RE: Why RAIL 2000 went down the drain!

[Vaughan Williams <ender2000@MailAndNews.com>]

What about PPT in Adelaide?

While its a shame that Rail 2000 has gone under, in part its because of 
their 
policies as well as their focus on freight. I've always tended to think that 
freight issues are represented well enough by well-resourced organisations 
like ARA, although PTUA (and, AFAIK, PPT and APT) does take an interest in 
freight issues - after all, trucks are even worse than cars in emissions and 
amenity terms.

IIRC Rail 2000 seemed to subscribe to the free-market paradigm, when the 
fact 
is that neither eight-lane freeways nor double-track railways rise 
spontaneously in response to market forces. Both require significant public 
planning and funding to get off the ground.

Vaughan

>===== Original Message From John Coyle <nospam@newsranger.com> =====
>Over the years, I wrote to RAIL 2000, suggesting that they urge that the
>"Overland" be operated as a DAYLIGHT train in both directions, but I was
>ignored. I also pointed out that if the group expanded it's focus to include
>URBAN public transport, they would draw more members and office assistants, 
etc.
>Freight trains are just not part of the concerns of MOST people, but urban
>transport IS of vital concern to MANY people. Take a look at APT in NSW and 
the
>PTUA in Victoria. They are alive and well, whilst RAIL 2000 has gone "down 
the
>drain", due to a total lack of understanding about HOW to avoid that 
situation.
>This is all too bad, as the people who formed and operated the group are
>OTHERWISE, inteligent, "sharp", well meaning people. They held major
>conferences, and had the CEO's of rail systems address their meetings. The 
loss
>of a good PT lobby group has left SA people without an effective means of
>gaining better PT services. Whether, rail, or road. A sad fact.
>

Vaughan Williams
Secretary
Public Transport Users Association
247 Flinders Lane
Melbourne 3000
http://www.ptua.org.au