Exports down by $266 Million

Imports up by $1,572 Million

Increase in current account deficit

Australian Bureau of Statistics

Victor P Taffa

Latest ABS figures show that in seasonally adjusted, current price terms, the current account deficit rose $2,728 M (19%) to $17,459 M in the December Quarter 2009. Exports of goods and services decreased $266 M and imports of goods and services increased by $1,572 M.

In seasonally adjusted chain volume terms, the goods and services deficit increased $3,790 M resulting in a deficit of $7,750 M. This is expected to detract 1.3 percentage points from growth in the December Quarter 2009 volume measure of Gross Domestic Product.

Australia’s net International Investment Position (IIP) rose $12.4 B to a net liability position of $768.6 B in the December Quarter 2009. Australia’s net foreign debt liability increased $14.2 B and Australia’s net foreign equity liability decreased $1.8 B.

 

 

 

Victor P Taffa

As our population increases and ages the expansion of all heavy railway networks throughout Australia is essential in order to meet these growing pressures over the next few decades.

In a series of articles The Southern Thunderer investigates a number of issues that spells out why Governments of all persuasions must meet the challenges ahead and instead of deferring or abandoning railway expansion realise the positive impact that this will have on our economy and society as a whole.

The plans for expansion of our railways were included in the Detailed Overview Report as written by myself and distributed in the first instance in January 2001. On 26 February 2009 all of the plans became accessible via the internet. The website address is www.isput.com.au

The Detailed Overview Report will be used as a template for individual websites of Railway expansion that will be progressively launched for every State, Territory and a National focus.

Many of the plans for Sydney are simply a revival of routes laid out by John Bradfield during the 1920’s and there are routes that were drawn up during the 1910’s. The final article focuses on HIGH SPEED RAIL.

 

High Speed Rail:

 

Reconstruction and realignment of existing railway lines will enable high speed trains to operate at speeds of 300 km/h.

 

High Speed rail travel will not only improve existing service and reliability but encourage business commuters to use rail. Currently passengers who use the airlines are required to take off personal effects such as shoes when going through security screening at airports.

 

Despite worldwide terrorism concerns and events rail travel does not have that same security concern. Enforcing the same security demands on rail passengers as those for airline passengers would effectively grind railways to a halt.

 

High speed rail travel is very enjoyable and has the benefit of taking passengers into the heart of the central business district. This is in contrast to airlines where airports are located many kilometres outside of a central business district.

 

High speed trains such as the Japanese ‘bullet’ train that operates at 300 km/h or the ‘tilt’ train in Queensland are very successful and popular.

Existing rail corridors will be duplicated and electrified.

 

High Rail can operate at speeds of 300 km/h for the following routes:

• Sydney-Melbourne CBD in 4 hours.
• Sydney-Brisbane CBD in 4 hours.
• Sydney-Adelaide CBD in 6 hours.
• Sydney-Perth CBD in 24 hours.
• Sydney-Canberra CBD in 1½ hours.
• Sydney-Newcastle CBD in 1½ hours.
• Sydney- Wollongong CBD in 1½ hours.
• Sydney-Alice Springs CBD in 3 hours.
• Sydney-Darwin CBD in 6 hours.
• Sydney-Broken Hill CBD in 2 hours.
• Sydney-Mt Isa CBD in 4 hours.

 

These times are factored from Sydney as a departure point. High speed services would also operate to and from other destinations.

 

Tourists normally like to see what a large city has to offer. Sydney is a magnet for tourists and so high speed rail must operate to the Central Business District.

 

Interstate trains currently serve Keswick rather than Adelaide and Palmerston rather than Darwin. The travel times listed for Adelaide and Darwin include new and/or upgraded railway stations.

 

The effect of trains completing their journeys to Keswick and Palmerston is the equivalent of interstate trains terminating at Redfern instead of Sydney Central station.

 

The same argument also applies for a second Sydney Airport location. Newcastle has often been mentioned however tourists and business travellers who want to come to Sydney find the proximity of Kingsford Smith Airport to the Sydney CBD is an asset that few major cities around the world can boast.

 

High speed rail travel from Sydney-Perth would bridge the East-West divide that is amongst the widest in the world.

 

The Trans-Continental Railway was opened in 1917 and in 2010 is still a single track line. The Indian-Pacific traverses the continent in three days and has one of the longest straight stretches of track in the world.

 

As this is one of the great railway journeys the current service is restricted in operating capacity when a breakdown occurs. This does occur and is why the line requires duplication. In addition to duplication there should also be twin siding tracks to allow a high speed electric train to span Australia in 24 hours.

 

The benefits of high speed trains are obvious. In order for this to occur the existing lines require duplication, electrification and the elimination of many windy sections of track.

 

Australia is a vast continent. The ‘tyranny of distance’ can be overcome and ensure that all the people living throughout regional and rural Australia can access the benefits of the large cities and vice versa.

 

Tasmania Rail Ferry:

Currently a ferry operates between Victoria and Tasmania. During holiday periods the ferry has a high demand for patronage and bookings are required well in advance of travel.

 

A Rail Ferry would operate in the same way as the existing service. Rail ferry services could utilise the same facilities as the car ferry wharf however a new wharf near to Williamstown will enable trains to serve an upgraded Williamstown Line. Alternatively existing wharve facilities could be used.

