National petition

Petition to Federal Government on Sustainable Transport

Please print and get signatures on this petition, which was started by the Public Transport Users Association of Victoria. Post your completed petitions to Community Action for Sustainable Transport PO Box 1260 Fortitude Valley Q 4006 by June 31 and we will submit them.

To: The House of Representatives, Parliament of Australia
Cc: The Hon John Howard MP, Prime Minister
The Hon Mark Vaile MP, Minister for Transport
The Hon Peter Costello MP, Treasurer

We the undersigned, noting that:

The House Standing Committee on Environment and Heritage Report on Sustainable Cities recommended a review of the current FBT concessions for car use with a view to removing incentives for greater car use and extending incentives to other modes of transport; and that the Australian Government significantly boost its funding commitment for public transport systems, particularly light and heavy rail, in the major cities;

The Senate Committee on Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Report on Australia’s future oil supply and alternative transport fuels recommended that the government review the statutory formula in relation to fringe benefits taxation of employer-provided cars to address perverse incentives for more car use; and that AusLink corridor strategy planning take into account the goal of reducing oil dependence; and

The Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia recommends that the concessionary treatment of motor vehicle use under the fringe benefits tax provisions should be ended as it undesirably distorts economic behaviour;

Respectfully call upon the Commonwealth to:

Amend the motor vehicle fringe benefits statutory formula to encourage the minimisation of motor vehicle use; and

Provide funding for the expansion and improvement of urban and regional public transport infrastructure on a scale comparable to Commonwealth road funding.

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Climate change in Brisbane

Public Comment on Brisbane Council Climate Change Taskforce Report

Brisbane City Council have produced a report entitled 'A call for action' covering Climate Change and Peak oil.

It can be downloaded from http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/BCC:BASE::pc=PC_2526

Councillors will debate this report on Monday 30 April and members of the public will have 30 days after this to make submissions on the report.

Email your submissions to climatechange@brisbane.qld.gov.au

Ipswich transport

Prime Minister - what about public transport for Ipswich?

Since the March 5 announcement that the Federal Government would be investing $2.3 billion into the Goodna Bypass, Community Action for Sustainable Transport (CAST) have been waiting for the Prime Minister and Federal Minister for Transport to announce how much they would be spending on public transport, freight rail, walking and cycling to “solve” Ipswich traffic needs.

“We believe the decision by the Federal Government to only fund road infrastructure is socially inequitable, economically irresponsible, environmentally destructive and will lead to more road accidents in the future. They must take responsibility for providing a balanced solution” said CAST spokesperson Tristan Peach.

Socially inequitable
Funding private transport is discriminatory. Australian Bureau of Statistics figures for 2001 show that 9.21% of Ipswich households did not have a car (1). 28% of Ipswich people are 16 years or younger meaning they cannot drive (2) and research in the Goodna/Gailes area has found that many unemployed people cannot access work due to lack of public transport to surrounding factories (3).

Economically irresponsible
Investing exclusively in road infrastructure at a time when global oil prices are expected to continue rising is economically irresponsible. Households will be paying more for road transport in the future. Research (4) has shown that people in the outer areas of cities, who travel the furthest and have the poorest access to public transport, will be the worst affected. And as fuel costs for road freight increases the cost of goods will also increase.

Environmentally destructive
The Goodna Bypass is an investment in two of the most greenhouse intensive modes of transport. At a time when the Federal Government are attempting to reduce greenhouse emissions they should be investing in transport solutions to increase the proportion of people travelling to work via public and active transport from 9.19% in 2001 (5) to at least 20%.

Road safety
Cars and trucks are dangerous forms of urban transport. Planning for massive increases in use will not reduce the amount of road accidents. International comparisons (6) show that Queensland has 8 road deaths per 100,000 people while places with higher use of public and active transport had lower rates. The Netherlands has 4.9, Sweden 5.3, Switzerland 6.9 and the United Kingdom 5.6.

End notes
(1) ABS Ipswich Local Government Area table b29 - note 49 of these households owned 1 or more motorcycles/scooters.
(2) ABS Ipswich Local Government Area table x01 Age by Sex
(3) Big Road, no transport: a report of the Goodna and Gailes community mapping for transport improvements study page 36 http://www.griffith.edu.au/centre/urp/urp_publications/monographs/UPPRM6_Goodna_Johnson.pdf
(4) Oil Vulnerability in the Australian City www.griffith.edu.au/centre/urp/urp_publications/research_papers/URP_RP6_OilVulnerability_Final.pdf
(5) ABS Ipswich Local Government Area table x30 Mode of travel to work (employed persons)
(6) Australian Transport Safety Bureau ‘International road safety comparisons: the 2004 report’ http://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/2006/Int_Comp_03.aspx

Media Release Thurs 22 March

Bring back the T3 lane now!

Community Action for Sustainable Transport (CAST) believes Brisbane City Council’s decision to re-open the T3 lane on Coronation Drive is another step in the wrong direction for Brisbane’s transport system.

“Just like the tunnels and Hale Street Bridge, the decision to scrap the T3 on Coronation Drive will increase congestion,” said CAST spokesperson Tristan Peach.

“At a time when government should be encouraging and rewarding people for car pooling and catching public transport they are doing the exact opposite,” he said.

1 full bus takes 40 cars off the road, a car with 3 people in it takes 2 other cars off the road.

CAST believes removing the T3 lane means travel times for car poolers and bus users will blow out, and the lane will soon be just as congested as the other lanes.

“Why is Council punishing car poolers and public transport users and rewarding single-occupant vehicles drivers?” asked Mr Peach.

The Lord Mayor’s claim that only 5% of vehicles on Coronation Drive can use the transit lane totally misses the point.

“It’s not about the number of vehicles they move – it’s about the number of people. Transit lanes are designed to carry more people with fewer vehicles,” said Mr Peach.

“T3 lanes reduce congestion by making more efficient use of existing road space,” said Mr Peach.

“If the Lord Mayor is serious about reducing congestion he should be promoting the use of transit lanes and adding more across the city,” he said.

“If people choose not to car pool or catch the bus during peak periods then they must accept that there will be a certain level of congestion,” said Mr Peach.

CAST are demanding:
(i) The Coronation Drive T3 lane is reinstated
(ii) Council develop internet-based car pooling systems for local communities and workplaces so people can develop car pooling networks