NSW Opposition Leader Peter Debnam and Shadow Minister for Transport Gladys Berejiklian today announced the NSW Liberal/Nationals will bring back the successful Olympic style integrated transport management system ditched by Labor, to solve Sydney transport management crisis. 

“On a daily basis, Morris Iemma and John Watkins apologise to the people of NSW for their failure to manage our transport system. But after twelve years of Labor, sorry is just not good enough,” Mr Debnam said.

“Everyone remembers the success of the public transport system during the Olympic Games in 2000,” he said.

“Sydney commuters deserve the reliability and quality we gave the rest of world – not just for the Olympics, but every day.

“We have already said that we will reduce the number of Departments and Agencies from around 33 to nine. 

“Today I announce that as part of a new Transport and Utilities Services Department there will be a dedicated Transport Services Coordination Authority (TSCA) modelled on the successful Olympic Coordination Authority model.

“Under Labor, the part-time Transport Minister John Watkins wears a blindfold. While hundreds of bureaucrats in dozens of agencies all do their own thing, our transport system lurches from one crisis to the next. This is why we have regular transport chaos when anything goes wrong such as last night.  

“A NSW Liberal/Nationals Government will end Labor’s ‘sorry’ policy and pull together operational and management responsibility for planning and integrating Sydney’s diverse transport modes, to ensure the best possible connections, inter-operability and ticketing.

“Sydney relies on a combination of heavy and light rail, buses, ferries, taxis and private cars. These modes also link with airports, bicycle routes and foot traffic, and our system includes public and private sector providers.

“A NSW Liberal/Nationals Government will draw together the operational responsibilities of scattered bureaucracies in a single body tasked to ensure that our transport system is coordinated to world class standards – just as it was in the Olympics.

“These include:

• CityRail

• CountryLink

• Roads and Traffic Authority

• Sydney Ferries

• Sydney Ports Corporation

• Public Transport Ticketing Corporation

• State Transit Services

• Ministry of Transport (former Transport Coordination Authority)

• Tow Truck Authority

• Major event management

Ms Berejiklian said the TSCA will also work closely with critical private transport providers such as Sydney Airports Corporation, the Taxi Council, the Bus and Coach Association and cycling and recreation groups.

“The TSCA will also coordinate with emergency services, police and federal authorities to ensure transport security management.

“Bob Carr and Morris Iemma rejected expert attempts from experienced top level Olympic managers in 2003 to make the Olympic transport coordination system permanent,” she said.

Mr Debnam said Labor was not prepared to make the tough decisions to improve our transport system, and we are now enduring Labor’s 12 year legacy of failure.