 

Normal trains would operate and a certain length of train would board the ferry on rails. At Devonport the trains would leave the ferry and join with normal Tasmania rail services.

 

Tasmania has not had normal passenger services since 1978. The Tasmania Railways were bought by Australian National Rail and have since been bought back by the Tasmanian Government.

 

Rail ferries are not new in Australia. During the golden era of the Sydney Tramways, tramcars left the Neutral Bay lines and joined the Manly system via a tram ferry. Tramcars boarded the ferry and were taken across the Spit at Middle Harbour.

 

Railway line construction does not remove the need to maintain or upgrade roads. However given the large expansion of residential areas over many decades without a railway line it is quite apparent that there is a bias against the construction of railway lines.

 

The difference between the cost of construction of roads and railway lines is marginal.

Victor P Taffa

As our population increases and ages the expansion of all heavy railway networks throughout Australia is essential in order to meet these growing pressures over the next few decades.

In a series of articles The Southern Thunderer investigates a number of issues that spells out why Governments of all persuasions must meet the challenges ahead and instead of deferring or abandoning railway expansion realise the positive impact that this will have on our economy and society as a whole.

The plans for expansion of our railways were included in the Detailed Overview Report as written by myself and distributed in the first instance in January 2001. On 26 February 2009 all of the plans became accessible via the internet. The website address is www.isput.com.au

The Detailed Overview Report will be used as a template for individual websites of Railway expansion that will be progressively launched for every State, Territory and a National focus.

Many of the plans for Sydney are simply a revival of routes laid out by John Bradfield during the 1920’s and there are routes that were drawn up during the 1910’s. The fifth article focuses on Train/Tram/Light Rail Coexistence.

 

Train/Tram/Light Rail Coexistence:

 

Unlike Metro Rail, Heavy Rail and Light Rail and Tramways will coexist throughout New South Wales. Until 1934 the movement of tramcars to the tramway system from the heavy railways occurred at West Ryde. From the Northern Line at West Ryde a single track tramline proceeded from the heavy railway tracks onto Ryedale Road along Victoria Road and Church Street where the line joined the tramway system at Blaxland Road.

 

This joint use of tracks also occurred at platforms 3 & 4 of Milsons Point railway station until 1958 where the heavy railway lines on the eastern side of the Sydney Harbour Bridge were used by the tramways.

 

As such the use of heavy railway lines can enable tramcars and light rail vehicles to join streets in suburbs, towns and cities throughout New South Wales.

 

This multi use of heavy railway lines will allow for the provision of a very frequent service for all communities particularly in regional and rural areas. Where the ‘tyranny of distance’ forces the permanent isolation of vast numbers of people this multipurpose approach to the use of railway lines will bring people together and in turn revive towns that are currently struggling.

 

Heavy rail, tramways and light rail operate on the same rail gauge and overhead wiring system.

 

Heavy railway lines operate on a higher voltage than for trams or light rail vehicles. The multiple uses of heavy railway lines will encourage the need to duplicate and quadruple railway lines which will allow for the separation of freight, express and slower passenger services.

 

Railway line construction does not remove the need to maintain or upgrade roads. However given the large expansion of residential areas over many decades without a railway line it is quite apparent that there is a bias against the construction of railway lines.

 

Governments at every level are looking at value for money when capital works budgets are allocated. The dual use of trains, trams or light rail on the same tracks for every State, Territory and a National focus will encourage Government to invest in railway expansion.

 

Trams or light rail can connect far flung regional towns and cities by providing a fast service along the same tracks as an electric train.

 

This will go a long way towards overcoming the ‘tyranny of distance’ that afflicts Australia.

 

The difference between the cost of construction of roads and railway lines is marginal.

Victor P Taffa

As our population increases and ages the expansion of all heavy railway networks throughout Australia is essential in order to meet these growing pressures over the next few decades.

In a series of articles The Southern Thunderer investigates a number of issues that spells out why Governments of all persuasions must meet the challenges ahead and instead of deferring or abandoning railway expansion realise the positive impact that this will have on our economy and society as a whole.

The plans for expansion of our railways were included in the Detailed Overview Report as written by myself and distributed in the first instance in January 2001. On 26 February 2009 all of the plans became accessible via the internet. The website address is www.isput.com.au

The Detailed Overview Report will be used as a template for individual websites of Railway expansion that will be progressively launched for every State, Territory and a National focus.

Many of the plans for Sydney are simply a revival of routes laid out by John Bradfield during the 1920’s and there are routes that were drawn up during the 1910’s. The fourth article focuses on PUBLIC BENEFITS.

PUBLIC BENEFITS:

 

• Your Railway Line construction has more positive spin-offs for Sydney and New South Wales than the negative cost of construction.

 

• Your Railways employ people during the construction phase and create permanent ongoing employment opportunities.

 

• Your Railways reduce the road death toll.

 

• Your Railways do not require floral wreathes or Stop Revive Survive signage at railway station platforms.

 

• Your Railways reduce the burden on the hospital system with less car accidents and as a result lower insurance premiums.

 

• Your Railways result in better roads because more money is ultimately available to maintain and upgrade roads. Roads in peak hour are less congested and safer to use.

 

• Your Railways are cleaner for the Environment as they do not need ugly, obtrusive emission exhaust stacks.

 

• Your Railways boost tourism.

 

• Your Railways do not require passengers to take off their shoes before boarding a train.

