WHAT'S ON.
EVERY TUESDAY.
Discussion Meeting, Great Southern Hotel, George St., opposite Eddy Ave, (in lounge, back of hotel, right hand side) 5.30 p.m.
Tuesday Aug 31.
Meeting of Anti-Expressway Movement to discuss strategy. N.S.W. Environment Centre, 263B Broadway - 8 p.m. (see article)
Tuesday/Wednesday Aug 31/Sept 1.
Bus Proprietor's Show. Latest vehicles will be on show. This is not a public exhibition but S.P.T.C. members will be welcome. Showground, Smithfield Rd., Fairfield West (near Hamilton Rd), 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Monday Sept 6.
General Meeting S.P.T.C., Environment Centre, 263B Broadway, 5.30 p.m. - will consider Fee Increase (see article).
Continuous Until Sept 18.
Exhibition of Action Plans For Woolloomooloo. 41-47 Forbes St., Woolloomooloo. 8.30 a.m. - 6 p.m. Monday - Friday. 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Saturday.
Peach's Australia (Mondays 8 p.m., ABN 2)
Will include an episode on Sandy Hollow - Maryvale railway. (contact or watch ABN 2 to find out which Monday.)
CORRECTION.
Our new address is 126 Chalmers St., (not 128). Mail should still be addressed to Box K606, Haymarket. Phone calls should only be made on 69.6354 between 8.30 & 12.30 and 1.30 & 4.00. The other line is for A.F.U.L.E. business only.
RESULTS OF ELECTIONS.
Convenor: Don Morison 95.5731 (H) Secretary: Ron Best 239.6440 (W) 908.1173 (H)
EASTERN SUBURBS RAILWAY - BORING THE BOARD.
Our submission to the Eastern Suburbs Railway Board of Review pointed out the lack of planning throughout the entire history of the railway. We argued against the total discontinuation of the railway and discussed the advantages and disadvantages of partially completing to various stations along the route. In the event of no additional funds becoming available, we favoured initial completion to Kings Cross or Martin Place. This would increase the capacity of the existing city rail system, with advantages to rail commuters from as far away as Gosford. It would also leave open the option of completing the heavy railway to Bondi Junction or beyond at a later date or operating light rail vehicles or buses on part of the right of way. We expressed the hope that we could make an oral submission.
FUNERAL FOR FREEWAYS ?
The pro-freeway lobby has launched a counter-attack, following the news that Transport Minister Peter Cox may soon announce the abandonment of some freeway plans and a reconsideration of others. The D.M.R. (behind the scenes) and the N.R.M.A. and Real Estate Institute (publicly) have been pressing for the freeways to go ahead, although the D.M.R. in the latest issue of Main Roads is acknowledging the role of public transport.
Mr. Eric Morrison, deputy president of the Real Estate Institute, (no relation to our convenor) told the Sydney Morning Herald (28/8/76): "Cars are part of Western Civilisation's way of life. Government can't make them go away by strangling the city."
Coupled with the news that Premier Wran may be considering encouraging the expansion of the car industry in New South Wales, this must cause concern about the Government honouring its promises.
In answer to our questionnaire before the election, the Minister, Mr. Cox said that a Labor Government would definitely not proceed with the following four sections of freeway:
The S.P.T.C. will be represented at a meeting at the Environment Centre on Tuesday Aug 31 where residents of the affected areas and others opposed to the freeway plans will be invited to discuss strategy, (see "What's on"). All interested are invited to attend.
Newsletter Distribution
To save postage we would like to set up distribution points so that members with motivation and means can deliver newsletters in their area. Nobody seems interested in any other projects previously canvassed; perhaps you can offer help on this one - ring Kevin Eadie (290-4687) or Don Morison (955-731).
Bicycles
Federal Budget
Once again, roads ($433 million) have been given ten times as much money as urban public transport ($45 million). (Plus $20 million for cost increases on previously approved public transport projects). Clearly the Government is not serious about fighting price inflation when it fails to encourage efficient and cheaper transport - where the average family spends 16% of its income. Money spent on public transport would also help to reduce unemployment, since it's more labour intensive than private motoring.
The U.S. Federal Government will spend $2.5 BILLION on public transport in 1977. This works out at $12.50 per person in the U.S.A. compared with $3.46 per person in Australia. It's not surprising that we are having trouble completing one railway line while the Americans have several Metro-style systems under construction.
