goverment-ignores-street-ruling-and-withholds-metro-documents/20438

City of Sydney Greens Councillor Chris Harris said the State Government had ignored the Street recommendation for political purposes.

“They didn’t hear what they wanted to hear, and therefore they’re going to continue to hide what went on with the Metro,” he said.

“When a government makes a decision as they did with the Metro and wastes $500 million worth of taxpayers’ money, the public are entitled to know what they did with it – simple as that. I think it’s an absolute scandal that they’re hiding this from the public.”

His State Colleague Lee Rhiannon MLC said the Government had “thumbed its nose” at Sir Laurence Street’s determination.

“The Transport Minister’s tactic appears to be to keep the real story about the CBD Metro under wraps until after the March 2011 election, denying proper scrutiny and avoiding painful revelations about this mismanaged project,” she said.

Affected CBD tenant Jason Blaicklock said he was appalled that the State Government decision.

“It is symbolic of the type of treatment we’ve been getting as claimants,” he said.

“Delays and all sorts of legal wrangling are keeping tenants from receiving their just compensation. We think it’s deplorable.”

David Hunt from Retravision in Rozelle, whose premises would have been acquired for the Metro, said “the documents should be released … so that the public has full scrutiny over them.”

“It was indicated in February that there would be a full and transparent situation following the cancellation of the CBD Metro,” he said.

“We’d like to hear more about what was actually going on behind the scenes.”

The Greens did claim a smaller victory in Parliament last Thursday by winning the release of all previously secret submissions by the NSW Government for Federal Government Infrastructure Australia funding.

These include bids to secure Metro funding, along with the extension of Sydney’s M4 and M5 Motorways.

Ms Rhiannon said voters expected value for money when their taxes went to major infrastructure projects.

“The release of the government’s bids for Infrastructure Australia funds will allow scrutiny of whether the projects put forward by NSW are in the public interest,” she said.

“It will be disappointing if the government claimed the submissions as privileged.”

O'Farrell's motorway plans misguided, rob public transport

aorme — 2010-06-10T07:25:36Z

Daily Telegraph, page 1.

"Mr O'Farrell's decision to commit a big proportion of his transport

infrastructure fund to the M4 East or the M5 duplication is a serious

blunder at a time when public transport projects should be the priority

for all sides of politics," Ms Rhiannon said.

"The Opposition leader is squandering his opportunity to carve out a

public transport vision for Sydney and NSW. Mr O'Farrell seems blind to

research which shows that new motorways ultimately induce not relieve

traffic congestion.

"It is only major construction companies and developers that would be

pleased with the Opposition's pro-motorway stance. If Mr O'Farrell wins

government, he can expect a big fight from local Inner West communities

who oppose these new motorways.

"In this era of rising costs from traffic congestion, dwindling

petroleum supplies and climate change public transport has to be the

favoured option.

"Mr O'Farrell, in exposing his strong support for city motorway

expansion plans, reveals that like his Labor counterparts he is captured

by the big end of town.

"City motorway expansions will rob money from the urgently needed

maintenance and upgrade programs for public transport as well as new

projects.

"If the Opposition are really interested in assisting the business

community they would reject Labor's discredited city motorway plans.

"The cost of traffic congestion is increasing and puts many Sydney

businesses at a disadvantage because of freight costs and the

difficulties many workers face in reaching work on time.

"It has been estimated that more than $12 million a day is lost because

of traffic congestion in NSW. These costs are expected to rise to $20

billion a year across Australia by 2020", Ms Rhiannon said.

For more information - 9230 3551, 0427 861 568

Failed Metro leaves $93m hole

leerhiannon — 2010-06-15T05:31:32Z

Read article in its original context here:

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/failed-metro-leaves-93m-hole-20100603-x7d7.html

NSW taxpayers will pay almost 100 million to compensate construction companies for their work on the failed CBD Metro.

The figure is in addition to the $300 million that the Iemma, Rees and Keneally governments spent on the project before the Premier abandoned it in February.

But the deal to pay $93 million to companies including Leighton Holdings and Lend Lease does not include possible compensation claims from other big firms, including finance companies, consultants, project managers and small-business owners who were targeted by the Sydney Metro Authority.

The government released details of the $93 million settlement in a one-page statement shortly before 6pm yesterday, too late for most television news broadcasts. But it is refusing to release the full report on compensation by the international accounting firm Deloittes, despite the Legislative Council passing a resolution ordering it to make the report public.

