The NSW Liberal Government’s Future Transport Strategy 2061 that was finally released today raises the prospect of passengers and the wider travelling public being hit with new fare increases and charges even though the price of everything is going up and up.
 
The government’s new transport plan also shows how much the government’s transport vision has narrowed in comparison to former Premier Gladys Berejiklian. The lines on maps and the sweeping ambitions of the 2056 transport plan are gone.
 
But Dominic Perrottet and David Elliott’s replacement, slimmed down transport plan doesn’t offer much for passengers who have to cope with defect riddled, overseas built trains, ferries and trams and a year long industrial conflict on the train network which the government wants to enflame, not resolve.
 
NSW Shadow Minister for Transport Jo Haylen said:
 
“Passengers will rightfully be wary of the government’s plans to ‘expand revenue sources’. Increases to fares and new charges won’t bring people back to public transport but they will make it harder for people when the price of everything is going up and up.
 
“The document put out by the government today pales in comparison to the previous future transport strategies released under Gladys Berejiklian watch. They had a vision for what Sydney’s future transport network could look like. It’s clear Dominic Perrottet doesn’t share that vision.
 
“But more importantly, this is a plan that doesn’t deal with the pressing issues we are facing on the transport network right now. Patronage is down by more than 400,000 passengers and the network is paralysed while the government actively stokes conflict with rail workers.
 
“The government has already given up on managing the train network, but now its clear that they’ve also given up on planning for the transport infrastructure needs of the future.”
 
JO HAYLEN MP
NSW SHADOW MINISTER FOR TRANSPORT