Rethinking Parking Strategies

BY MATT JOHNSTON

Following complaints from disgruntled locals, Lake Macquarie council are looking at updating their parking strategies to cope with increasing congestion. Increasingly, commuters and shoppers are finding it harder and harder to find adequate parking in the town centres.

Mayor Kay Fraser says due to the popularity of town centres like Charlestown, Warners Bay, Toronto or Glendale "you'll find it can be difficult to get a park at times. We've had complaints from residents that many streets in Charlestown are being parked out".

"We need to have a strategy in place for how we're going to deal with parking. In Lake Macquarie, we do love our cars... so it's sort of changing the mentality but it's also providing options."

More than 1400 comments have been received so far, which has given council plenty of alternatives to explore. While paid parking is the last thing anyone wants, it's nevertheless an option that's being considered.

Other measures up for consideration include timed parking, more rangers, 'smart technology' to make things easier for drivers and rangers, as well as lobbying the state government for improved public transport systems.

"We don't have great transport out here, and that's one of the factors," says Cr Fraser. "I'll be lobbying state government to see what we can do about that. We need to have proper public transport so people do have that option."

While there's a need for "efficient and effective" public transport, one of the simpler options is also one of the easiest. "We want to make our town centres walkable and liveable, so people can enjoy their walk to the shops or to their favourite café or restaurant."

The draft strategy is currently available online, at Lake Macquarie libraries, and at council's customer service centre.

Mayor Kay Fraser

Blame game for Newcastle's bus drivers

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Newcastle's transport operator are facing blame from all sides for workers being underpaid and mismanaged.

Transport Minister, Andrew Constance has put operator Keolis Downer on notice after bus drivers were again underpaid this week. They've reportedly failed to pay more than a dozen drivers their correct pay and entitlements.

It comes after more than 70 workers were underpaid last month.

But the Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RBTU) are today putting the blame on Andrew Constance saying it's another example of his incompetence. The union is labeling the situation as disgusting and claim from day one workers haven't been paid correctly.

"The Transport Minister is the one who came out and announced privatisation and what a wonderful beast it was going to be and how things would improve and he's obviously given the tender to a company who can't put in place a payroll system that can correctly pay their employees," said President of the Tram and Bus union division of the RTBU David Woollams.

The RBTU have taken the issue to the Fair Work Commission to have a system put in place whereby the workers, once they realise they've been underpaid, can go to Keolis Downer and get the pay rectified.

"Workers shouldn't have to be doing that in the first instance, You can accept you know a couple of dollars here and so forth - but not when we're talking about $500 dollars. Most of us just live from pay to pay," said David Woollmans.

Keolis Downer's CEo Campbell Mason is hitting back at the union, saying they're working to fix the problem before the end of business today.

"It is our highest priority to correct those underpayments, there will be an off-cycle payroll made today to correct those payments but we are very apologetic to our staff and we appreciate how frustrating it is. And it is our highest priority to get the system fixed so we don't have a recurrence of these types of problems," said Campbell Mason.

He isn't passing any blame onto the Transport Minister.

"The Minister has made clear it is for us, Keolis Downer, to fix this problem and he's right it is our payroll and its up to us to get it fixed and its our highest priority to get it fixed."

Morale very low among Newcastle's bus drivers

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Transport operator Keolis Downer has only been operating in Newcastle for six weeks and already they're being blamed for mistreating and underpaying their workers.

Morale is reportedly very, very low among Newcastle's bus drivers as they deal with the frustration of allegedly being given incorrect wages, shift penalties and superannuation payments which has left them out of pocket for over a month.

Shadow Minister for the Hunter Kate Washington says the company is also blaming bus drivers for services being cancelled when in most situations it has been the company's fault alone.

"Six weeks in and we've seen 170 services cancelled and those cancellations have been blamed on the drivers. Drivers who aren't being paid for the hours they're working and that's just not on,"

Image showbus.com

"I've heard from at least three different drivers but I understand it is across the workforce and there are systemic problems in the system that Keolis Downer is trying to implement. Morale is very, very low amongst all the drivers, they don't feel like they're being given respect," said Kate Washington.

In a statement, Keolis Downer say there have been no cuts to services across Newcastle's public transport but they have had a lot of drivers unable to work due to the terrible flu season.

They say they are in the process of recruiting more drivers to make up for those unable to work and even though it's inconvenient for customers, they'd rather them be healthy and safe and not catch the flu from sick drivers.

Already they've welcomed eight new drivers to their Newcastle fleet in the past week.

But Kate Washington wants answers to the claims of mistreatment and she's written to the Transport Minister demanding support.

"It just feels like Newcastle has been the guinea pigs in all of this. And the government now needs to revise and review its plans to further privatise public transport elsewhere, there are plans afoot for Sydney and that needs to stop now."

Newcastle Airport ready for overseas travel

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Although there aren't any announcements on the horizon for international flights, Newcastle Airport today unveiled their international terminal fit-out.

The $1.6 million worth of facilities include security and IT equipment, passenger screening technology and furniture for border security agencies.

