Why Is Parking At Hospitals So Expensive for Patients and Their Families?

These are the rates for parking at Liverpool Hospital and can't be changed because the carpark is 'contracted out' to a private company. Note that the top rate of $21 starts after only 2&1/2 hours. Westfield in Liverpool provides 2 hours free. Apparently it's more important to have free parking for shopping than for seeing people in Hospital.

Pushbike Hire Scheme in Brisbane

It's quite frustrating that the other cities in Australia are getting into these new programs which work toward improving active travel and public transport. This bike hire scheme is in Brisbane. Active travel can improve urban amenity, personal health and support improved public transport services.

Motorbike Parking In Sydney

There is a huge parking area for motorcycles in the Sydney CBD near the freeway over Darling Harbour in front of the Price Waterhouse Coopers building on Sussex St.

Free Bus For Cancer Patients from Central to RPA

There is a free bus for people undergoing cancer treatments at RPA who need to travel from Central. It leaves from the country train terminal near the taxi stand.

NSW Long Term Transport Masterplan Released Today

The NSW Long Term Transport Masterplan was released today. Media reports are concentrating on the inclusion of light rail in the Sydney CBD, a second harbour rail crossing and the WestConnex road projects. You can see the plan for yourself by clicking here.

City Rail Track work W/C 3rd December

 

 

http://enews.cityrail.info/em/mail/view.php?id=3197160&a=33544&k=2bc78eb

Great Look Bus Stop Isn't It? Or Is It?

This is a typical bus stop that has commuters waiting for a bus or is this statement correct? 
                      Check Below for answer!

Would you believe it it is a taxi stand in Parramatta and commuters are prepared to wait for long time to catch one! 
                            Unbelievable!

This Is a Bus Stop In Western Sydney Where Even Young Lovers Can Use The Bus Shelter Seats Economically!

At least  for one of them the seat is warm!

Checkout Werrington Train Station!

Single Carriageway at the end of Werrington Train Station facing St Marys Direction

Artwork  on Werrington Train Station

Train entering Werrington Train Station from Penrith

Community Sector Awards - Nominate Now!

The Zest community sector awards nominations are closing. Run by Western Sydney Community Forum the awards are to celebrate the work of community sector workers and community volunteers in Greater Western Sydney. You can nominate people. Find out more here: http://www.zestawards.com.au/nominations

Check Out Buses Needed In Shalvey Stories

This is articles by  St Marys-Mount Druitt Star and the Sun Herald - please enjoy it!

This could be happening in your area of Western Sydney - contact us and let us know?


Sydney Morning Herald/ Sun Herald Article

Click here for St Marys- Mount Druitt Star Story

Feedback From Busways - Re New Contracts Bus Region 1

We have feedback  from Busways about them taking over the entire region one - they discuss Mount Druitt - Penrith area. A lot of Mount Druitt commuter will be used to Busways and other from Mount Druitt to Penrith are to to Westbus Bus Services - it will be something to talk about as commuters find out:

Click here for the original response from Busways

Click Here for WSPTU's original blog on the new Bus Contracts

Southwest LInk Community Meetings & Updates

Checkout dates for South West Rail Link Community Sessions:

Click here

Announcement of New Bus Contracts

This could be very important for people in Greater Western Sydney.

Transport for NSW has announced the successful tenders for the bus contracts in several regions including Region 1 (Penrith to Blacktown) and Region 3 (Liverpool, Fairfield, Holroyd).

Busways was successful for Region 1 and Transit Systems Australia was successful in Region 3. Busways www.busways.com.au is well known to people in Region 1 but the other existing service providers, Westbus and Hawkesbury Valley Buses, appear to have missed out on contracts in Region 1.

The new contract for Region 3 has gone to Transit Systems Australia. They seems to be a new business in Western Sydney http://www.transitsystems.com.au/overview . Previously Region 3 was operated by a consortium of MetroLink, Busabout, Hopkinsons and Westbus. It's unknown what will happen with those businesses. http://www.a3mc.com.au/

http://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/media-releases/new-bus-contracts-benefit-customers-and-taxpayers

Filling In 'The Gap' - SMH

The Sydney Morning Herald ran a story this week about the difficulties some people in Sydney face while trying to access the bus system.