 

• Your Railways unite communities and build a community spirit.

 

• Your Railways serve 304.8 Million* passenger journeys.

 

• Your Railways currently serve 500,000* commuters for 990,000 journeys in peak hour on a weekday in Metropolitan Sydney.

 

• Your Railways serve 1.68* Million CountryLink passenger journeys.

 

*According to RailCorp Annual Report 2008-09

 

 

The full details for these plans can be viewed at www.isput.com.au

SUMMARY OF NEW SYDNEY METROPOLITAN RAILWAY LINES: 

 

• These planned railway lines are designed to bring many suburbs of our great city onto the rail network. Without a major expansion of the rail network, within 20 years, peak hour will extend from 8 hours a day to 12.
• The following are plans, for new, or extensions to, existing railway lines for the Sydney Metropolitan rail network:

 

• BANKSTOWN LINE EXTENSION
• BRADFIELD LINE
• BROOKVALE LINE
• CAMPBELLTOWN LINE
• CARLINGFORD LINE EXTENSION
• CRONULLA LINE EXTENSION                                                                       
• EAST HILLS LINE EXTENSION                                                                       
• EASTERN LINE EXTENSION                                                                          
• EASTWOOD LINE
• ERMINGTON LINE
• HILLS LINE
• LOWER BLUE MOUNTAINS LINE                                                                            
• MACARTHUR LINE
• NORTH SHORE LINE EXTENSION                                                                          
• NORTH WESTERN LINE                                                                                  
• NORTHERN BEACHES LINE                                                                                    
• NORTHERN LINE EXTENSION                                                                       
• PRINCES LINE                                                                                                  
• RICHMOND LINE EXTENSION                                                                       
• SOUTH EASTERN LINE
• WINSTON HILLS LINE 

                                                                                             

 The full details for these plans can be viewed at www.isput.com.au

 SUMMARY OF NEW REGIONAL AND RURAL RAILWAY LINES: 

 

• These planned railway lines would be dual track and built on concrete sleepers and with pipelines placed alongside the lines so as to ‘drought proof’ New South Wales. All new and existing railway lines throughout New South Wales would be electrified.

 

• The following are plans, for new, or extensions to, existing railway lines for Regional and Rural New South Wales:

 

• ARMIDALE LINE EXTENSION                                                         
• BROKEN HILL LINE
• CENTRAL COAST LINE
• CENTRAL WESTERN LINE                                                               
• CESSNOCK LINE
• GRENFELL LINE        
• HUNTER LINE
• ILLAWARRA LINE EXTENSION
• NARROMINE LINE
• NEWCASTLE LINE                                                                                         
• PACIFIC LINE
• RAYMOND TERRACE LINE                                                                                     
• RIVERINA LINE
• SOUTH COAST LINE                                                                                       
• SOUTHERN LINE EXTENSION                                                                       
• WHITTON LINE

 

The expansion of the rail network will require the construction of new rail Depot/Maintenance Centres at:

• Kemps Creek.
• Riverstone

 

Currently Sydney Metropolitan Rail Depots are at:

 

• Mortdale,
• Flemington,
• Hornsby.

 

New stabling facilities would be constructed at Broadmeadow. This would eliminate the need to stable trains on line into the Newcastle CBD.

 

Some of the features of new rolling stock will include:

 

• Single Deck
• Stainless Steel exteriors
• Air-conditioning
• 8 or 4 car sets
• 3-2 plus aisle seat configuration
• Multi-Directional seating
• Concertina carriage connections
• Side of carriage electronic destination signs
• Wheel chair bays
• Luggage Racks
• Japanese style ‘bullet train’ carriages
• ‘Canadian Rockies’ style clear top carriages
• New South Wales railway carriage manufacturing industry
• New Sleeper carriages.
• Pay to view video screens
• Restaurant/lounge carriages on every train.

 

• Single Deck carriages would be well suited in off peak and weekend services.

 

• When the rail network began operating electric rail services in Sydney in 1926, the mass production of single deck red coloured electric trains was undertaken to meet the increased patronage of the railways. The earliest carriages were of timber construction and narrow carriages were merely widened. The ‘red rattlers’ were relatively cheap to produce and lasted on the network for over 60 years.

 

• The construction of new railway lines in Sydney will ensure that unlike 1995, new rail carriages are built. The Double-Deck trailer carriages and Tanagra’s are very good carriages and provide a very reliable and safe journey.

 

• The Olympic Games showed that the downside of Double-Deck carriages is increased loading times at stations. Single-Deck carriages have a faster loading time and thus service frequency can increase.

 

• Having trumpeted the virtues of single or double-deck carriages, when the rail network expands again with the opening of the Epping-Chatswood line, a combination of single and double-deck carriages should be used with a combination of 8 or 4 car sets.

 

• The location of Wheel chair bays on rail carriages is very easy to provide. One of the side facing seat arrangements in the saloon ends of a rail carriage could be removed at one end of an existing carriage or not provided in any new carriages. As well as enabling wheel chair bound commuters to use the rail network; the other advantage to this is the increased standing capacity of the carriages.

 

• Japanese style ‘bullet train’ carriages will be built in New South Wales and operate on newly built or realigned railway lines so as to operate at speeds of 300 km/h and provide people with a transport option that in 2009 does not exist.

