Comments on: Kevin Rudd announces public transport overhaul

By: boc

boc — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 05:01:25 +0000

Is it possible to move all the “kevin hate” posts to a forum thread or something? It’s tiring skimming through those posts to see if there’s actually anything relevant being said.

On topic, in Victoria there have long been plans for rail transport that covers all of and beyond what is currently populated. There’s land reserved specifically for numerous rail links and new lines.

The only things stopping them being implemented are funding and lobby interests. The state governments can’t fund it easily without tax payers going nuts about how much they’re spending. Special interest groups in particular business and automotive don’t like commuter rail upgrades. Rail doesn’t help business unless it’s freight and automotive (and auto-related) industry wants everyone to use cars.

If the federal government stepped in with additional funding then that would get rid of one of the problems. It’s governments trying to do things on the cheap that leaves us with half-assed solutions and patch-up jobs, but, governments will continue doing so since we don’t like them spending/wasting lots of money.

By: slugger

slugger — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 03:49:58 +0000

What can he do?

1. Visit London.
2. Visit Singapore
3. Visit Hong Kong….and Seoul…and Paris…and…oh, you know. Anywhere but here.

Stop State Governments pissing $1bn on ticketing systems and make them start buying trams and trains off the shelf (good reason to start on Metro, sorry Mike! ).

Stop new toll-road construction and stop anti-competition clauses in road construction that prevents public transport duplication. Do proper park and ride infrastructure, which means big, secure car parks under shopping centres with servicing, washing, shopping, the lot. Trains every three minutes in peak and lo and behold, stuff will happen.

Stop bloody urban sprawl and start building medium density homes that are big enough for families, not students, close to the city.

Oh, and make bicycling on a road a capital offence. They’re bastards, aren’t they?

By: Bret

Bret — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 00:55:04 +0000

Steve & Cameron,
If you guys think that ANYTHING will actually happen you are misguided (and probably can be fairly blamed for all the mess that KRudd will make in the next few years).
In regards to the previous Govt., the massive Black Spot funding and funding for major road infrastructure (in SA at least) has been very welcome.
To date all KRudd has done is to cancell previously approved programs to redirect funding vote buying schemes.

By: Cameron

Cameron — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 23:02:39 +0000

Thanks Mr Rudd, some overdue initiative. You will have detractors but most people know this is what we need.

By: stevenc

stevenc — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 12:34:44 +0000

If the govt provides money specifically for states to use on public transport projects then it is a good thing. At the moment we need more train services in QLD and cheaper. Having buses connect these is also a great idea. To the detractors, would you prefer that the current PM do what the last govt did for 12 years, ie NOTHING AT ALL!!!

By: MD

MD — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 10:14:10 +0000

Safe, clean, reliable public transport in Oz? Who do they think we are? Japan? Singapore? Our public servants are lazy and useless.

Here are two observations I’ve made in the past week which indicate to me we will NEVER have any top calibre public transport system:

1. Walking home from work last Friday I saw six guys “working” night shift – if you classify lying on a rug on the side of the road and snoring “working”.

2. Walking in the Sydney CBD on the weekend and I noticed it took about sixteen workers to replace damaged road lights – four to operate a crane and act as spotters and riggers, and twelve standing around watching and chatting.

By: clevo

clevo — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 07:45:01 +0000

easy fix it is…bring the japanese over here to build/run our rail and buses, employ the best get the best but that aint ganna happen so i say ban all toyota’s and the problems fixed :p

By: Wheelnut

Wheelnut — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 06:07:43 +0000

He obviously doen’t realise that Public Transport isn’t actually a Federal Portfolio its up to the Transport Minister in each state to decide how much/little money is spent on Public Transport in that state.. for example not every state has Trams or an O-Bahn like VIC or SA

And if he thinks that if/when he gives the State Governments money to improve Public Transport that they will actually spend it on Public Transport; the man is a bigger idiot than Gearge W Bush

By: Wheelnut

Wheelnut — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 06:01:33 +0000

Does that mean the $35 million he gave Toyota [even though they were apparently going to build a Hybrid here anyway] was to build a Hybrid electric Train or Bus network..

I guess it makes sense really as Buses.Trains are about as exciting as your average Toyota.. apart from the bullet trains which aren’t powered by Toyota

By: wogboy

wogboy — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 05:55:30 +0000

this is all crap

nsw labor for 13 yrs has slowly stuffed the state now we are made to believe dudd is gonna be our survior??

we got 21 billion surplus budget last yr….australia should have the best of everything but it dont cause governments are only looking after themselves

he has already doing a back flip on the computer for every school kid scheme cause of the on going running costs states will have to endure..we need more trains and buses on the system now is the best opportunity for governments to do something now fuel price out of control

problem is here in nsw the government would love to run more buses and trains but who will pay for the all those useless overpriced motorways which have built….have 2 lanes each way and pay $5 each way…how pathetic