A spokesman for the Transport Minister, John Robertson, said the full report was ''cabinet-in-confidence'' and would be released ''eventually''.

Last night the Greens MP Lee Rhiannon, who pushed for the release of the full report, and the opposition transport spokeswoman, Gladys Berejiklian, speculated the cost of the metro could soar beyond $500 million.

''Without the Deloitte report, no one can be confident that John Robertson's figure of $93 million paid to five major construction tenderers is correct, or that there are not further big players which have sought compensation,'' Ms Rhiannon said.

''The Premier has defied a vote of the NSW upper house and withheld the release of this report to avoid embarrassment about the true cost wash-up from the failed CBD Metro.''

Ms Berejiklian described the limited release of information as ''an attempt by the Keneally government to cover up the extent of compensation owed by the taxpayers of NSW for Labor's recklessness and mismanagement of the Rozelle metro''.

The government released the details the same day it did a deal with the Shooters Party to weaken gun laws in NSW. In return, the Shooters Party voted against a motion to set up an inquiry into the metro funding scandal.

The Shooters Party wants to allow children under 12 years to use air rifles at shooting ranges, remove the need to register or have a permit to acquire an air rifle, and halve the firearm disqualification period for those subject to an apprehended violence order from 10 to five years.

Mr Robertson is still fighting moves by the Greens and the Coalition to release 15 boxes of documents about the metro, despite a ruling from the official mediator, the former chief justice of the NSW Supreme Court, Sir Laurence Street.

In September the government announced three consortiums had bid to construct the seven-kilometre metro between Central and Rozelle - including Thiess, John Holland and Abigroup - while two, including Bovis Lend Lease, Bombardier and Downer EDI Rail , had bid to operate it.

Mr Robertson said another accounting firm, KPMG, would ''independently assess reimbursement for … property owners and lessees''.

with Brian Robins

Inquiry must be held into Moorebank Intermodal, say Greens

aorme — 2010-05-27T03:26:58Z

'Council fights huge freight terminal plan', SMH today

“The failure of successive federal government’s to construct an
alternative airport for Sydney has lead to a long term decline in the quality of life for residents living around Sydney Airport as demand for air-services increases, and the effect of building a massive new freight terminal at Moorebank may well be the same”, said Greens MP and transport spokesperson Lee Rhiannon.

“The Federal Government’s determinations to build a centralised
intermodal freight hub at Moorebank near Liverpool would see an almost unbroken line of trucks from Port Botany to Moorebank along the already congested M5.

“By concentrating all containerised freight imports through Port
Botany in addition to the proposed massive expansion of the M5 to Port Botany will mean that the stated aim of the government to transport 40% of freight by rail will be nothing more than a pipe dream.

“It seems that the simple availability of surplus Defence Department land at Moorebank has been the key determinant in the location of a freight terminal. This is not good enough.

“The Federal and State Government’s must hold a public inquiry into the freight needs of Sydney and NSW, with a key commitment to maximise the amount of freight carried by rail and that the burden of traffic, noise and pollution must be shared around a number of sites.

“A sensible start to sharing the burden would be to have
containerised freight unloaded not just at Port Botany, but also at Newcastle and Port Kembla.

“An expanded and upgraded freight rail network that improves links between Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong, including the completion of the Maldon to Dombarton freight rail link from the Illawarra to south western Sydney, must be a priority.

“The Greens are concerned that as with the debate around the
construction of the third runway for Sydney Airport, the Labor and Liberal Parties at different levels of Government adopt postures that seek to deflect the political heat from them at State and local levels.

“While Liverpool City Council has opposed the Moorebank Terminal, I think many residents of Liverpool may be cynical about the real position of Liberal aligned and Labor Councillors.

“Sadly the major parties have continued to dump nasty developments in safe electorates.

“The question of whether the major parties will ever change is moot, but the real issue is that this bad planning decision must be overturned and a serious public process to address Sydney’s long term freight needs commenced urgently,” said Ms Rhiannon.

For more information: 9230 3551, 0427 861 568

Secret transport documents: time to scrap city motorway plans

aorme — 2010-07-09T03:48:53Z

Daily Telegraph, page 1, today.

Documents reveal that the M4 East, the F3 to M2 extension and the M2 to M4 East tunnel are all delayed for more than a decade.