 

• ‘Canadian Rockies’ style clear top carriages will be built in New South Wales and provide people with a travelling experience that allows for tourism to be encouraged.

 

• The New South Wales railway carriage manufacturing industry will be encouraged so as to provide long term employment to people and also boost indirect employment in associated industries. New South Wales will lead the way for other States and Territories throughout Australia to ‘buy Australian’.

 

• New Sleeper carriages built that are of a luxurious nature with beds laid further apart and designed to attract passengers to high speed long distance travel.

 

• Pay to view video screens will be located on the backs of seats for the use of passengers. Security camera surveillance would reduce vandalism in the vicinity of these video screens. Passengers will be able to view the daily news or a G rated movie.

 

• Restaurant/lounge carriages would be included on every train. Passengers will be able to purchase food and beverages and consumed within the same carriage. By utilising a whole carriage passengers can sit and relax on lounge style seating so that the other carriages are maintained in their present format and thus enable laws relating to the consumption of food and beverages on a train remains unaltered.

 

• Restaurant /lounge carriages would be leased to independent operators and would only relate to the provision of food and beverages.

 

• Every railway depot could have a different provider of the food and beverage operation. Ownership of the carriages will remain with RailCorp.

 

• The construction of any new railway station would also incorporate lifts as well as escalators thus enabling all commuters to use the new rail lines. The construction of other new rail lines will necessitate more rail carriages to be built and the ‘one size fits all’ rail carriage policy needs to be reviewed.

 

Railway Archives:

The Railways Archives Office should be adequately funded with the public encouraged to visit.

The NSW Government should maintain Railway restoration at the Eveleigh workshops.

 

Luggage Trolleys:

Luggage Trolleys similar to those at Sydney airport should be provided at large railway stations such as Central and Strathfield.

 

Regional and Rural railway station improvements:

Parkes, Dubbo, Orange, Yass Junction and Canberra would be upgraded to include additional full length platforms and a station roof to protect passengers from the elements similar to Calais or St. Pancras Railway Stations.

Concrete sleepers:

All new and realigned railway lines will have concrete sleepers so the rails are able to absorb varying weather conditions. Concrete sleepers also have a longer life than timber sleepers.

 

Multi track rail corridors:

All new and existing railway lines throughout Metropolitan Sydney, Regional and Rural New South Wales will have rail corridors that allow for trains to travel in different directions at the same time. There is almost nowhere that a road is a single lane only and tracks on a railway corridor are like lanes on a road. Single track railway lines will be either duplicated or where necessary quadrupled.

 

Electrification:

All new and existing railway lines throughout Metropolitan Sydney, Regional and Rural New South Wales will be electrified. The steam age has come and gone and in 2009 the time is suitable to electrify every new or existing railway line. While high speed trains do not necessarily require electrification once a railway line has electrification different trains can operate on any railway line and provide shorter more flexible services. In order to electrify all existing and new multi track rail corridors New South Wales will require additional power generating capacity and this in turn will improve the supply of electricity to the people of New South Wales. Electrification should also be implemented for every rail network throughout Australia.

 

Pipelines:

All new and existing railway lines throughout flood prone areas of Metropolitan Sydney and all Regional and Rural parts of New South Wales will have pipelines built alongside the lines. Floods in Bourke, North Coast, Coffs Harbour in New South Wales, and Queensland in 2009 showed how the large torrents of water could not be channelled to the drought affected areas of New South Wales. The bushfires throughout Victoria in 1983 and 2009 could also have been stopped had pipelines been placed alongside of railway lines. Railway lines could also be built through National Parks and in doing so would create natural fire breaks and allow for regular back burning in National Parks.

 

Railway line construction does not remove the need to maintain or upgrade roads. However given the large expansion of residential areas over many decades without a railway line it is quite apparent that there is a bias against the construction of railway lines.

 

The difference between the cost of construction of roads and railway lines is marginal.

Victor P Taffa

As our population increases and ages the expansion of all heavy railway networks throughout Australia is essential in order to meet these growing pressures over the next few decades.

In a series of articles The Southern Thunderer investigates a number of issues that spells out why Governments of all persuasions must meet the challenges ahead and instead of deferring or abandoning railway expansion realise the positive impact that this will have on our economy and society as a whole.

The plans for expansion of our railways were included in the Detailed Overview Report as written by myself and distributed in the first instance in January 2001. On 26 February 2009 all of the plans became accessible via the internet. The website address is www.isput.com.au

The Detailed Overview Report will be used as a template for individual websites of Railway expansion that will be progressively launched for every State, Territory and a National focus.

Many of the plans for Sydney are simply a revival of routes laid out by John Bradfield during the 1920’s and there are routes that were drawn up during the 1910’s. The third article focuses on GENERAL RAILWAY IMPROVEMENTS.

 

SUMMARY OF GENERAL RAILWAY IMPROVEMENTS:

 

The following general railways improvements while are designed for the requirements for New South Wales would also be used as a template for every State, Territory and a National focus.

 

Former New South Wales Minister for Transport Carl Scully fought a tough battle through Cabinet to increase track capacity on the East Hills Line.

 

Duplication and Quadruplication projects are essential to ensure that existing services can function safely and smoothly.

 

Commuters go to a station expecting that there will be no breakdowns however these issues arise and as with lanes on road additional tracks are simply lanes on a railway. Trains cannot run without tracks.

