By Janet Parker
SYDNEY — The social and environmental impact of cars are well known, yet cars continue to dominate transport decisions and determine our sprawling pattern of land use. Developing an alternative public transport plan was the focus of the LinkUp Conference held here over the weekend of August 21-22.
The conference, attended by over 200 transport, environmental and community welfare activists, examined the draft of a transport plan developed by putting existing community transport proposals onto one map. The principles underlying the alternative plan give special emphasis to the concerns of equity and environmental responsibility.
These proposals had been developed over a number of years by organisations including the Bicycle Institute of NSW, Greenpeace, the Labor Council of NSW, the Light Rail Association and the Australian Railways Union.
Recognising that motor vehicles constitute the single biggest source of atmospheric pollution and contribute an estimated 14% of the world's carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels, the LinkUp plan stresses that to become ecologically sustainable, Sydney's transport system must reduce emissions of global warming gasses and ozone depleters, use energy efficiently and use resources and land wisely with minimum impact on urban bushland, vegetation, air and water resources.
Many at the conference expressed anger at the Keating government's hypocrisy in using the increased tax on leaded petrol to increase revenue with no intention of utilising any of it in the direction of developing alternative, accessible and environmentally-friendly transport alternatives.
Ultimately, the problems associated with Sydney's transport chaos will only be solved when resident and community groups are allowed to be centrally involved in the planning and decision-making process. Conference participants stressed this must be genuine involvement and not the sham consultative processes that the the RTA are so fond of.
During the conference, many amendments and improvements were suggested and incorporated into the LinkUp plan and a concluding workshop discussed the possibility of seeking ongoing funding for LinkUp to take on the role of an umbrella organisation that can effectively network the huge number of existing community-based transport organisations.
[For copies of the plan or further information about future plans and activities contact Christine Laurence at the Total Environment Centre on (02) 247 4714.]