"The Labor government and the opposition should agree to take these projects off the drawing board and put all their energies into public transport solutions to tackle Sydney traffic crisis," Ms Rhiannon said.

"Rather than be embarrassed by the delay in delivering these projects that has been revealed in these secret documents Premier Kristina Keneally should make a clean break with the failed 'motorway solution' and back top class public transport, cycling and pedestrian facilities.

"The Metropolitan Transport Plan needs to become a Metro Public Transport Plan.

"The failed Cross City and Lane Cove Tunnel projects underline the need for this shift in policy.

"For more than a decade the NSW government has spent billions of dollars on motorways and there is every indication that an O'Farrell government would do the same thing.

"The Coalition and Labor both receive hefty regular political donations from road construction companies. Thiess, Leighton, John Holland and Macquarie Bank build and finance motorway and are generous donors to the conservative parties.

"Today the Premier will need to respond to the embarrassing revelation that her government's city motorway plans will not get off the drawing board for over a decade.

"This is the time for the government to put their failed and delayed motorway plans in the dustbin, and announce that the Metro Transport Plan is now a Metro Public Transport Plan with fully funded projects that give priority to heavy and light rail projects and a series of bike networks.

"If Sydney is ever to beat traffic congestion this is the way to go and Premier Keneally and Barry O'Farrell should get on board," Ms Rhiannon said.

For more information: Lee Rhiannon 0427 861 568.

Blue Mountains freight transport going off the rails

aorme — 2010-05-26T22:42:46Z

On Thursday morning May 27, Ms Rhiannon will be speaking at a rally organised by Blackheath Transport Action Group outside the Ivanhoe Hotel in Blackheath.

"NSW needs more freight going onto rail, not less," Ms Rhiannon said

"This decision by Patrick’s to cease transporting freight by rail will lead to thousands more trucks on the road in the Blue Mountains every week.

"The Great Western Highway passes through a variety of school zones in different Blue Mountains villages, with a mixture of pedestrian, local and tourist traffic – a completely inappropriate environment for road freight.

"Trucks are the most energy intensive way of moving freight, and in this era of climate change the government should be expanding freight rail operations.

"Along with compromising air quality and increasing greenhouse gas emissions, transporting more freight by road will threaten the immediate safety of communities in the Blue Mountains,

"A report by the NSW Auditor-General in May last year revealed that crashes and injuries involving heavy vehicles are rising, and that only one in seven heavy vehicles being identified as a safety risk are being checked.

"The government must stop subsidising and encouraging road freight or risk a big increase in accidents and deaths from trucks as their numbers rise.

"In NSW registration fees for B-Doubles are heavily subsidised. In 2008, a scheme subsidising fuel transported across the Blue Mountains by rail was cut.

"It is estimated that road freight in NSW is going to double by 2020.

The NSW government needs to start investing in getting more of this freight back on the rails," Ms Rhiannon said.　

For more information: 0427 861 568

Keneally fails her own bike test: plan one year over due

leerhiannon — 2010-05-13T21:53:28Z

The City Council commissioned plan shows that an extensive network of bike paths would create economic benefits nearly three times the cost of building them.

"Premier Kristina Keneally should today release the NSW government's bike plan that is nearly a year over due," Ms Rhiannon said.

"The Premier needs to play catch up politics with Lord Mayor Clover Moore on cycling issues as Sydney City Council is so far out in front.

"In March the NSW Upper House passed a Greens motion calling on the government to immediately release 'an updated, comprehensive bike plan for NSW'.

"Labor voted for this motion but two months later still no announcement from the bike riding Premier and no bike plan released to the public.

"Ms Keneally sounds like she understands the growing enthusiasm for cycling but under her watch Labor government action on cycling has stalled.

"According to the NSW State Plan the government should be preparing for 5 per cent of all trips to be made by bike by 2016.

"Without the release of the long overdue NSW Bike Plan and a boost in spending on bicycle infrastructure this target will not be achieved.

"The Metropolitan Transport Plan released earlier this year allocated $15.8 million a year for ten years for Sydney cycling facilities.

"This puts cyclists a poor second, especially when you compare it with the $4.4 billion budget for roads allocated last financial year.

"And it does not stack up when compared with the City of Sydney's $28 million spend this financial year," Ms Rhiannon said.

For information: Lee Rhiannon - 9230 3551, 0427 861 568