 

Reconstruction/realignment of:

 

• Northern Line between Hornsby, Newcastle and Brisbane.
• Northern Line between Woy Woy and Cowan.
• Illawarra Line between Sutherland and Wollongong.
• Southern Line between Macarthur, Goulburn, Canberra, Cooma & Melbourne.
• Western Line between Penrith, Orange and Broken Hill.
• All other lines to key Regional towns throughout New South Wales.
• Quadruple the Northern line between Hornsby & Strathfield.
• Quadruple the North Shore line between Chatswood & North Sydney.
• Quadruple the Southern Line between Macarthur & Granville.
• Quadruple the Illawarra line between Hurstville & Sutherland.
• Quadruple the East Hills line.
• Quadruple the Bankstown line between Birrong & Marrickville.
• Quadruple existing Freight corridors to allow for passenger use.
• Connect Parramatta to the Carlingford line and extend to Epping.
• Duplicate the Richmond line.
• Duplicate every Country line.
• Amplify the Western line between Strathfield & Olympic Park.
• Construction of a Sydney Harbour Rail Tunnel or restore the Sydney Harbour Bridge Eastern side tracks.

 

• The Northern Line at Epping will be realigned so that the underground platforms contain dive tunnels for the trains to enter and rejoin the surface tracks on the Northern Line thus allowing passengers to board trains to Chatswood and Parramatta easily. These new dive tunnels allows for the unused Platform 4 to be placed into commission.

 

• While under reconstruction/realignment, some of these railway lines would be closed to rail traffic and all services replaced by buses during the period of the works. The South Australia Government recently upgraded the Belair Line and buses replaced trains for the duration of the works.

 

• If necessary, the relocation of whole railway stations, which has occurred in the past, may have to occur as part of the reconstruction /realignment programme.

 

• These improvements to the rail network are designed to meet the growing demand for an adequate transport system for the large population centres of New South Wales over the next 30 years. These projects will go a long way to reducing the death toll on our country roads.

 

Railway line construction does not remove the need to maintain or upgrade roads. However given the large expansion of residential areas over many decades without a railway line it is quite apparent that there is a bias against the construction of railway lines.

 

The difference between the cost of construction of roads and railway lines is marginal.

Victor P Taffa

As our population increases and ages the expansion of all heavy railway networks throughout Australia is essential in order to meet these growing pressures over the next few decades.

In a series of articles The Southern Thunderer investigates a number of issues that spells out why Governments of all persuasions must meet the challenges ahead and instead of deferring or abandoning railway expansion realise the positive impact that this will have on our economy and society as a whole.

The plans for expansion of our railways were included in the Detailed Overview Report as written by myself and distributed in the first instance in January 2001. On 26 February 2009 all of the plans became accessible via the internet. The website address is www.isput.com.au

The Detailed Overview Report will be used as a template for individual websites of Railway expansion that will be progressively launched for every State, Territory and a National focus.

Many of the plans for Sydney are simply a revival of routes laid out by John Bradfield during the 1920’s and there are routes that were drawn up during the 1910’s. The second article focuses on LEGISLATION.

LEGISLATION:

The following pieces of legislation while are designed for the requirements for New South Wales would also be used as a template for every State, Territory and a National focus.

The New South Wales Minister for Transport would work in close consultation with the New South Wales Minister for Railways for the enactment of the following pieces of legislation:

Some of the following pieces of legislation that would be required are as follows:

1)    Railway Construction Act

2)    Railway (Land Development) Provision Act

3)    Transport Timetable Co-ordination Act

4)    Transport Zonal Ticketing Co-ordination Act

5)    Transport Zonal (Ticketing) Dissolution Act 

6)    Transport Zonal Multi Use (Ticketing) Act

7)    Transport Zonal (Operations) Dissolution Act

 

1)    The Railway Construction Act would allow for the construction of above/below ground railway lines wherever the need arose. There would be no requirement to obtain the permission of a local government council and the Department of Urban Affairs and planning. The Railway Construction Act would not however operate once a railway line had been constructed and the type of development that would occur along the route of a new railway line would be governed by existing procedures.

 

The Railway Construction Act would not avoid the need to conduct an Environmental Impact Statement into the construction of a new railway line. The new act would require the Department of Railways to engage in the same EIS process that currently exists. Once the new railway was constructed, the Department of Urban Affairs and Planning would resume its function in determining the style of development that was to occur along the new rail corridor.

 

2)    The Railway (Land Development) Provision Act would encourage the construction of a new railway line in an area where large tracts of land were being subdivided into new suburbs. At present new suburbs are being established without the provision of a railway line. At the time of subdivision, the developer would pay a levy on the value of land at that time in the form of railway bonds. Of course the value of land once a railway line is built increases, so the levy would be easily absorbed into the cost of development. Payment in the form of railway bonds gives the developer an opportunity to recover the original levy paid and gain positive recognition for contributing towards the construction of the new railway line.

 

Had the same constraints that apply today to the construction of new railway lines applied when the present rail network was being built, then Sydney would never have got a rail or tram network built.

 

3)    The Transport Timetable Co-ordination Act would ensure trains, trams, buses and ferries met each other at scheduled interchanges and thus encouraged the use of public transport. Sydney had a tramway network second to none and there was a requirement that the tram had to wait for the train to arrive before departing.

