News & Discussion: Other Transport Projects

[drwaddles]

Keep any eye out for any old rails under the pavement?

[fabricator]

Unlikely to be train track under the road, the rail sat on the surface and would have to be removed to put in curbing and new road surface. Some track ballast remains in places though.

So the council have removed the overhead wires and poles, plus will redesign and landscape the central medium strip by 2010. Only to have a completed tram line undo all their hard work by 2018. New poles and wires will appear, the street and foot path will get messed up to lay more cables, and the medium strip will be history.

[Shuz]

And this is exactly one of the reasons why we do not need 3 levels of government in Australia.

[omada]

Shuz: And this is exactly one of the reasons why we do not need 3 levels of government in Australia.

I agree, State Governments I feel are becoming more and more redundant. Is Australia unique in having this many levels of government?

[rhino]

If local governments were based on State Government seats, or conversely, if state government seats were each a local government, there would in effect be one less layer of government, while still maintaining a local community feel within the area in which you happen to live.

[Prince George]

I agree, State Governments I feel are becoming more and more redundant. Is Australia unique in having this many levels of government?

Far from it - America may be full of people saying "Small government good, big government baaaad", but it manages to have four levels of goverment to deal with. Suppose Seattle wanted to make some change to the interstate that runs through the city, well you are going to have to involve Federal government who are kinda the owner of the whole interstate system, then the Washington State government who actually have the responsibility for the state's roads, then King County who run much of the public transport 'n' stuff (and probably the neighbouring counties will be involved too), and finally the city council because it's within the city limits.

If the problem is contentious enough for these groups to want to dodge having responsibility, or if it will need new taxes to fund it, it will probably end up going to some sort of plebiscite - so even though you've had to elect four different levels of representation, you may end up having to decide on these things yourself anyway.

Frankly, it's a miracle anything gets done over here.

[drwaddles]

I thought the County excludes the City Limits?

[Prince George]

I thought the County excludes the City Limits?

I don't believe so, or perhaps I should say that may be true in some parts of America but not all. The light-rail bill that was passed in the previous election is funded (predominantly) by increasing the sales tax in the three counties that the lines will serve. And then they've got to argue with all the cities that it passes through to decide where the rail is going to be allowed to go and blah blah blah blah blah. It's actually under the auspices of yet another different planning body that's got representatives from the state, counties, and cities in the area; meanwhile each of the counties run their own public transport, and none of them are on the same ticketing system.

[Cruise]

And this is exactly one of the reasons why we do not need 3 levels of government in Australia.

Actually we have four layers of government in one area of the city.
And it goes like this (from highest to lowest):
1.Federal
2.State
3.APPA
4.ACC

[Ben]

From The Messenger:

Electrification plan delayed

06 Jan 09 @ 05:52am

THE electrification of the Noarlunga rail line has been delayed by two years, until 2014, owing to the impact of the global economic meltdown on the State budget.

The State Government has decided to stall the project as part of a raft of belt-tightening measures.

Handing down his mid-year budget review last month, Treasurer Kevin Foley said delaying the electrification and spreading the cost over five years would
reduce expenditure on the project by $113.5 million up to 2011-12.

He said the State’s financial position had deteriorated significantly since last June, with forward estimates for GST revenue and State taxation revenues down hundreds of millions of dollars.

Onkaparinga Mayor Lorraine Rosenberg criticised the delay saying the electrification of the line was crucial for southern commuters.

``Anyone who catches public transport down here will tell you that it simply doesn’t work,’’ she said. She said the delay could jeopardise plans to turn
Noarlunga Centre into a major residential hub.

``People will only want to use the system if it’s efficient.’’

A $153 million redevelopment of the Flinders Medical Centre will also be delayed by 12 months, until 2013.

[frank1]

That is a stupid decision IMO. The rail lines have been waiting for so long to be upgraded and another 2 years is a fair bit of time. I think he will lose some votes here.
Why doesn't he put the port adelaide tram on hold for 2 years and put that 100mill into the much needed train upgrade

I thought the gov. said the 1.5bill needed for the electrification was secured even in the economic crisis

[AtD]

Bad news indeed. I would be incredibly annoyed if the North-South Corridor is funded and this project is not.

[Norman]

Electrification is delayed on the Outer Harbor line only. Noarlunga will be completed on time (2013/2014)

[peas_and_corn]

I agree, State Governments I feel are becoming more and more redundant. Is Australia unique in having this many levels of government?

China has 5-

Central
Province
City
Town
Village

[Cruise]

Electrification is delayed on the Outer Harbor line only. Noarlunga will be completed on time (2013/2014)

What?