Re: Info Request - Bus Lanes Design / Operation

["David & Jan Winter" <winterd@nospam-icenet.com.au>]

Gentlemen

In my experience (at Business Unit board level), consultants are often hired
so that local management can say what needs to be said without being held
accountable for it being said - if you follow me.

It is a politically necessary insurance policy covering one's career from
shipwreckage.

That said, they do have their uses. Consulting firms have standardised
methodologies which are not always accessible to employers, short of sending
staff on training exercises. The latter is not bad, but lead times can be a
problem - and of course, the person needs to have the seniority to speak
with authority with their newfound skills. You can see how using external
consultants gets there quicker and safer.

In the case of WA, there's been some bad design decisions on the Kwinana
Freeway, so it's better if existing employees weren't being criticised by
management who oversaw their work - better if an external consultant said it
wasn't the optimum design. Anything to do with freeways, railways and
subsidised public transport is a political hot potato in WA with the present
government - so I can appreciate that Dept staffers would prefer
consultant's words to their own.

I've seen some of the transport planning docs for Perth, and have to wonder
where the ideas are coming from. I certainly don't agree with half the
"vision" these people have.

DW