 

4)    The Transport Zonal Ticketing Co-ordination Act would ensure train, tram, bus and ferry fare structures were co-ordinated in size and mode across Metropolitan Sydney thus encouraging the use of public transport and reducing Peak Hour traffic congestion. Similar coordination of ticketing zones would be implemented for regional and rural New South Wales.

 

5)    The Transport Zonal (Ticketing) Dissolution Act will dissolve all existing ticketing zones for both private and public train, bus, coach and ferry services across New South Wales. Currently there is a myriad of zones that are confusing for all concerned to manage and discourage the use of public transport. This Act will allow for a modern system of pricing to be introduced that would be reflective of the needs of the travelling public in the twenty-first century.

 

6)    The Transport Zonal Multi Use (Ticketing) Act will enable new ticketing zones to be introduced that are responsive to the demands of a modern society in the twenty-first century. Current ticketing zones do not cater for the use of different modes of transport by passengers and tourists. All transport operators would see an increase in revenue from fares collected because new ticketing zones would be multi Zonal and thus encourage the use of different modes of transport by passengers.

 

7)    The Transport Zonal (Operations) Dissolution Act would allow for new bus feeder services to be introduced as new Railway lines are constructed. The current Zonal Operations have been in place since the 1930s and this situation arose because Private Bus companies fought for patronage against the Trams. Bus and Tram conductors existed in those days and were at the front line of the patronage battles. On-board conductors are no longer employed. In the 1930s, car ownership was not universal. Also the population of Sydney was very different to that of today.

 

• Minister for Railways

 

•  With a comprehensive Rail expansion programme over the next 30 years, there will be a need to have a Minister for Railways at the Cabinet Table as well as a Minister for Transport.

 

• The Minister would have a single Department which would incorporate the Transport Infrastructure Development Corporation.

 

• Currently the Transport Minister is responsible for Trains, Buses, Ferries, Hire cars and Taxis. This Ministerial workload is enormous and there would be great advantages on many fronts to split the Railways from the Transport Portfolio.

 

• Current legislative requirements place too many hurdles in the way for new railway lines to be built and so the NSW Parliament in order to construct new railway lines would need to enact new legislation. During the construction phase of the existing rail network, no doubt there was special legislation in place as well as a Department of Railways and a Minister for Railways. While the reintroduction of a Minister and Railways Department may not be necessary, there is a need to enact special legislation to enable the smooth construction of railway lines.

 

• During the Olympic Games, special legislation was enacted for the sole purposes of the Olympic Games and so too new legislation should be enacted for the construction of new railway lines.

 

Timetabling and Ticketing:

New rail lines with ‘Y’ and ‘Diamond’ links and rail grade separations are built into the current network so that services can operate more frequently than at present. The abolition of printed timetables will make for a more effective and highly patronised rail network and thus provide for new and innovative services that are currently on offer.

 

Service Scheduling:

The travelling public should be able to go to their railway station and to catch a train without having to wait an inordinately long period of time for it to arrive.

In Switzerland there are sayings such as:

 ‘People set their time by the time that trains arrive.’

 and

  ‘Swiss trains run like clockwork.’

If trains operated on the principle that there is no printed timetable and that a train will arrive with a great deal of frequency then this idea will sink into the mind of the public’s consciousness that a train will arrive quickly and frequently and within a short timeframe people will use the railways in greater numbers and this will in turn increase the need to build new railway lines.

  

Timetabling schedules without a printed version will be as follows:

 

• Sydney Metropolitan Lines: 5 minutes in Peak Hour, 15 minutes in Off-Peak & Weekends.

 

• Newcastle & Hunter Lines: 15 minutes in Peak Hour, 15 minutes in Off-Peak & Weekends.

 

• Illawarra Lines: 15 minutes in Peak Hour, 15 minutes in Off-Peak & Weekends.

 

• Country Lines: 30 minutes on every line.

 

All lines will have express, intermediate and all station services operating.

 

Electronic Ticketing & Internet Sales:

 

Immediate introduction of an electronic ticketing system for all modes of transport, public and private.

 

Enable commuters to purchase rail, bus and ferry tickets on the internet. Tickets could still be sold through the usual outlets.

 

Railway line construction does not remove the need to maintain or upgrade roads. However given the large expansion of residential areas over many decades without a railway line it is quite apparent that there is a bias against the construction of railway lines.

 

The difference between the cost of construction of roads and railway lines is marginal.

Victor P Taffa

As our population increases and ages the expansion of all heavy railway networks throughout Australia is essential in order to meet these growing pressures over the next few decades.

In a series of articles The Southern Thunderer investigates a number of issues that spells out why Governments of all persuasions must meet the challenges ahead and instead of deferring or abandoning railway expansion realise the positive impact that this will have on our economy and society as a whole.

The plans for expansion of our railways were included in the Detailed Overview Report as written by myself and distributed in the first instance in January 2001. On 26 February 2009 all of the plans became accessible via the internet. The website address is www.isput.com.au

The Detailed Overview Report will be used as a template for individual websites of Railway expansion that will be progressively launched for every State, Territory and a National focus.

Many of the plans for Sydney are simply a revival of routes laid out by John Bradfield during the 1920’s and there are routes that were drawn up during the 1910’s. The first article focuses on FINANCING & CONSTRUCTION.

