Armidale protests

ParkesHub · Posted: Fri Oct 24, 2003 7:14 am

From today's (24/10/03) ABC news......

The New South Wales Government will set up a committee to review train services in the state's north after a protest at Armidale today by thousands of people.

Transport Minister Michael Costa addressed rowdy protesters today to explain why the Government is considering replacing the Countrylink service between Armidale and Tamworth with coaches.

He says the service costs $6 million a year and has low patronage levels.

Mr Costa then attended a private meeting in the town, and emerged saying no final decision has been made.

"This committee is to look at a range of issue to evaluate," he said.

"For example the present patronage figures and the cost for the Armidale to Tamworth service, to advise on necessary steps to fund and maintain the service including things like fare increases, changes in work practices and Countrylink booking arrangements."

The local member for the area, Richard Torbay, says he feels more hopeful that the service might be saved, and says the community is open minded about the possible need to increase fares.

"But don't cut country rail services using the economic argument because you wouldn't have any services at all if that criteria's going to demonstrate and look out every country service," he said.

"We're fighting for more than just the Armidale's and the Murwillumbah's here, we're fighting for country rail services right across NSW."

DavidB · Posted: Fri Oct 24, 2003 11:55 am

About 2000 people protested in Armidale yesterday against the possible scrapping of CountryLink services to the city. The Transport Services Minister, Michael Costa, faced the crowd which included supporters of the University of New England, local councillors and business leaders.

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/10/23/1066631570094.html

maybenever · Posted: Fri Oct 24, 2003 11:03 pm

Hey all,

Mr Costa claimed that the service costs $17,000 per day and the average patronage from Armidale is 67 (Still more than a bus load). Just doing some simple sums (admitedly with some rather large assumptions):

(Assuming most passengers will be traveling to Sydney)

Some passengers will be paying full fare ($83.60 or $116- (1st class))
Some will be paying advance booking/student fare ($42 or 5 Cool

Some will be paying the Pensioner fare $2

To average that out, we will say that the 67 passengers will be paying a half fare of $42. Multiply the $42 by 67 and you get $2,814 which equals about 17% of the $17,000 it costs to run the train.

Tamworth to Armidale is about 120km's of a (guessing 650km line) which equals about 18%.

To my understanding, this indicates that Armidale is covering it's costs, especially when you consider that the patronage of the service has increased since they bothered to service the trains and provide a reliable service and Costa was using old figures.

Is Armidale about to suffer for a lack of patronage from places further down the line? Maybe an Independant local member does not help...

Anyway, no trains through today or tomorrow due to the crash near Maitland... what timing!!!

Later

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Riccardo · Posted: Sat Oct 25, 2003 8:30 am

albert3801 · Posted: Sat Oct 25, 2003 9:57 am

rjaygee · Posted: Sat Oct 25, 2003 10:36 am

My understanding is that Costa said that Country Link was planning to cut the Armidale to Tamworth section only. I do not recall any mention of the Sydney to Tamworth section. The response from the meeting appears to be fairly typical of these country towns in that they want the train service maintained but do not use the service. As a taxpayer I am not happy at the money disappearing down the Country Link hole. The situation in the USA in regards smaller mid-western towns is much the same. I was surprised at the number of travellers on Amtrak who only travelled between mid-western towns. I was told this was because the hub and spoke airline system was a failure with airline services being completely cut out to these towns. Travelling by bus was not a popular option as I was told it was too risky to travel by bus so Amtrak ws the only option left for a reasonably cheap and comfortable trip. There is no easy answer but I suspect that Armidale will lose its Country Link services. Armidale is a reasonably well off town in the main so I do not think Costa will be too worried about losing votes by cutting out the service. The well off will just continue to fly or drive their Mercs to Sydney.

Cheers

Rod Gayford

maybenever · Posted: Sat Oct 25, 2003 11:33 am

And Rod was in Armidale last when????

The state has a responsibility to provide services for its constituants, regardless of how well off you think they may be.

Fact is that Armidale is not like that. Unemployment is high, there are high numbers of disabled, high numbers of students, increasing numbers of Indigenous Australian's being relocated from inner Sydney by the State government, not bothering to provide them with new opportunities (cleaning up the ghettos or something isn't it?) etc. Can these people afford Mercedes, let alone a plane ticket?

How do you get someone in a motorised wheelchair onto a QantasLink Dash 8 or a coach? No leave them at home so they can not get the speciallist medical care they need. Bugger them. They are not the States responsibility.

How can a pensioner or student or unemployed person afford to spend a week, sorry a FORTNIGHT of government benefits on a return plane ticket ($320 return booking a month in advance)?

Coach services by McCafferty's depart Armidale for Sydney at 3.25am, arriving from Sydney at 12.45am.

If the New South Wales Labor Government can afford to give asset rich private schools interest concessions in the millions of dallars annually, they can afford to actually look after people who need it by spending the extra money bringing a rail service to Armidale.[/quote]

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Comments made by me often make no sense
"It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks"

XP2009 · Posted: Sat Oct 25, 2003 6:39 pm

If NSW try and do the same with Melbourne ill block the train in at Spencer street

the Melbourne XPT is not finishing

Cheers Joel

rjaygee · Posted: Sat Oct 25, 2003 7:12 pm

At least I identify myself and not hide behind some stupid identity. Most students attending universities these days come from middle class families who think they are entitled to have their sticky little poors in the welfare jar. I totally agree with you about public funding of private schools, however how long do you stay unemployed in country town where there are limited employment opportunities before Centre Link cuts off your dole payments? Argue all you like, it will not stop the rail service being canned and I am still of the view that many of the people who whinge about the loss of rail services have never travelled on a train for yonks. A responsible government has to be careful with public funds and spend them where they do the most good. The money being spent on loss making country services could better be spent on expanding the Sydney network.

Cheers

Rod Gayford

maybenever · Posted: Sat Oct 25, 2003 8:14 pm

Touchy

Sorry if I got up your nose Rod.

I respect your right to believe that a government should only look after those in it's capital city, for that is what is best for the STATE, and your right to use a stereotype that uni students are children of well off middle class homes, and therefore (unlike the wealthy children of upper class families studying in Sydney) do not deserve to be provided for by the government.

I reserve my right to say when I disagree, and state things how I see them - the purpose of a forum I suspect?

Later

Wesley Gleeson (for all the difference it makes...)

PS. Moderators can this forum be changed from NSW to Sydney please?!?!?!?!?!?

Models: http://au.geocities.com/maybeneverrail
Photos: http://maybeneverrail.fotopic.net/
Comments made by me often make no sense
"It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks"

standard_gauge · Posted: Sat Oct 25, 2003 8:42 pm

Riccardo · Posted: Sat Oct 25, 2003 8:45 pm

Skindog the Hawk · Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2003 11:31 am

Just weighing in here - which country rail service in NSW meets its' own costs?? Are there ANY?

Personally, Costa would be more advantaged by perhaps jacking fares up a little (say 10-15%) and recovering more of the cost of providing the service. The loss of patronage would be minimal so long as the service was still provided. Unfortunately there is the small issue of IPART regulation of fares, however I don't believe it should be that hard so long as CountryLink could prove that they need the money (which they do).

Matthew Skinner (aka. Skindog)

Can we Darwinise or euthanase ChromeDome??