Light rail is a form of urban rail public transport, like a modern tram system, using electric railcars large enough to accommodate up to 60 people as well as wheelchairs and bicycles. Light rail infrastructure has a low impact on the urban environment.
As we move into an era where climate change, petrol prices and traffic congestion are inevitable, it demands that we rethink the way our city works. Perth can prosper in a carbon-light future if we make decisions now to 'shock-proof' ourselves against the challenges of the 21st century, and a rapid, electrified mass transit system must be a part of this vision.
The Greens have this vision and want people in the outer suburbs to have equal access to fast, efficient and safe mass transit as those living in wealthy inner suburbs. I think we all would love that!
China has more than 3500 kilometres of rail line capable of speeds of more than 300km/h. Russia is planning a trans-Siberian high-speed rail line, the Mexicans are planning fast rail along the Yucatan peninsula and Turkey has begun construction of a planned 1500 kilometres of fast rail. However Australia is spending billions of dollars subsidising rail lines to get coal from inland mines to port.
The fact is, when we want to build something we do. We find the money, we find the land. But when public investment in fast trains threatens the profits of private owners then it's a different story. If we wanted to build trains and light rail we could. If we wanted to build more public transport and fewer roads we could. And if we wanted to build more renewable energy and less fossil fuel-fired energy we could. But, at the moment at least, neither the big end of town nor the big end of politics want to. They want to build submarines, airports and coal rail lines instead.
The easiest way to fund the big infrastructure projects we need is to stop funding the big infrastructure projects we don't need. On average Australians are now among the wealthiest people the world has ever known. Of course the average conceals the extremes of both entrenched poverty in some communities and the fact that Rinehart is now the wealthiest woman the world has ever known.
Australia is a rich country that can afford to both build the infrastructure our nation needs and to be generous to the mining barons, but we need to rethink how, and we need to get on with it quick sharp!
http://greens.org.au/lightrail
As we move into an era where climate change, petrol prices and traffic congestion are inevitable, it demands that we rethink the way our city works. Perth can prosper in a carbon-light future if we make decisions now to 'shock-proof' ourselves against the challenges of the 21st century, and a rapid, electrified mass transit system must be a part of this vision.
The Greens have this vision and want people in the outer suburbs to have equal access to fast, efficient and safe mass transit as those living in wealthy inner suburbs. I think we all would love that!
China has more than 3500 kilometres of rail line capable of speeds of more than 300km/h. Russia is planning a trans-Siberian high-speed rail line, the Mexicans are planning fast rail along the Yucatan peninsula and Turkey has begun construction of a planned 1500 kilometres of fast rail. However Australia is spending billions of dollars subsidising rail lines to get coal from inland mines to port.
The fact is, when we want to build something we do. We find the money, we find the land. But when public investment in fast trains threatens the profits of private owners then it's a different story. If we wanted to build trains and light rail we could. If we wanted to build more public transport and fewer roads we could. And if we wanted to build more renewable energy and less fossil fuel-fired energy we could. But, at the moment at least, neither the big end of town nor the big end of politics want to. They want to build submarines, airports and coal rail lines instead.
The easiest way to fund the big infrastructure projects we need is to stop funding the big infrastructure projects we don't need. On average Australians are now among the wealthiest people the world has ever known. Of course the average conceals the extremes of both entrenched poverty in some communities and the fact that Rinehart is now the wealthiest woman the world has ever known.
Australia is a rich country that can afford to both build the infrastructure our nation needs and to be generous to the mining barons, but we need to rethink how, and we need to get on with it quick sharp!
http://greens.org.au/lightrail
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