Alliance urges Govt to rebalance transport budget
Date: 2-Apr-2009
The Federal Government is being urged to allocate two thirds of its transport budget to public transport infrastructure and just a third to roads.
The call comes in a joint statement from the Australian Conservation Foundation-led ‘Rapid and Affordable Transport Alliance’ (RATA).
RATA says this rebalancing target is achievable and is the level of change needed to move Australia towards a more sustainable future.
“The Federal Government should dramatically widen the sustainable transport options available to Australians through a rebalance of the budget allocation,” said ACF sustainable transport campaigner Gail Broadbent.
“At present the Federal Government spends 12 times as much on roads as it does on rail, yet car dependent cities are more congested, more polluted and unhealthier than cities with good public and active transport infrastructure.
“Despite decades of costly investment in freeways and tollways, travel times are increasing and Australia remains dependent on increasingly scarce and expensive oil.
“As a matter of urgency, the Government should re-assess the environmental and health costs of the current spending on roads and dramatically strengthen our public transport systems for a sustainable future,” Ms Broadbent said.
The Rapid and Affordable Transport Alliance comprises the Australian Conservation Foundation, International Association of Public Transport (UITP), Rail Tram and Bus Union, Diabetes Australia, Bicycle NSW, Australian Association for the Study of Peak Oil and Gas (ASPO), Environment Victoria, Conservation Council of South Australia and Queensland Conservation.
