ACTION FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORT (NSW) INC.

ANNUAL REPORT – 2001

THE YEAR IN REVIEW
2001 will not be remembered as a good year for sustainable transport, its 
users, or supporters in NSW.  Sydney's new airport railway failed 
commercially, the proposed Bondi Beach line was abandoned, and construction 
of the Parramatta to Chatswood railway was deferred.  The Federal government 
forsook principle for populism by ending the indexation of the fuel excise, 
at a cost in revenue of $4 billion over four years.  The dewy-eyed successes 
of the transport arrangements for the Olympics succumbed to reality with the 
disbanding of the much-praised Olympic Roads & Transport Authority  (ORTA) 
and big increases in the fares on its remnant major-event bus services.

It has been difficult for us to maintain the necessary pressure on the 
various authorities because of the long time it takes to get responses, let 
alone action.  This frustration can be partly explained by the fact that the 
Minister for Transport gets 25000 letters a year.

There is, however, some good news.  Ninety percent of Sydneysiders believe 
traffic congestion is a serious problem and more than two thirds want roads 
funding to be diverted to improving public transport.  Government 
announcements of major new road projects are now met with increasing 
scepticism and ridicule from an informed public, aware of both the 
short-term nature of any congestion relief, and the phenomenon of induced 
traffic.  As little as ten years ago, the Roads & Traffic Authority refused 
to even admit that such a phenomenon existed.  Car-mad California has opened 
its last new freeway (SMH 22.8.01) and the Automobile Club of Southern 
California has accepted that "alternative methods" of moving people are 
required.

APT ACHIEVEMENTS
As with most voluntary organisations, APT's endeavours are constrained 
chiefly, not by a lack of money, but by a lack of workers.  By its very 
nature, the degree of success of our advocacy is difficult to measure.  
Specific achievements have been the restoration of State Transit's 
"BusTripper" ticket,  IPART's positive response to our submissions on fare 
increases, some inconsistent reductions in the noise from CityRail's 
platform advertising videos, a satisfying media presence, an improved 
location for the proposed railway station at Macquarie University, and the 
acceleration of the construction of the Parramatta to Mungarie Park and 
Blacktown to Windsor Road Transitways to match that of the Windsor Road 
upgrading.  We compliment our colleagues in Bathurst for their role in the 
major improvements to that city's bus services.

WORKS IN PROGRESS
We have liaised regularly throughout the year with the government transport 
authorities and with other commuter organisations.  We have continued our 
monitoring of Local Government, particularly in relation to Development 
Applications for developments which would discourage access by public 
transport or by walking or cycling.  We are currently involved in the 
re-vitalisation of Parramatta Road, the Transport Safety Advisory Committee, 
the Centennial Park Access study, CityRail's station upgrading program, the 
proposed redevelopment of the Leichhardt bus depot site, and the current 
Inquiry into the operations of Sydney Ferries.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
On behalf of members, and the travelling public, I acknowledge the 
sacrifices made by the families of the members of the Management Committee 
in order that APT's work might be done.  I also thank members and supporters 
for your assistance over the past year.  Your personal campaigns, revealed 
principally in the letters columns of the newspapers, have also been noted 
with appreciation.

LOOKING AHEAD
APT will continue to act as watchdog on the transport proposals of both 
government and the private sector.  Grandiose motorway projects and 
proposals for banal video advertising in all buses and train carriages are 
expected to occupy some of our time.  Finally, I thank you for your past 
support and look forward to serving you in the future.

Kevin Eadie – Convener – 25 September 2001