FINANCING:

The sources of financing new railway lines in Sydney should include the following:

1)    Federal Government funding

2)    State Government funding

3)    Private Consortium involvement

4)    Railway Bonds

 

1)     Federal Government funding:

The Commonwealth constitution provides for the construction of railways. Under S.51 Cl. xxxiv of the Commonwealth Constitution reads as follows:

The Parliament shall, subject to this Constitution, have power to make laws for the peace, order, and good government of the Commonwealth with respect to: Railway construction and extension in any State with the consent of that State.

 

2)     State Government funding:

Every Government Department EXCEPT HEALTH would have their budgets cut by 10% for FOUR years to pay for new railway lines. When costing of Capital works is undertaken all stages and reports that are required will be produced in the one report thus reducing the overall cost of the project.

The immediate reaction to this idea is that frontline services or back office staff will be the first to go with a budget cut of 10% for FOUR years.

With sound management and a streamlined method of producing the reporting procedures of Government such as the numerous stages of reports such as those for Planning Projects will be able to meet the 10% budget cut without the need to slash staffing levels.

Department efficiencies are now possible given the advent of computer technology. Where the exception is given to Health, financial resources are invariably tied up in bureaucratic red tape and not in the actual delivery of frontline services.

 

3)     Private Consortium involvement:

Enables new railway lines to be built years ahead that is normally possible.

 

 4)     Railway Bonds:

 

• Railway Bonds give ordinary citizens a sense of ownership of a newly built railway line.

 

• Railway Bonds would not adversely impact on our Banking system.

 

• Railway Bonds are the same as Government Bonds, with merely a different name. The railway bonds would have the guarantee of the NSW Treasury. Companies, private individuals and organizations would be encouraged to invest in railway bonds. Investors would earn a very good rate of interest and be TOTALLY FREE of any transaction fees or charges.

 

• The last occasion that Bonds were last issued by the NSW Treasury was when Neville Wran was Premier of New South Wales. During 1980, Premier State Bonds were issued for the raising of capital for Public Works expenditure.

  

• While Railway Bonds would not finance the construction of a line totally, at the time of investment, people could choose which rail line their bonds would be credited against. Later on, when the rail line opened, a commemorative board would be erected at a particular railway station recognising those persons, companies or organizations that financially contributed to the construction of that particular railway.

  

• Recipients of Social security benefits would on a voluntary basis are encouraged to contribute towards the purchase of railway bonds also. Those unemployed persons who supported railway bonds would be considered first for training and employment opportunities when the new railway lines opened.

 

•  The NSW Treasury would receive increased revenues through land tax with the construction of new railway lines. The value of land increases when a railway line is built and this will be reflected in increased land tax revenue.

  

CONSTRUCTION:

 

1)    The period of time to construct new railway lines would be a 30 year period.

2)    There would be three lines under construction at the same time.

3)    New railway lines would incorporate sewerage and drainage pipes, Pay TV, Internet and electricity cables.

 

Railway line construction does not remove the need to maintain or upgrade roads. However given the large expansion of residential areas over many decades without a railway line it is quite apparent that there is a bias against the construction of railway lines.

The difference between the cost of construction of roads and railway lines is marginal.

 

Federal Shadow Minister for Transport Warren Truss

Finally, we have a national rail system

Victor P Taffa

The dream of a national rail network linking the mainland states has finally come true.

“I welcome the handover of track from the Queensland border to Acacia Ridge in Brisbane to the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC), meaning that freight can now travel seamlessly on standard gauge from Brisbane to Western Australia.” Federal Shadow Transport Minister, Warren Truss said.

“This handover finally brings to fruition an understanding reached between former Coalition Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson and the Queensland State Government more than five years ago.”

“For reasons I still find hard to understand, Queensland Labor took too long to accept that rail would be far more productive if this 101 kilometres of track became part of the national network. The Queensland Government will now lease the track to the ARTC for 60 years. This is a deal that is good for business, for productivity and for jobs. The Bligh Government should now consider leasing more of the track in Queensland to the ARTC.”

“That certainly makes a lot more sense than simply flogging off the line to keep Queensland solvent, as the State Government now plans,” Mr Truss said.

The former Coalition government provided funding for the upgrading of the broad gauge track in Queensland, including the construction of the Acacia Ridge Flyover. The completion of the track lease agreement should provide the avenue for further Australian government investment in the line.

The ARTC was established by the previous Coalition government to create a national rail network in Australia.

The ARTC now manages the main interstate rail lines between all mainland states and has played a major role in eliminating many of the infamous regulatory barriers which hampered the performance of the rail system for more than a century.

Expansion of rail transport throughout Australia is vital for a country that has the size of landmass and the sparseness of the population.

The movement of freight should be equally shared between road and rail and the increasing bias against rail freight should be resisted.

Construction of High Speed railways are vital so that passenger trains such as Japan’s ‘bullet train’ can operate between our capital cities and overcome the ‘tyranny of distance’ that will still exist even if Australia’s population were to increase to 100 Million people.

Victor P Taffa

When former Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser brokered a deal to establish independence for the British Colony of Rhodesia and become Zimbabwe new President Robert Mugabe was seen as a hero for his people.

 As time went on President Mugabe’s distrust and dislike of the former colonial master, Great Britain took hold and coloured his decision making ability. President Mugabe seized control of white Pro-British farms in the name of ‘redistributing fairness.’

