The 16 June forum will be bringing together industry experts, such as John Lee, chair of the NSW Bus Industry taskforce, employers, local governments, bus workers and the commuting public as they join panel discussions and breakout sessions to discuss the issues facing everyone in Western Sydney, and the role buses can help play in solving them.
Transport infrastructure in Western Sydney has not kept pace with the growth nor demand of the region. The Bus Industry in Sydney is historically underfunded in comparison to heavy rail, and has faced state funding equivalent to under 4% of total transport funding.
In addition, a large share of substandard bus routes are concentrated in Western Sydney, leaving Western Sydney residents the most at risk to disruption and underservice.
The Transport Workers’ Union hopes that this industry forum will serve as an initial springboard for the NSW Government to raise standards across the network for drivers and the riding public alike.
Ahead of the forum, the public are being asked to fill out a community survey, to help inform ways to make the sector more viable in the region.
TWU NSW Secretary Richard Olsen said:
“There’s two roads we can go down from this launchpad – investment in public transport, which will see more buses and more services, leading to more passengers utilising a better system, leading to a more productive city.”
“Or, we can continue down the underinvestment route, which will see Western Sydney stagnate and Greater Sydney struggle under worse congestion.”
“This forum shows that it’s time for a decision to be made on this fork in the road – the future of the riding public and bus workers depends on it.”
TWU Sydney Sub-branch Secretary Robert Rasmussen said:
“The simple fact is that Transport Infrastructure in Western Sydney is broken. It has not kept pace with the growth and need that the region demands. Buses are the fast fix – they solve the equity problem around traffic, tolls and mobility, whilst also doubling as a cost-of-living solution and housing enabler.”
“This forum hopes to highlight, amongst other things, that buses are a cost-positive productivity gain. Imagine what extra dollars spent in Western Sydney could achieve. We want to hear from the public – those that ride buses and those that do not, to hear what they think would make mobility do what it says on the tin, and make the sector more viable in Western Sydney.”
Contact
TWU, NSW Branch: Garion Thain – 0405 625 208 Garion.Thain@twunsw.org.au
TWU, NSW Branch: Libby Austin – 0436 461 593 Libby.Austin@twunsw.org.au