Australian Transport Systems

[Rafa]

What’s our opinions on Australia's transport infrastructure.

There are two main areas...
1. Inter City networks (roads, rail, air)
2. Intra City network (i.e. roads, rail, public transport)

This has an impact on various areas
1. Environment
2. Emissions (both in using and building infrastructure)
3. Personal Convenience (user convenience, speed and comfort esp. for Intra City)
4. Business Convenience (i.e. freight... esp. inter city)
5. Other areas, such as safety, accidents, stress, etc.

I have been thinking about this for a while, but reading this article in the Australian got be motivated to start this thread. Doesn't look like emissions is high on govt priority...

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22337564-2702,00.html

Rail industry outrage at price hike

THE federal Government is putting Australia's $4 billion rail freight industry in jeopardy following a proposal by the government-owned Australian Rail Track Corporation to lift access prices by 10 per cent on one of the nation's most important rail corridors.

Access pricing accounts for up to 30 per cent of the rail industry's costs, compared with 5 per cent for road industry.

If the ARTC increases access pricing on the east-west corridor, it will widen the gap between the cost of freight on road and rail, and encourage customers to keep using road.

...

For each container moving across the country, road operators pay a fraction of the cost to use the road relative to what rail operators pay to use the track.

Sources in the rail industry say the price differential is because of the power of the trucking lobby group in Canberra, which is renowned for its generous political donations and the fact that transport ministers set truck charges.

The Australasian Railway Association chief executive Bryan Nye argues that continuing subsidisation of the trucking industry will result in a significant increase in the number of trucks, in particular B-Doubles, on the road.

"This is freight that could go by rail, relieving congestion on roads, reducing the number of deaths on roads and protecting the environment. One train can remove up to 150 B-Doubles off the Hume Highway between Melbourne and Sydney," Mr Nye said last year.

Mr Telford said the Government needed to encourage rail industry reform, as well as bring rail access charges down - not up - to align them with road.

"The Government also needs to align its transport policy with its environmental and social policies, realising the benefits of rail."

The ARA estimated road transport produces 12 per cent and rail transport 0.3 per cent of Australia's greenhouse gas emissions.

Rail carries 12 per cent of the freight between Sydney and Adelaide, while road carries 81 per cent; from Melbourne to Adelaide rail carries 12 per cent, compared with road's 88 per cent; between Cairns and Brisbane rail carries 30 per cent and road 70 per cent; and between Brisbane and Sydney, rail carries 13 per cent of freight while road carries 87 per cent.

 

[bhutos]

Both levels and parties in government have their heads so far up their asses on all areas of transport it's ceased being a joke. The road lobby is just far to powerful.

 

[Rafa]

Our fascination with roads is astounding...

Having driven on the Adelaide to Melboure road many times, the number of semi's keep increasing, but i rarely see a goods train on the rail line that runs pararell to the highway!

Is anyone on these forums in business and involved in logistics? Be intersted to hear your view point.

 

[trinity]

Not totally related but .. since we just had a train accident recently, there were suggestions that level trains crossings should be modified and build some overpass of sorts for either the cars or trains. Someone suggested that, maybe instead of spending millions of dollars building over head passes or any of that, why not increase speed bumps leading to the train crossing. Simple and for sure, it will slow down the cars. Say, 1 speed hump 500m before crossing, and then increase the number of speed humps as you get closer? This will lessen the level crossings accident for cars/trucks. But, can't say the same for pedestrians who want to risk their lives crossing one when a train is about to come...