WESTERN SYDNEY PUBLIC TRANSPORT USERS (WSPTU)

Submission to the Metropolitan Transport Plan

The WSPTU began as a response to the 2009 Public Transport Symposium at Granville Town Hall. It was coordinated by a number of people who had been working on local transport issues in local groups. The WSPTU was created to support the work of local groups and to coordinate the issues that the groups have in common. Currently there are people and groups working on local issues in Liverpool, Bankstown, Fairfield, Blue Mountains, Penrith, Mt Druitt, North Parramatta and the Hills.

Members of the WSPTU from local transport advocacy groups have consistently mentioned a number of issues which are effecting their lives and the lives of the people and groups they represent. WSPTU members believe that the Metropolitan Transport Plan has an opportunity to fix these problems.

1. WSPTU requests that some work be done to assess the accessibility of the bus network for older people and people with disabilities. WSPTU believes that the Bus Network Review has highlighted a ‘gap’ that has opened up between the access to the route bus system and the access to the community transport system causing social exclusion for many people. WSPTU wants NSW Transport and Infrastructure to commission an independent study about the nature of the ‘gap’ and possible solutions.

Several WSPTU member groups - North Parramatta, Panania, Bankstown, Chester Hill, Liverpool, Mt Druitt and South Penrith - have been asking  that a renewed emphasis be put on ‘local’ bus routes which connect local places and services. The emphasis on commuter routes and strategic corridors is presenting many problems for those who have mobility difficulties. They have to walk longer distances to the bus stops and have to cross busy roads to catch buses on strategic corridors.

2. There is little or no discussion of how to improve the use of taxis, hire cars and community transport as parts of the public transport mix. These are important issues for many WSPTU members.

3. WSPTU supports the re-commitment to the North West rail link but is concerned about the timing of the development. Development in the North West is very advanced and there are many people living there. This is causing a significant difficulty for the people in the North West but also for all the other parts of Sydney which are having to cope with the increased private car traffic and bus traffic. WSPTU wants the North West rail link started immediately.

4. WSPTU members are also concerned about the lack of direct buses from the North West, particularly Castle Hill, into Epping and the proposed removal of the bus lanes leading from the M2 into Epping. There is also concern about the missing sections of the M2 bus lane which slows the M2 bus services into the Sydney CBD.

5. WSPTU members want better accessibility to train stations on the South West line. There are no accessible station between Lidcome and Cabramatta through areas of high need. Chester Hill in particular is a connection point for many local people and should be considered as a priority for Easy Access upgrade. The Metropolitan Transport Plan needs to strengthen the Easy Access program and provide more detail about access issues for the future.

6. WSPTU members have consistently argued that transport information needs to be better, particularly on bus stops. The Metropolitan Transport Plan says very little about the development of information systems and the marketing of public transport products.

7. WSPTU members want more input into the way in which the system is planned and operated. Currently members have had to struggle to get feedback recognized and this can often involve a political struggle. Departmental consultation processes need to be improved to have better coverage and to be more responsive. This needs to be included in the governance structures briefly outlined in the Metropolitan Transport Plan.

8. WSPTU is supportive of the integrated governance structures

9. WSPTU is supportive of the introduction of the MyZone ticketing

10. WSPTU is supportive of the idea of the city of cities approach. The Metropolitan Transport Plan, however, is still focused on transport into the Sydney CBD. The Plan needs to more describe the approach to local transport and transport that is not focused on journey to work trips into the Sydney CBD.

11. WSPTU supports the deferral of the Metro rail project.

12. WSPTU wants more work to be done on the provision of information and facilities at transport interchanges. As an example, the Liverpool Transport Taskforce has been lobbying (unsuccessfully so far) for a toilet to be provided at the Liverpool Interchange for bus users. The Metropolitan Transport Plan should provide more detail about how these important interchanges are going to be managed and how facilities are going to be provided. Many problems are the result of the multiple ownership and accountability issues that arise at interchanges. Even the improvement of the provision of information at interchanges would improve the situation.

13. WSPTU members have been very concerned about the tendency of transport agencies to try and reduce staffing on transport services. In particular there has been a lot of concern about proposals to reduce staff on train stations. Staff provide help with information, access and safety and WSPTU members would be worried about further proposals to reduce staff. The Metropolitan Transport Plan needs to provide some detail about the staffing principles that should be used when developing the Plan.

We hope that this submission can contribute to your development of the Metropolitan Transport Plan.

Regards,

Paul Trevaskis, Sue Day, Joan Powell, Hugh Worrall, Amy Williams

The WSPTU Steering Committee on behalf of the WSPTU.