Re: Road Transport set for a boost in pay loads.

[bill@collective.com.au]

In article <6ij8ih$eti$1@nswpull.telstra.net>,
  "Tezza" <tezza@atinet.com.au> wrote:
>
>
> Mr Peter Wait wrote in message <354af15b.0@139.134.5.33>...
> >if road transport was made to pay it's way there wouldn't be any trucks oz
> >roads.
>
> How soon can it be implemented then?
>
It can't. The TWU, who are bloody near as militant as the MUA, won't allow it.
Instead, every time you fill your car with petrol YOU pay for it.

The only real option is to make our rail systems faster, cheaper and more
efficient. That is the thrust of my argument that rail systems should be
placed on an equal footing with road transport by removing the construction
and maintenance of perway and traffic control costs from their profit/loss
accounts and have them pay license fees and taxes comparable to road
transport. This action alone would reduce rail freight costs by at least 30%.

There also needs to be a major diversion of funds from road construction and
maintenance to rail. Most of our main lines are in atrocious condition, as you
would undoubtedly be aware as a loco driver. In WA, we have the irony that
suburban passenger trains on narrow guage travel safely at speeds of 120kmh
whilst our standard guage interstate trains are restricted to 80 kmh or less
due to poor track condition. Standard guage trains should be able to safely
travel at 150 kmh on straight and relatively flat lines.

We have 10 to 15 years at most before fuel costs begin to escallate, less if
Suharto gets his way with OPEC. We need to have a cheap and efficient rail
alternative to road transport in place by the time this happens, but I'm
betting we won't.

Regards

Bill Evans


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