People associated with WSPTU groups in Mt Druitt and Bankstown are in the story.

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/for-many-public-transport-is-now-a-private-hell-20121110-294wx.html

The Sydney Alliance has created maps showing where services aren't available within 400 metres and with a frequency of 15 minutes. The Sydney Alliance have created a formula for quality services: 400:15:1 SCAA.  This means 400 metres to the nearest stop, every 15 minutes, available on 1 ticket, safe, clean, accessible and affordable.

Here is a story in the SMH about how people could be linked to high-frequency services through the use of local-level 'feeder' services and 'flexible' transport services. Prof Corrine Mulley from the Institute of Transport and Logistics at Sydney Uni is quoted. Professor Mulley has presented at the WSPTU Symposium.

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/linking-services-vital-to-get-the-city-moving-20121111-296h0.html

Ecotransit and the "WasteConnex" parody

Ecotransit* has created a parody of the Infrastructure NSW video about the proposed "WestConnex" motorways proposal for the M4 east extension and M5 widening. You can view it by clicking here.

*Ecotransit is a community group interested in transport and sustainability in Sydney. You can go to their website by clicking here.

World Streets Journal

Sometimes we forget that the WSPTU is working in a very similar way to many other people and groups all around the world. We have in common an agenda of social inclusion, liveability and sustainability. The World Streets Journal comes out of the UK but has a lot of connections into Europe, Africa, Asia and the US. It is one of the links provided by WSPTU in our links menu (to the left of the screen). You go to World Streets by clicking here.

Update Of The North West Rail - Courtesy of Mr Ray Williams - NSW Parliamentary Secretary, Western Sydney

North West Rail Link

 

Two key milestones had been reached on the North West Rail Link, marking significant progress in work to build the tunnels and skytrain. The Government has now officially called tenders to build the tunnels and started the process to build the skytrain.  

Three shortlisted consortia have been invited to start preparing their tender bids to design and build the 15km of tunnels between Bella Vista and Epping.  We’re on track to have the first of the tunnel boring machines in the ground in 2014. Expressions of interest have also been called for the Surface and Viaduct Civil Works (SVC) contract, which includes construction of the 4km skytrain between Bella Vista and Rouse Hill. The contract includes the design and construction of the 4km skytrain between Kellyville and Rouse Hill including bridges and crossings.  

The project’s second Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) went on exhibition at the end of October and North West Sydney got its first look at the city’s eight new railway stations and other major benefits of the North West Rail Link. 

The community will have until December 3 to have their say on the second EIS which highlights key benefits of the project, including design and operation of the eight new railway stations at Cherrybrook, Castle Hill, Showground, Norwest, Bella Vista, Kellyville, Rouse Hill and Cudgegong Rd, commuter parking for 4,000 cars and how the rapid transit rail link operates, including the new generation single deck trains announced as part of Sydney’s Rail Future.

The North West Rail Link is forecast to reduce car trips by 14 million a year soon after opening – this is about 12,000 fewer car trips in an average two-hour weekday morning peak. The reduction in car trips is forecast to increase to 20 million a year by 2036.

The trip from Cudgegong Road, Rouse Hill to Macquarie Park will take about 28 minutes, to Chatswood 37 minutes and to Wynyard (including an interchange) 57 minutes.

Commuting by Public Transport - Less Stress - Sydney Morning Herald

Here is a story from the Sydney Morning Herald regarding  commuting by car can produce health risks to women:

Click here for story

Is this Public Transport Advertising Really Public Transport Advertising? - Parramatta Train Station

 

Today I spotted this at Parramatta Train Station and I thought it would bring a laugh or two - It was a rolling Advertisement.

Mount Druitt ' Making A Statement Day' On Local Public Transport - Overview!

Mount Druitt had a 'Making a Statement Day' on local public transport issues and here is the link to it:

Click Here

Warning Commuters On Parramatta Station!

Commuters beware that there are representatives on Parramatta train in the Mornings seeking to take valuable Commuters time for  a valuable important survey.

