Sydney's transport ranked behind Mumbai (ranked at the bottom) (1 Viewer)

[chicky_pie]

SYDNEY has been ranked at the bottom of a list of the world's most important 20 cities for the quality of its transport infrastructure, behind Mumbai, Sao Paulo and Mexico City.

With no underground metro, a shortage of taxis and worsening congestion, Sydney fell short of its international peers according to the Cities of Opportunity report, compiled by the New York Chamber of Commerce and PricewaterhouseCoopers.

The report comes after the NSW Government slashed its promised spending on transport infrastructure in its November mini-budget, and after new figures from the state's audit office showing Sydney's traffic congestion has deteriorated over the past four years.

"Why would investors be attracted to Sydney if we can't get basic transport infrastructure right?" said Patricia Forsythe, the executive director of the Sydney Chamber of Commerce.

"Other global cities have shown only one path for an efficient transport network, and that is metrorail. We've got to invest now so that we don't have a mobility crisis in the future."

The mini-budget shelved both the $12 billion north-west metro and the $1.36 billion south-west rail link.

Instead, the Government promised to build a seven-kilometre metro between Rozelle and Central Station, and the Federal Government is expected to provide a significant contribution to the cost of building another metro to Parramatta.

Other reforms to the transport portfolio pledged by the State Government, in CityRail maintenance and the potential privatisation of the ferry service, have been put on hold since Nathan Rees took over as Premier.

Yesterday the Transport Minister, David Campbell, called for proposals from the private sector for the running of Sydney Ferries.

But the document released to the market falls significantly short of the core recommendations of last year's Special Commission of Inquiry into Sydney Ferries.

The $1.6 million inquiry, led by Bret Walker, SC, urged the Government to immediately offer a "service contract" to the market and to address the issues of the ageing ferry fleet as a matter of urgency. Instead, the Expression of Interest put out yesterday makes it clear the Government is at least 12 months from a decision about whether to privatise the operations.

The Government maintains this is a necessary first step in developing the structure of the service contract, and the benchmarks by which to measure private sector proposals, before a proper tender is issued in August.

The EOI shows the Ministry of Transport has already developed such a contract but it will be offered only to the present Sydney Ferries Corporation. It is due to start in January.

The Opposition transport spokeswoman, Gladys Berejiklian, said the EOI was a delaying tactic.

A firm decision about whether to sell off Sydney Ferries is not due to be made until March 2010.

Mr Campbell, responding to the PWC rankings, said: "We can do better … but let's just remember we're playing in the A-grade here. These are the top 20 of 770 world cities. We just need to put it in perspective."

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/f-for-sydneys-transport/2008/12/10/1228584929870.html

No surprises there.

 

[boris]

fuck nsw government are retarded dumb cunts

 

[gcchick]

Not an important city, but the Gold Coast would be towards the bottom as well.

I hate Translink.

 

[boris]

Not an important city, but the Gold Coast would be towards the bottom as well.

I hate Translink.

Yeah, would be, if it was in the top 20 most important cities lol

 

[Rafy]

NSW needs to appoint a transport supremo to implement an integrated transport plan.

 

[katie tully]

Maybe you guys need to learn how to walk real fast like.

 

[katie tully]

I don't know how they came to this conclusion.

 

[jb_nc]

Maybe you faggots should just DRIVE FUCKING CARS OR WALK

instead of riding off the backs of taxpayers to get somewhere

i agree with this genius NSW government

 

[Nebuchanezzar]

Sydneysiders need to learn creative driving. Take the backroads instead of Victoria Rd and ignore the speed limits. The chances of cops being on local streets is small.

 

[zstar]

The Railway is crap and hard for the disabled to use.

The buses are nothing to be excited about.

 

[slickstar_01]

umm is it just Sydney this shit or is Melbourne/Brisbane in the same boat?

 

[kevinx2]

NSW needs to appoint a transport supremo to implement an integrated transport plan.

Rafy for mod.

Edit: Transport minister

 

[slickstar_01]

i dont vote anymore

 

[Lentern]

NSW needs to appoint a transport supremo to implement an integrated transport plan.

I believe the civil service vernacular for transport muggins.

The show is entirely right, it would involve telling thousands of people to make individual sacrafices immediatly and the broader community wouldn't see the benefits of it till long after the supremo had moved on. You would have to be an extremely desperate, amibitious media whore to accept the position. Someone who will do anything to get back into the spotlight. Whats Mal up to these days?

 

[genericusername]

Good old reliable Sydney.

 

[chicky_pie]

umm is it just Sydney this shit or is Melbourne/Brisbane in the same boat?

city-wise, but if it was ranked via by countries, we'll be down the bottom along with most African nations or 3rd world countries.

 

[zstar]

Privatize the whole thing and let the corporations do it.

Fuck the NSW government.

 

[Nebuchanezzar]

Yes look at the spectacular job they do of looking after the finances of the cross city, harbour and lane cove tunnels. also the airport line. all require funding from the state government to keep afloat.

 

[jb_nc]

I'm sure private corporations will continue running non-peak hour services under a more laissez faire market

Just going to be charging u 10 bux for a ticket to the city, alternative: walk

 

[sinophile]

I weep everytime I take the train. So dirty, hot, cold, the roofes leak when it rains, crime levels are awful.. Reform needs to happen, cause obviously the old method ain't cutting it.