TRANSPORT POLICIES

POSITIONING LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Concurrent Session: Transport Policies

• Session: 11.30am to 1pm

• Overview of Transport Issues– Urban issues: Geoff Lake (<20 mins)– Regional issues: Allan Smith (20 mins)

• Group discussion (45 mins)– Focus on relevant parts of Draft

Strategy

Urban Transport Issues Overview

• Liveable cities: a complex mix of issues of which transport an important component

• Successful communities have good transport mixes:

– high proportion of trips are public transport, walking and cycling

• other vital components are:– sound and creative (integrated) planning and

design– community engagement

Sustainable Transport

• Transport that contributes to positive environmental, social and financial outcomes – is that what we mean??

• Challenge for local government• Defining our role and place: gaining a

seat at the table• Defining achievable outcomes

• Local government best placed to understand community needs

Inter-Governmental Initiatives

• Fundamental principle – the health of cities is an ‘all of government’ issue

• COAG is scoping urban congestion issues– Focus: protecting freight corridors (economic

dimension)– LG bringing urban amenity to the table as an

equally important goal– Traffic management and pricing options will flow

from this exercise• Funding for public transport should be given

equal billing role for Feds

Driving Improvements Bottom Up

• Many examples of LG initiatives• Public transport improvements through

partnerships/advocacy• Community transport solutions

• Encouraging greater national government interest and funding while keeping states up to the mark

• Scope for Roads to Recovery type funding model

At State Level

• Inter-agency coordination remains a big issue

• Planning the key to lessening dependence on cars– Location of workplaces, educational facilities, retail,

entertainment with the transport system– Public transport should not be an afterthought

• Local Government: an agent for change?

Where to from here…

• Intergovernmental action – LG a key role

• Federal as well as state funding for cities and public transport?

• Funding for LG driven initiatives

• Pressing need for better planning

Regional Transport Issues Overview

Cr Alan SmithMayor of Dubbo

Your Turn

• What do you think are the major non-road specific transport issues that LG and this Congress must grapple with?

Group Discussion of Draft Strategy

• LG Roads and Transport Strategy: 2006 – 2016

• A five-point plan:1. Local road funding and management

2. Urban Transport Solutions

3. Mobility and Access for Regional Aust

4. Freight Management

5. Long Term Financial Sustainability of LG

Urban Transport Solutions

• LG calls on COAG to:– Improve the integration of land use and

transport planning– Balance the protection of freight

corridors with community social needs

• All of govt approach

• Federal govt support and funding for urban public transport

Urban Transport Solutions (cont)

• LG calls on State/Fed govts to work with LG on urban congestion strategies

• Improved inter-agency cooperation on land use and transport planning

Mobility and Access for Regional Australians

• LG calls on Fed/State govts to:– Support the viability of regional airlines

and airports– Accept the principle that all regional

communities should have access to minimum levels of service through rail, coach and airline services

Mobility and Access for Regional Australians (cont)

• Support the revitalisation of country rail services

• Research locational disadvantage brought about by factors such as the centralisation of services

Freight Management

• Improved Freight infrastructure pricing that provides benefit to LG

• Regulation to provide safer, quieter and emission free freight vehicles

• Revitalisation and reform of rail– Increasing rail competitiveness– AusLink funding to rail freight

infrastructure

Freight Management (cont)

• LG calls on National Transport Commission and other agencies to:– Improve the position of LG in the

development of freight policy; and– Develop a communications strategy

that keeps LG fully informed

Draft Strategy

• Do you agree with the current transport strategies?

• What is missing??• Method:

– Urban Transport Solutions– Mobility and access for Regional Aust– Freight Management– Anything else that doesn’t fit above??

Urban Transport Solutions

• LG calls on COAG to:– Improve the integration of land use and

transport planning– Balance between protection of freight

corridors and community social needs

• All of Govt approach

• Federal Govt support and funding for urban public transport

Urban Transport Solutions (cont)

• LG calls on State/Fed govts to work with LG on urban congestion strategies

• Improved inter-agency cooperation on land use and transport planning

• Agree/disagree? What else?

Mobility and Access for Regional Australians

• LG calls on Fed/State govts to:– Support the viability of regional airlines

and airports– Accept the principle that all regional

communities should have access to min levels of service through rail, coach and airline services

Mobility and Access for Regional Australians (cont)

• Support the revitalisation of country rail services

• Research locational disadvantage brought about by factors such as centralisation of services.

• Agree/disagree? What else?

Freight Management

• Improved Freight infrastructure pricing that provides benefit to LG

• Regulation to provide safer, quieter and emission free freight vehicles

• Revitalisation of rail – reform and increasing its competitiveness– AusLink funding to rail freight

infrastructure

Freight Management (cont)

• LG calls on National Transport Commission and other agencies to:

1. Improve the position of LG in the development of freight policy; and

2. Develop of a communications strategy that keeps LG fully appraised of the area

• Agree/disagree? What else?

Draft Strategy

• Anything else?

• Where to from here…

Lunch!!

Lunch is in the Ghan Foyer. Congress will resume at 2pm in

the Plenary room.