'Go Catch' Taxis With NEW Possible Technology To Make It Easier For Both Commuters And Drivers!

I just caught a story on ABC TV Tonight a story on NSW Stateline  - Check the video story on the ABC website:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-10-07/new-app-challenges-vested-taxi-interests/3352802

Also checkout the 'Go Catch' website as well:
http://www.gocatchapp.com.au/

We will appreciate any or all comments on this issue - I'm sure this will be  a transport subject to talk about over dinner!

Safety Switches from Trains to Train Station Barriers!

A  New South Wales Transport officer has advised today of what is happening with State Transit Officers.

That is, currently City Rail Transit officers have  mostly been asked to spend more time on train station barriers rather than spending more time looking after revenue offenders and safety on trains. This is come from directions from their superiors.

There are also rumours floating around that their jobs will be replaced by the New South Wales Police. Yet 12 years ago a similar situation happen and as time went by the Police officers on trains were called out to urgent community safety duties and the State Transit officers came back on board!

My question would be, 'Who would replace the New South Wales Police Officers that come off community duty to then do their duty on trains?'

So which protection on public transport would you like?

Commuters Should Have a Say In New Plans - Opinion SMH

Jacob Saulwick, in his opinion piece in the Sydney Morning Herald today, advocates that commuters should be involved in the discussion about the new plans for CityRail and public transport in general. WSPTU supports this view.

"But this debate should be aired in public, and fostered by the government. Sydney residents would be better off if they were treated like adults, and allowed to consider the various options for improving the city's transport system, instead of being fed another plan."

Commuters Kept In Dark For Too Long - SMH

New Train System Being Considered - SMH

An article in the Sydney Morning Herald today, based on cabinet documents, suggests that the transport bureaucracy are preparing a series of alternative strategies to remake the CityRail Network. One of these strategies involves developing some of the existing system as a Metro system.
SMH - Paris-style Train Plan For City

One Day Course: Understanding Bus Planning

The aim of this one-day course on network planning is to better understand the principles of bus network planning, guidelines for planning in NSW, and trade-offs in planning bus networks. The course will benefit state government planners, local government, bus operators, and community representatives. The course is presented by Professor Corinne Mulley and Dr Rhonda Daniels from ITLS and Clayton Davidson from Busways.
Friday October 28, Newtown, Sydney, $200.

http://sydney.edu.au/business/itls/courses/public_transport_short_courses

No Increase In Train Services For People Of The South West

While the announcement of additional public transport services is welcome it is noticeable that there are no increases to the Cumberland Line or any of the other train lines - the South Line or the Bankstown Line - in the South West.
And while the commitments to make these changes is the follow-through on election commitments, the Minister did have things to say about the Cumberland Line to the people of Liverpool. In November 2010 Minister Berejiklian said;
``I think it’s really sad and very frustrating for consumers that they have fewer services now on the Cumberland line than they did in 2004,’’ Ms Berejiklian said. ``It’s unacceptable in a region of Sydney that’s increasing in growth.’ (see WSPTU blog entry http://wsptu.blogspot.com/2010/12/opposition-responds-to-wsptu-request.html).
It is a long-standing policy position held by the WSPTU that the Cumberland Line should be better used and promoted.

NSW Govt Adding New Public Transport Services To The Timetable

The Minister for Transport announced today changes to the public transport timetables which include 63 extra rail services each week, 91 additional NightRide bus services and 165 more ferry services.
Western Sydney gets an additional 20 rail services on the Western Line and 8 additional services to the Blue Mountains on the weekend as well as 30 additional Nightride bus services and 25 additional ferry services into Parramatta.
South Western Sydney gets an additional 25 Nightride services.
You can find the full media release from the Minister here.
And the new timetables, due to start from Oct 23, here.