Cox and his councils
Transport News reports that the Minister for Transport and Highways has approved the establishment of a Public Transport Commission Joint Council. This council will comprise the Chief Commissioner, a Commissioner and seven employee representatives nominated by the Labor Council of N.S.W. The employee representatives are J.W. MacBean (Labor Council), J. Walsh (A.R.U.), B. Willingale (A.F.U.L.E.), B. Simpson(A.T.O.F.), P. Ryan(A.T.M.O.E.A.), T. Mawdsley(B.W.I.U.), T. Johnson(E.T.U.), and F. Bollins(A.M.W.U.).
The Minister, Mr. Cox, also promised at the State election that he would set up a commuter council when elected. In reply to Mr. Cox's request for a representative from the Save Public Transport Committee, we elected Sheila Swain two months ago. Since then we've heard nothing about the commuter council. We don't know what decisions it will be consulted about, we don't know when it will meet and there hasn't even been an official announcement about its membership!
Is it possible that Mr. Cox is more worried about his workers going on strike than he is about the commuters striking?
Go west, PTC!
"Transport was one of the five key social issues identified in a report commissioned by the Federal Department of Environment, Housing and Community Development on Sydney's Western Region. The study found that the major transport problem facing the western region is poor accessibility resulting from a lack of co-ordination in the planning and location of shopping centres, schools, factories and other facilities.
More emphasis, it said, will have to be placed on improving and
co-ordinating local train and private bus services and reducing
fares."
(S.M.H. 28th. August)
Botany Bay Enquiry
Don Morison and Mike Conroy made their oral submission to the Enquiry on 20th. August. They said that the Save Public Transport Committee is opposed to any of the port development being completed until there has been a complete transport/land-use study as part of a total study of the port's environmental and social impacts. It appears that the Enquiry is attempting to do such a study, but it is doubtful whether they can probe very deep with their limited resources.
Don and Mike said that they were opposed to the port because it would overload Sydney's road and rail systems, causing a serious decline in public transport services and patronage. They also suggested that the port and the Kyeemagh - Chullora Freeway would encourage industrial development in suburbs around the Bay, whereas it is really needed in the Outer Western Suburbs.
The counsel assisting the Commissioner asked what should be done if the port went ahead. Mike replied that his personal view was that the full social costs incurred by the port should be paid by the people using the port. For example, the coal companies should pay the cost of upgrading the suburban rail system so that coal trains would not disrupt passenger traffic. In this case, it might be cheaper to ship coal through Port Kembla.
It looks like the Public Transport Commission will be called before the Enquiry and asked to answer a few questions they haven't previously thought about.
Transcripts of proceedings and all submissions are on display at the Waratah Centre, 1205 Botany Road, Mascot Shopping Centre.
National Public Transport Week
was quite satisfying. The M.A.N. articulated bus ran free in the City and the public reaction was enthusiastic. The electric bus went on display in Hyde Park with a similar result. The ARHS display at Central was very professional but suffered from lack of advance publicity. The P.T.C. "lifted" our July front page for a poster campaign publicising these events.
Getting to the picnic turned out to be a bigger picnic than the picnic itself. Having chosen a train, that would set us down right at the tram museum platform, we failed to allow for P.T.C. Rail Division maintenance programmes. The result was a combination of train, bus, bike and walk. No wonder the general public resorts to the motor car - at any cost!
The City Council, despite its public statements about being pro-bicycle, rejected our application to have bike hire facilities at Martin Plaza during the weekday lunch hours. No reason was offered.
We wish to thank these organisations for their help:- The Ministry of Transport, the P.T.C, M.A.N. Automotive (Aust.), Elroy Engineering, Australian Railway Historical Society, G.I.O., the City Council and the Bicycle Institute of N.S.W.
Fees Increase.
The General Meeting of 6th September will consider a fee increase, which has been reluctantly recommended by the management committee. Postage costs alone for newsletters and news releases are of the order of $4 per member per annum. (We distribute a number of copies gratis for publicity purposes.) Printing and advertising costs fluctuate wildly but are an added cost. Members are urged to contribute more than the minimum, if possible. Those who cannot meet the new rates should contact the management committee for special consideration.
The recommended new rates are:-
| Ordinary members | $5 or more. | |
| Students, pensioners unemployed persons | $5 or more. | |
| Organisations | ||
| having 1 to 50 members | $5 or more. | |
| 51 to 300 members | $10 or more. | |
| 301 to1000 members | $15 or more. | |
| over 1000 members | $20 or more. | |