They are interviewing commuters who will provide details of their original mode of transport, from their origin address where they left, until you reached Parramatta. They will then work your transport corridor that got you to Parramatta Station and when asked  what is intended with the survey, they say they are looking to improve public transport services around Parramatta area!

 So please don't look dangerous, be warned of these friendly NSW for Transport representatives, be friendly as they use caution to approach you and  after completing the survey, one day you will notice improvement in public transport around Parramatta.

Transport Masterplan Forum - GWSTA

Responses to the NSW Long-Term Transport Masterplan are due by October 26, 2012. An alliance of organisations including the Western Sydney and Macarthur Regional Organisation of Councils (WSROC and MACROC) and the University of Western Sydney have organised a Forum to discuss the Masterplan. There will be several guest speakers including the NSW Transport Minister, Hon. Gladys Berejiklian MP.
Where: Female Orphan School Building (EZ), UWS Parramatta
When: Friday Oct 19, 9.30am - 11am

RSVP required. Places at the forum are strictly limited.
To RSVP, please contact Natalie Bradbury at n.bradbury@uws.edu.au or 02 9678 7815.

Click here for the full invitation and RSVP details

'The Rabbit Hole' UWS Students Design Team

Thanks to students from the design team at the Rabbithole at UWS. They devised the WSPTU website just over a year ago - and we have had a lot of  great feedback from people visiting our website. Here they get a great mention in the local paper.

For the full story click here

WSPTU Policy Forum and AGM

Saturday November, 3rd, 1pm to 4pm.
At Level 4/146 Marsden St, Parramatta

AGM
1 – 1.30pm
 
Current Steering Committee Executive
Sue Day President
John Svoboda Vice President/Treasurer
Paul Falzon Secretary

Reports from the Steering Committee 2011/12. Accept nominations from local groups for Steering Committee members 2012/13.

Policy Forum
2pm to 4pm

Agenda

* Local Group Report Backs.
* Council Elections - What were the local transport issues?
* Bus Stop Champions – WSPTU to resource local groups
* Integrated Transport Forum – WSPTU to encourage and resource local groups and Councils to take up this system.
* Provide draft letter re bus stops to Councils
* Fundraising for WSPTU - John Seedsman to provide letter re fund-raising from regional clubs

WestConnex Proposal Comments

Click here to make a comment to Infrastructure NSW about the Westconnex Proposal

Mount Druitt Invites Local Commuters To ' Making A Statement day'!

Click here for Mount Druitt's 'Making A Statement' On Local Public Transport Issues

NSW Long Term Transport Master Plan - In Respect To Mount Druitt And Greater Western Sydney!

Click here for Mount Druitt Affect on the NSW Long Term Transport Master Plan

Liverpool Station Turnback and New Platform

The Liverpool Turnback project is taking shape with the new platform going in at Liverpool station and the new tracks and sound barriers all going in.

See the full story and photos here

Liverpool Transport Taskforce - ideas to improve Liverpool CDB

The Liverpool Transport Taskforce is putting together a package of ideas to improve the Liverpool CBD. 1. Use the Collimore Carpark better 2. Improve the George and Macquarie bustops 3. Replan the CBD free shuttle bus.

Part 1: The Collimore Carpark.



Videos for parts 2 and 3 will follow.

WSPTU is back on Blogspot!

The wsptu website was hacked by some unkind person so we took the opportunity to return to blogspot. We found the blogspot site much easier to use and read. It also seems to be more 'searchable'. So we're back! We'll be upgrading the site to match our new artwork and colours and we'll also look into maintaining our new domain name (wsptu.org.au). We hope that our site can continue to be a good meeting place for people interested in public transport in Western Sydney and a good place to distribute information about our WSPTU groups, public transport policy and public transport changes.

Music on Train for Festival

Dave de Santi and The Con Artists played music on the train for people on the way from Sydney to the Illawarra Folk Festival. The Festival worked with Cityrail to get the train scheduled to stop at Bulli for the weekend and to allow several carriages to have different kinds of music performances.
While it's not Western Sydney, it is interesting and shows what can be done to encourage people to catch the train to an event.
Look here for the full story: http://www.illawarrafolkfestival.com.au/page/MusicTrain/