Hundreds Of New Sydney Trains Services In The Greater West As From 20/10/2013! - SMH

As the NSW Minister of Transport announces  hundreds of  new train services in the Greater Western Sydney, what we will have to understand is  by producing time tables a lot of  plans and discussions are made based on budget constraints and when we get is what we deserve.

I can see that although the new time tables have been announced more than a month before the  commence date, this is a good indication that maybe Sydney Trains is heading the right way ( pardon the pun)!

The understanding is to try to integrate trains and bus 
interchange time tables so that commuters will have easier  and improved services ,making life easier for all. One thing that we all know is that not everyone would be happy. Yet if  a majority of commuters are pleased with the new  time tabled services, then the NSW Government is heading in the right direction.

Click here: Whole Of Sydney 1000 More SydneyTrains Services - SMH


Extra services planned: 

Parramatta (430 extra services a week)
Macquarie Park (104)
Bankstown (63) 
Penrith (34)

Check it out and see what you think , especially when it starts!

Representatives from WSPTU Have Met The NSW Minister OF Transport - A Window Of Opportunity!

As active volunteer public transport advocates, we have never had a face to face meeting with the NSW Minister of Transport, until of recent.

So as previously mentioned (refer previous blog http://wsptu.blogspot.com.au/2013/06/wsptu-inc-selected-to-meet-with-nsw.html),  WSPTU was highly selected from over 400 community groups and organisations, provided a window of opportunity to discuss Public Transport issues/improvements with our selection of the NSW Minister of Transport. The selection process was done within the NSW Premiers Department.

On Monday, 1st July 2013, The Gladys Berejiklian, Hon. NSW Minister of Transport was introduced to myself and I was asked if I had the Minister before today. Yes I had (Click Here For My Previous Meeting with Gladys Berejiklian, Hon. Minister of Transport). And the Minister remembered!

Both Susan day and myself  (Steering Committee Members of WSPTU), had decided after providing topics of discussions to the NSW Premiers Department to approach the NSW Minister of Transport, Gladys Berejiklian on the educational process we use to link to local community groups and individuals; via the WSPTU Policy Committee. Also included was a plan for future of WSPTU in relation to having stronger links with the NSW Government in relation to public transport information. We will not elaborate on this, as yet, until we receive a response from the NSW Transport Minister, herself.

At the end of the day, with the 10 minute window of opportunity to present our case, the Minister know her portfolios very well and understands that we are a lobby group that does advocate for public transport in Western Sydney, for and behalf of the people. She also respected our views, we also respected her views and comments. It was a great inroad for members of WSPTU and commuters to  have their say for the future of public transport and be 'Heard'!

New Carriages To Increase Commuter Intake On The Western Line!

The  NSW Minister of Transport, Gladys Berejiklian is looking at new ways to allow commuters to travel on Sydney Rail Trains. The concept will be good for extra commuters catching trains but can be exhausting for the  remaining commuters. 

This is from the MX  newspaper that is provided to inner city commuters and now I have seen Parramatta, today:

What do you think of this idea, will you like like?

Western Sydney Affected With Cut Free Bus Shuttle Services

The NSW Government is deciding to cut essential Free Bus Shuttle Services from a various areas in and around Western Sydney, which is based on low patronage per kilometre ( Not per trip - Bus Operators get paid per Kilometre, so this is just another way to measure it).

Per kilometre doesn't represent the true amount of commuters per trip. If the route is around around 6 kilometres the figures would be multiplied by the kilometre rate , which looks better!

We know the Free Bus shuttles are great community links to get to important areas of the community in a major urban area, where it can be inaccessible or hard to get to to with that hub, for the needy: young and elderly, the commuters that have disabilities and ordinary commuters that need to get to job employment agencies, to reach entrainment areas, visits to doctors and specialists, reaching educational facilities, child care centres, hospitals, major shopping centres, community groups and government agencies.

In the past, the NSW Governments have approved Free Bus Shuttle  Bus Services, without extensive advertising as that is Government protocol to advertise in the TV media and promote a free Bus service. If you don't promote the less commuters use it. Advertising is limited to local newspaper media and local radio and only in announcements is it only  a general broadcast to the wider media, for a 'once only promotion!'

It is understood that these maybe resulting in financial reasons to drop these Free Bus Shuttle Services - yet this is not good if you want to promote a community pride within communities - a sense of  promoting goodness around the community. People knowing that their life is made easier, by using these services that should made readily available to them. By removing these services will place more cars possibly on the roads - replacing them with paid services it only saying not our problem 'yours'.

I'm sur the WSPTU members wiuld the NSW Government to review their decision to remove theses services
Click Here For Release of Free Bus Shuttle Services being Discontinued

Here are the results:

Service and date started	Boardings per kilometre	Decision
Wollongong 2009	7.4	Retain
Sydney 2008	8.8	Retain with altered route
Parramatta March 2011	12.1	Retain
Cabramatta March 2011	4.5	Discontinue and reallocate buses to other local services
Blacktown March 2011	2.2	Discontinue and reallocate buses to other local services
Campbelltown January 2011	1.6	Discontinue and reallocate buses to other local services
Gosford January 2011	1.2	Retain as paid service with altered frequency
Newcastle March 2011	1.3	Discontinue and reallocate buses to other local services
Penrith March 2011 (Route changed after community feedback in December 2011)	0.7	Discontinue and reallocate buses to other local services
Bankstown March 2011	1.9	Discontinue and reallocate buses to other local services
Liverpool January 2011	0.6	Discontinue and reallocate buses to other local services
Kogarah March 2011	0.7	Retain on six month trial as paid service with altered route

* Patronage counts are from April or March 2013 and are consistent with previous months