Transport and Infrastructure Minister Andrew Constance opened the terminal this morning with the majority of which funded by the NSW Government.

"The opportunities are absolutely boundless and I know if Singapore airlines can fly thorough Canberra to New Zealand there is no reason why you won't see some of those international carriers having a very long hard think about the opportunities here, which are here, they're real and they're profound," said Andrew Constance.

The fit out was completed ahead of schedule and marks the completion of the upgrades at the terminal which started in 2015.

Andrew Constance says it's not just about moving people in and out, but the whole region benefiting through their industries as well.

'This one is a bit controversial, but I actually name it the Hunter International Airport because it does need to be a truly international airport. It's the state's second  international airport now, you guys beat Badgerys Creek so the key to it is absolutely the whole region."

Airport CEO Dr Peter Cock is on cloud nine and very happy to say the airport can now cater for international flights should the opportunity arise in the future.

"To see such a high calibre crowd here and driving along the way to this event I think it shows what an important asset this is for the region. It's a game changer. Facilities like this allow us to get international traffic and what we can be sure of is if we don't have this you can't get international flights."

Image newcastleairport.com.au

Alternative transport plan for Newcastle and Port Stephens

BY JESSICA ROUSE

A concept plan for a high speed Rivercat Ferry between Fullerton Cove and Newcastle Airport is being dusted off and brought back out from the 1990s.

Traffic and Transport Engineer Rob Caldwell is behind the plan dubbed the Port Stephens Ferry Service which he first suggested in 1991, but now with more and more people moving to the Hunter, he thinks it's becoming a more viable idea.

The link would be created along a canal, parts of which would have to be excavated, from the north shore of Fullerton Cove to Newcastle Airport (about a 4 kilometre distance) linking with Newcastle's CBD taking in parts of the Hunter River. Taking in the CBD would extend the trip to 16 kilometres.

"You don't have to have rails and roads alone - a high speed ferry would transport just as many people as a railway line and it could run from Newcastle's CBD, whereas the rail now because it was cut short it can only run from Wickham," said Rob.

Rob looked into the idea of a rail line between Kooragang Island and the airport as another option, but the canal service still looks to be the better idea.

"A canal by comparison uses the existing waterways of the Hunter River - that route would involve only 4 kilometres of canal linking Fullerton Cove to the airport which is a big difference in construction to the 13 kilometres of new railway."

Rob suggested the plan to local politicians back in 1991, but he says it was swept up into the bureaucracy and he never heard anything more about it. Now he wants to take it back to the politicians and see what they think.

There would be a lot of hurdles to jump through though, and the plan could be years away.

"The process of finding funding for something like that because it's something entirely new in Australia, I don't know where it would come from it would be a combination of the Federal, State and Local government with possibly funds coming back into it maybe it could be used as a toll canal for private craft."

Bus drivers underpaid under new transport boss

BY IAN CROUCH and JESSICA ROUSE

Things haven't gone as smoothly for Newcastle bus drivers since the city's public transport was taken over by Keolis Downer last month.

Drivers say they're being underpaid hundreds of dollars, leaving them out of pocket with the prospect of more payment delays.

Port Stephens MP Kate Washington quizzed the transport minister on the issue in parliament yesterday, asking if the underpayment was an example of what he meant by greater efficiencies under privatisation.

It sounds like everyone knows and are trying to rectify the problem - Transport Minister Andrew Constance says the company told him they're aware of the issue and are working to fix it as soon as possible.

Singleton want more public transport

BY TYLER FARDELL and JESSICA ROUSE

Community group Two More Trains for Singleton is teaming up with the council and business chamber, pushing for additional train services between Singleton and Maitland.

They met with the transport minister last week to discuss a new train timetable and a possible 10 year plan, aiming to provide residents with a more cost and time effective transport option.

Bus services are also looking to be an option; Mayor Sue Moore simply wants better service for the residents in her community.


"We've been pushing towards this for some time and we've sort of recently had the opportunity to take it a step forward with the cabinet meeting in Singleton with the minister on the ground to actually see what we've talking about. So I'm encouraging people that have continuing interest on it to get on board and have their say and we'll continue to push for those services."

At the moment Mayor Sue Moore says there is a coach service early in the day and again later in the day but it isn't enough particularly when there are residents who need to get to medical appointments and Tafe. 

Transport Timetable Still Not Available

BY MARISSA ALEXIOU

Public transport users have been left confused with information on new timetables, routes and additional services still unavailable.

The new Newcastle transport operator, Keolis Downer is set to commence operating bus and ferry services from July 1.

State Member for Wallsend MP, Sonia Hornery said they have received a lot of questions about what will happen when the new operators take over.

"They are taking over in a months time and yet we haven't seen any timetable matters yet, we don't know what's happening in terms of what routes will be considered, we have no information.

The lack of information has left many residents feeling insecure and uncertain towards public transport in the area.

Horney said there has been minimal improvement of services for those on the outskirts of the electorate.

"Our aim is for the people of Wallsend is to improve public transport services so we can get people onto public transport and out of their cars."

Source: http://www.theherald.com.au/