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Better train services for southern Sydney
The Iemma Government is
delivering on its commitment to provide more reliable train
services to southern Sydney.
This includes better train
services on the Illawarra line, running through the Rockdale
Electorate.
Six reasons why Rockdale train
services are improving.
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$77 million Bondi Junction Turnback is
finished and will allow more trains to run along the
Illawarra line;
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The New Illawarra timetable took effect
on 28 May 2006;
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New morning peak service from
Sutherland to Bondi Junction, stopping at Rockdale at 7.42am;
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More than $7 million is being spent in
Rockdale alone to improve the safety and reliability of
our services;
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Includes more than $4.4 million on
infrastructure upgrades, such as local rail track
improvements, renewal of underbridges, maintenance of rail
ballast, new electrical works and signal renewals;
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Also includes more than $2.7 million to
inspect and test rail tracks in the Rockdale area and
carry out emergency repairs.
The NSW Government is also:
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Spending $2 billion to buy 600 new,
air conditioned rail carriages, with
more comfortable seating, better CCTV security cameras,
easy access for less mobile passengers and safer emergency
exits;
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Ensuring the system will
recover faster from
unforeseen incidents, such as when a passenger is ill or
mechanical issues;
Improving reliability on other train
lines, with 91.5% of peak services on-time in the first four
months under new timetables.
The new Illawarra timetable is part of the first
major overhaul of the CityRail network timetable in 16 years. I
am sure all commuters will be keen to see how the new Illawarra
line timetable will benefit them.
RailCorp has written to local schools to give
staff and students information on the timetable changes.
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Improving our bus services
The Iemma Government is spending $250 million on
505 new buses for State Transit.
There will be 255 natural gas powered buses and
250 diesel buses for Sydney and Newcastle. The first of the new
buses is expected to be in operation by the end of the year.
Every bus will be:
• A low-floored, fully accessible vehicle;
• Air conditioned;
• Designed to meet the highest safety standards
for drivers and passengers; and
• Environmentally friendly, generating the
lowest emissions of any mass-produced conventional commercial
buses in Australia.
The chassis will be sourced from top
international manufacturers Daimler-Chrysler and Volvo, who will
meet the tough new EURO 5 emission standard.
New bus corridors for commuters
Commuters will now enjoy new, improved bus
services between Miranda and Hurstville due to changes that took
effect on 28 May 2006, as part of the overhaul of Sydney’s bus
network.
The Miranda to Hurstville bus route, and a
second route from Miranda to Bankstown via Menai, will be the
first of 43 new strategic bus corridors across Sydney.
Premier Morris Iemma recently visited Taren
Point to announce the new bus corridors, as part of the final
phase of the Metropolitan Bus Reform.
These reforms follow the Unsworth Review of bus
services in NSW, which recommended the introduction of bus
corridors.
Cutting-edge satellite technology will allow
buses to get more 'green time' at traffic lights, by sending a
signal to the RTA's state-of-the-art Traffic Management Centre.
The NSW Government is investing $2.5 million in
this new technology, which will help to ensure buses remain
on-schedule.
This is part of a total $135 million committed
by the Morris Iemma Government over the next three years to
improve bus services. It will mean passengers can rely on buses
to be faster and more comfortable.
The Government has also introduced $2.50
pensioner excursion tickets on private buses – another
recommendation of the Unsworth Review. |