 The new ‘owners’ of the farms were not as experienced as those who were displaced and poverty and inflation increased with the country descending into chaos as Presidential election after Presidential election became a charade.

 When the Rudd Government introduced its water buy back scheme it appeared on face value as a way to solve the water crisis afflicting South-Eastern Australia. The water buy back scheme maybe harmless now but what does the future hold for a less caring Government who may decide to seize control of farms or worst still buys farming lands?

 Should the buyback of water continue as is the policy of the Rudd Government then all farmers will end up solely reliant on the Federal Government and we will all be the losers because unprofitable farms will be sold and ‘the bread basket’ of the Pacific will be the ‘begging bowl’ of the Pacific. As John Bradfield sought to build inland water pipelines in Queensland in the 1920’s had this occurred then we would not be requiring a socialistic buy out of farms or water. As new railway lines are built water pipelines can be laid alongside the corridors. Pipelines also need to take water from the flood prone areas to the drought affected areas. New railway lines should be electrified and a new power station

 Notwithstanding water buy back the Carbon Emissions Trading Scheme (E.T.S.) is being touted as the saviour of the planet. In theory if a Trading Scheme were imposed on Industry then they would change their nasty Emissions emitting practices. The reality is that the E.T.S. is simply another tax that will place the future of many industries in jeopardy. If the Rudd Government were really serious about changing industry practices so as to improve emissions output the Government would implement new industry regulations and legislate for a better outcome.

 Furthermore if many countries are going to Copenhagen with a ‘wait and see’ attitude why should the Rudd Government place at risk Australian industry unnecessarily?

 Nationals Senator Barnaby Joyce recently referred to the Carbon Emissions Trading Scheme as the Employment Termination Scheme. Others have called it the Emissions Taxation Scheme. Either way every Australian is right to be concerned about the impact of such a large scheme that takes the nation into the realm of the unknown.

 Previously socialism was regarded as the Bogey so the left wing forces throughout the world had to come up with a new mantra that was acceptable to people. Along came the Greens movement and now you have the modern day socialist mantra called global warming and the emission trading scheme. Coal fired power stations would be closed tomorrow if the greens had their way.

Should this occur unemployment will head into the stratospheric levels.  How will we pay Medicare payments to people when mass unemployment develops? The workforce of the Hunter Valley would like to know about the likely effect of the E.T.S. on the Hunter Valley Coal Industry. Broken Hill is a great place but as with Wollongong and the Hunter Valley the proposed Carbon Emissions Trading Scheme will devastate Industry throughout Australia. The E.T.S. will have a significant impact on the Railway Industry.

 While the 2007 Federal election decisively elected the Rudd Government I would defy anyone to suggest that everyone who voted Labor in 2007 were actually up to speed with the detail of the E.T.S. The most important question about the E.T.S is if it will have no impact on Industry why do we need it? It seems as though that the people who support an E.T.S. also support an Australian Republic and the abolition of State Governments.

 There is a saying about change and that unless the change you wish to embark upon is as good as what you have now and does not improve the situation then ‘if in doubt, don’t

 Is change to the unknown really worth it?

Federal Nationals Leader Warren Truss

Victor P Taffa

The Rudd Labor Government’s proposed carbon pollution reduction tax has claimed its first victim with the announcement today that Cement Australia’s Rockhampton plant is to be mothballed from September this year according to Federal Leader of The Nationals and Shadow Minister for Regional Development, Warren Truss.

“The Liberal and National Parties have warned that Labor’s carbon pollution reduction tax will lead to job losses and we are now seeing the beginning of the real impact of the scheme,”

Cement Australia specifically cited the Rudd Government’s carbon pollution reduction tax as one of the reasons for the closure of its Rockhampton plant in its statement saying “The Federal Government’s determination to pass the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme has meant the long term prospects for the plant have been undermined so the business has taken a decision to resolve the matter in fairness to our employees.”

“Cement production is a significant CO2 emitter and therefore faces severe cost increases under Labor’s carbon pollution reduction tax. Other cement production will also be endangered. The tax acts as an incentive for these industries to leave Australia and relocate to other countries without a comparable carbon tax, costing local jobs while doing nothing to reduce global carbon emissions,” Mr Truss said.

Cement manufacture in Australia produces .8 tonnes of CO2 emissions per tonne of cement. When Australian cement plants close we will import cement from China where the CO2 emissions average 1.1 tonnes per tonne of cement. “Australian cement industry jobs will be lost but global carbon emissions will actually go up!” Mr Truss said.

This announcement is another blow to the Central Queensland economy which has already felt the impact of the downturn in the resources sector. “The wealth driving regions of our nation are already experiencing difficult times and the flawed carbon pollution reduction scheme will make things worse. The tax will cause job losses and increase the cost of living for Australian households as rising energy costs and emission taxes are ultimately passed onto consumers under Labor’s defective emissions trading plan,” Mr Truss said.

“Australia’s total emissions are only 1.4% of global carbon emissions. The action that we take will have a negligible effect on the environment but a devastating impact on jobs, the economy and the cost of living,” Mr Truss said

“It is time that the Member for Capricornia, Ms Kirsten Livermore and Member for Flynn, Mr Chris Trevor, stand up for their communities and common sense and point out the defects in Labor’s emissions trading scheme and loudly say NO to Kevin Rudd.” What is apparent is that the Carbons Tax is simply a new tax and not an improvement to the environment.