ACTION FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORT (NSW) INC.
APTNSW policy on Buses-versus-Light Rail Transit (LRT).
Since about 1995, debate between the light rail lobby and
the bus lobby in Sydney seems to have been escalating.
While individual members of APTNSW have always had strong
views, APTNSW has refrained from taking sides.
APTNSW is aware of the relative merits of each mode.
Those merits are listed in a
separate paper.
The escalating public debate, particularly in the Sydney
Morning Herald during January 2006, and a public
misconception that APTNSW is "anti light rail", has prompted
APTNSW to develop the following policy statement.
On LRT generally-
- APTNSW policies are derived from the Objectives
incorporated in the APTNSW Constitution. Those Objectives
include "the promotion of public transport for the overall
benefit of the community, having regard to the
environmental and social consequences and the efficient use
of resources".
- Within the above Objectives, APTNSW will always aim to
represent the views of public transport users.
- APTNSW asserts that a thorough and unbiased analysis of
the transport needs and urban amenity considerations of a
given corridor, anywhere, would produce data which would
point to the preferred mode. That is, the preferred mode
should be the result of a transport study, not the starting
point for it. Nevertheless, we recognise the institutional
biases and political influences which affect transport
decision-making.
- APTNSW supports the highest practicable "level of service"
from any transport service. "Level of service" is
determined by a combination of factors, including
frequency, travel time (especially compared with the
alternatives), comfort, punctuality, connections, waiting
facilities, fares, tickets, hours of operation, and
convenience, among others. The relative importance of each
factor will vary for any given corridor and market to be
served.
On any new LRT for Sydney-
- As public transport users, we believe any new LRT
should serve one or more high-demand suburban corridors,
possibly combined with a CBD loop. We are opposed to a
stand-alone CBD loop, which might necessitate large scale
bus/LRT interchange on the periphery of the CBD.
- APTNSW does not accept the popular view that any new LRT
line should logically be connected to the existing Central-Lilyfield line.
That view places an artificial constraint on optimizing any new route,
ownership, rollingstock design, and other issues. Compatibility with
the existing LRT is a separate issue, and should be
encouraged, in view of the possibility of a future
integrated LRT network.
- APTNSW deplores the lack of public debate about the
funding model. To achieve the best outcome, the funding
model (PPP, debt, etc) needs to receive at least as much
public scrutiny and debate as does the proposed route.
Action for Public Transport (NSW) Inc.
February 2006.