Re: Brisbane Light Rail Proposals

["Garry R. Ford" <garry@merddyn.apana.org.au>]

Dave McL wrote:

> fergusor@scanet.com.au wrote:
>
> >
> > Requiring that new public transport projects only proceed if they are found
> > to be economic as measured by cost recovery oversimplifies the whole
> > equation. Even *if* the federal government and private enterprise showed no
> > interest in projects such as Briztram, the benefits that such a project could
> > bring may well outweigh its costs. If roads are provided as a service, then
> > why shouldn't efficient public transport also be provided as a service?
>
> <snip>
> I should say here that I am a firm supporter of roads also being
> economic. I believe in user-pays roads. What we have in much of the world
> are socialist roads, taxpayer-funded, ever-expanding, while public
> transport is increasingly required to pay its way.  Your comments about
> the iniquity of roads being provided "free" while railways have to
> maintain their own rights-of-way is particularly pertinent.
>

This is the crux of the debate and has been for around 150 years or more.  Roads
are provided "free", while railways have to  pay for their own right-of-way. In
theory registration of vehicles pays for the roads, but unfortunately not every one
uses their vehicle thge same amount. Hence the push for registration based on a per
kilometre basis.

In addition (I quote from memory here) the Interstate Transport Commission 1987 (?)
reported that heavy vehicles atre the problems with the roads. All roads have to be
constructed to take a certain weight vehicle. i.e. heavy trucks. Unfortunately
their registration costs do not reflect this.  At that time the report quoted
figures of around $51,000 per year as being the true registration trucks should be
paying as opposed to the around $1,200 they were then paying. On top of this add
the damage caused by truckies overloading their vehicles as well. Overloaded cars
do not cause damage.  Here lies the problem. To suddenly implement true cost
registratiion would put most trucks off the road, where they belong.

Railways should be used for long distance hauling (except in special case loads)
while trucks should be used for local distribution.

A similar situation arises with buses. Long distance intercity and intracity should
use rail/lightrail aand buses should provide the local distribution network from
regional centres and where rail/light rail is uneconomic (as described in previous
post)

Unfortunately no government is prepared to bite the bullet and shoot the truckies.

Cheers


Garry