Tram and Bus Express: News and views from life in the bus & tram lanes
No images? Click here
Member Update: 20 November 2020
Dear members,
New South Wales is celebrating its own donuts, much like Victoria! NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian is steadfast on her announcement that the border between both states will reopen on Monday. It seems to be a give and take situation though, as travel advice to those travelling to South Australia is rapidly changing in the wake of a fresh burst of cases.
We held successful Delegate Level 1 training sessions on the 12th and 13th of November, ensuring Delegates and their reliefs are always well-equipped to carry out their ever-important responsibilities. We received amazing feedback from attendees. Thank you to everyone who participated, and a very special thank you to Dan Scaysbrook who delivered both sessions.
We've also included information on a brief member advisory imploring you not to use Service NSW to lodge any medicals required by TfNSW if your GP has the ability to send it electronically. Service NSW delays in lodging medicals has resulted in some members having their licence or driver authority cards suspended. We would hate for this to keep happening to any more of you.
The NSW State Budget was announced on Tuesday, with NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet revealing that budget allocations to multiple ongoing and new public transport projects in and around the Sydney CBD comprise 56% of the state's capital expenditure until 2024. Member should be wary of this, as Mr. Perrottet - as we reported in the previous Express - explicitly defended the 1.5% public sector wage cap as part of budget strategy.
But apparently new hands are needed at the helm, as NSW's top transport Chief - Rodd Staples - has announced he's stepping down from the role in February 2021, leaving the direction of hundreds of transport infrastructure projects up in the air for now.
Once again, we've included further info on the bus privatisation survey below along with a link to complete it as the NSW Government continues its plan to privatise the last remaining publicly owned buses in regions 7, 8 and 9. Passengers of these regions face inefficient travel times and unreliable timetables. So have your say and share it around to others who are being impacted to make sure that buses continue to run for people, not profit.
We hope that you continue to stay safe and well.
Delegate Level 1 Training a Success
We held our Delegate Level 1 training sessions on the 12th and 13th of November.
The training was well attended, with 18 members across the tram & bus depots, and with some travelling down from Newcastle.
The union would like to thank all those who attended.
A special thanks goes out to RTBU Campaign Director Dan Scaysbrook for delivering this vital and fundamental training, which will provide for the future of our Union and ensure our Delegates are well-equipped.
The group was grateful for the opportunity to improve their knowledge and skills through such in-depth training.
Member Advisory on Lodging TfNSW Medicals
Members are advised not to use Service NSW centres for the lodging of any medicals required by TfNSW if their doctor has the ability to send it through online.
There have been numerous occasions where Service NSW have experienced delays in sending through medicals to the appropriate department within TfNSW. Such delays have resulted in our members having their licence or driver authority cards suspended.
NSW BUDGET 2020/21 - Transport to make up 56% of capital expenditure over 4 years
NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet has revealed the budget allocations to multiple ongoing and new public transport projects in and around the Sydney CBD. These projects are said to take up 56% of the state's capital expenditure up to 2024.
As we reported in the previous Express, the second stage of the Parramatta Light Rail is still up in the air. So, while the first stage has been allocated more than $500 million in funding for 2020/21, there was no mention of funding for Stage Two. Nor was there any update since the NSW Transport Minister's "trackless trams" comment from last week.
Buses and services have been allocated more than $1.6 billion. This includes those servicing school routes and regional areas.
Despite the claim to stimulate more jobs in public transport through the budget, this comes after we reported in the previous Express that Mr. Perrottet defended the government's 1.5% public sector wage cap as part of the budget strategy to address the COVID-19 economic crisis and called it a "generous policy".
NSW Transport Minister requests ICAC probe into polluted Light Rail land
NSW Transport Minister Andrew Constance has requested the state's anti-corruption watchdog to investigate a parcel of highly contaminated land at 6 Grand Avenue, Camellia. The land was purchased by the NSW Government for $53.5 million to be used for the Light Rail project.
The purchase has recently been scrutinised for allegedly being costed for more than three times its actual value.
The land, heavily polluted, is scoped to become the main depot and stabling yard for trams. It is set to cost taxpayers $52.7 million to contain and treat the toxins at the site. The presence of contaminants has been known to the landowner for three decades.
Read the full article on The Sydney Morning Herald.
NSW top Transport Chief Steps Down following Camellia Site Controversy
Rodd Staples will step down in February 2021 after three years as NSW's top transport chief.
Aptly timed, Mr. Staples' departure comes as the NSW Government finds itself splattered in controversy after the purchase of highly contaminated land at Camellia as part of the Light Rail project in 2016, when Mr. Staples was head of the Sydney Metro project.
NSW Transport Minister Andrew Constance sites the need for a "new direction" under new leadership as plans to undertake hundreds of transport infrastructure projects gets underway following the NSW 2020/21 state budget. The merger of Transport for NSW and Roads and Maritime Services falls within this "new direction".
Our Transport Community Consultation Region 7, 8 and 9
The NSW Government is planning to privatise Sydney's last remaining publicly owned buses.
The changes will impact commuters in Region 7 (North Sydney), Region 8 (Northern Beaches) and Region 9 (The Eastern Suburbs).
From December, thousands of commuters in Region 8 covering the Northern Beaches alone will see their journey times inflate as they are forced to take two or three buses where they once took only one.
The Our Transport campaign is collecting information about which bus routes commuters are most worried about losing. Have your say in this 5-minute survey.
The Government keeps insisting that privatisation will mean better services for commuters. But we saw what happened in the Inner West and Newcastle – routes were changed or axed entirely, bus stops were removed and on-time running plummeted.
We’re seeing it again now. There are many places in Sydney that our train network doesn’t reach, where people rely heavily on a reliable, convenient public bus network to get by.
These buses must be run for the people, not profit, or commuters who live along less ‘profitable’ routes will get left behind.
Take the bus privatisation survey now and help us show the Government that people depend on their local routes remaining intact and on time.
COVID-19: FAQs
We are constantly updating the COVID-19 frequently asked questions section of the website, so please make sure you head there and have a look. If you still have questions, please don't hesitate to contact your local delegate or the Division office at nswbus@rtbu-nsw.asn.au.
Thanks for your essential work during a time of crisis.
Once again, stay safe.
In solidarity,
David Babineau and Daniel Jaggers
