AUSTRALIA: Several rail projects have been allocated funding in the 2019-20 New South Wales budget, which was presented on June 18.

The state government is providing A$812m as part of a A$1·8bn package over four years towards the New Intercity Fleet. The RailConnect consortium of Hyundai Rotem, Mitsubishi Electric Australia and UGL Rail is supplying 554 double-deck electric multiple-unit cars and providing 15 years of maintenance under contracts worth A$2·4bn.

The budget also includes A$643m for the ‘More Trains, More Services’ programme to increase services on Sydney’s Illawarra, Airport and South Coast lines. This is to be achieved with the help of 41 eight-car Waratah 2 electric multiple-units being supplied by Downer EDI. The NSW government plans to contribute a total of A$3·2bn to ‘More Trains, More Services’ over its four-year term.

The budget contains A$38m in 2019-20 which forms part of the state government’s plan to spent A$2·8bn on the replacement of the regional train fleet. In February the NSW government signed a PPP contract with the Momentum Trains consortium of CAF, Pacific Partnership and DIF Infrastructure V for the supply of 117 multiple-unit cars and the construction of a new maintenance facility at Dubbo.

Infrastructure improvements

The Transport Access Program to improve accessibility at railway stations and ferry wharves is to receive A$334m as part of a A$885m funding package over four years. This will cover accessibility improvements at 68 stations, which the government says will make 90% of all public transport journeys in the state accessible for persons with reduced mobility.

The North South Metro Rail Link to serve the planned Western Sydney Airport at Badgerys Creek has been allocated A$207m for planning work. The NSW government expects to spend A$2bn on the project over its four-year term, with the federal government contributing a similar amount. Construction is expected to start in 2021 and be completed in 2026 in time for the planned opening of the airport.

A total of A$295m is to be spent on infrastructure upgrades to the fast rail network over the government’s term. An initial tranche of A$93m would be used to fund double-tracking and other improvements north of Mittagong, between Berry and Gerringong, and between Sydney and Woy Woy.

Plans to introduce eight more express services in the peaks on Sydney’s T1 Western Line are to be funded through a A$3·4m budget contribution, which forms part of an A$85m four-year package.

Urban projects

The budget also includes funding for urban rail projects in Sydney and Parramatta. The largest item is A$1·2bn in 2019-20 towards the construction of the City & Southwest metro extension from Chatswood to Bankstown via central Sydney, which is expected to open in 2024.

The second metro line is due to receive A$56m as part of a A$6·4bn package over four years. Construction on the line to Parramatta is expected to start in 2020, with the completion date to be confirmed once the final business case is ready.

The Parramatta light rail project is to receive A$561m as the first phase of a A$1·8bn investment over the state government’s term. Major works are due to begin this year, and the 12 km route between Westmead and Carlingford is planned to open in 2023.

The NSW government is also funding a reduction in the weekly cap on Sydney’s Opal smart card. The A$17·7m item in the budget, part of a planned A$69·6m over four years, would enable a 20% reduction of the cap from July 1 to A$50 for adults and A$25 for concessionary fares.

This is what European Union has done to us

After reading the letter by Bryan D Prescott (“We are a vassal state of the US’’) on Monday, claiming that the UK will be virtually owned by the US after Brexit and will have to accept trade deals on their terms, perhaps he has not realised yet that this is exactly what the EU has done to Britain for years, limiting our ability to trade 100% with the rest of the free world and thereby penalising further trade deals.

Apart from the fact that the EU can overrule any new laws or legislation the British government decides would be beneficial to the country as they have done in several other EU countries recently if they do not conform to “EU policy”.

In short what started out as a partnership for free trade and its benefits has turned into a European dictatorship with Germany and France pulling the strings, and like all other previous dictatorships seen in Europe in years gone by will go the same way.

Ray Jones

Ely, Cardiff

Try out our public transport system

There is so much traffic on the roads these days here in South Wales. It is really quite unbelievable with such a good bus and train service.

Would it not be a good idea to go green, ditch the car and catch the bus or train to and from work?

This would save on expensive car parking fees, fuel consumption, CO2 emissions and help to ease traffic congestion.

It also makes for a great way to meet new friends who also travel on public transport.

And the more people that use our public transport system, the more money would be available to improve the network.

If I did have a car now after using the public transport system for many years, I think that I would still heavily use the bus and train to travel around South Wales.

Now I know that the trains get a bit busy in the mornings, but you can always get an early train into the city centre and do the crossword over a coffee or something.

So all in all I think that it is a great idea to try out our public transport system here.

I think that you would be happily surprised.

David Lloyd

Cathays, Cardiff

Look at yourself on licence fees, BBC

So free TV licences are, largely to be discontinued.

I would suggest that the BBC needs to look at itself if the reason is increasing costs.

The large part of the daily programme schedule is made up of repeats. Obviously not the news, which is also shown on the BBC News channel. Quizzes are even repeated.

Most of these repeats are broadcast at the same time that they were first shown – not exactly a new audience.

Some suggestions: BBC, don’t start broadcasting until 6pm; slash the exorbitant wages/fees, paid out of public money to staff and so-called stars, after all they haven’t got too many other places to go.

For many old people (not me!) TV is the only contact they have with the outside world.

Now I understand that the BBC is not responsible for social care but it does have a public responsibility.

Why a total withdrawal of free licences – how about keeping free licences for the over-80s (not me)?

Ron Boyce

Cardiff

Goodbye students, I will miss them

Thump, thump, thump! Evening has started and so has the sound of the jungle drums music next door – must be one of the end-of-term parties. Some students have already left for home.

Returning home this morning after breakfast of coffee and eggs on toast in Ramon’s there sounded a terrific crash, whilst young students were trying to load a plastic container full of china and glass into their car, it suddenly cracked and everything crashed onto the pavement – such a shame – though a couple of passers-by cheered.

Soon the piles of rubbish will be smaller; there will not be the noisy parties and car doors banging shut late at night; the empty beer cans will cease to be thrown over my back wall; I will not have to wait in a queue in my local cafe and Tesco.

However, around about September the students will be returning. Thank goodness for that because I know by then I will miss them.

Barbara MacArthur

Cathays, Cardiff

Johnson jealous of honest Rory?

Boris Johnson clearly fears Rory Stewart and so he should. Stewart is clever, honest and decent. Maybe Johnson is jealous?

John Bevan

Llandaff

Stewart best of a flawed bunch

As I write, the Conservative leadership contest is the topic of the hour. Predictably Boris Johnson did very well, but the margin by which he led his competing candidates did surprise some.

If he becomes Prime Minister Jeremy Hunt says he might double the defence budget which to some of us would be an appalling thing to do. Much more modest increases, suitably well targeted, might be more sensible.

Mr Hunt’s father was an Admiral in the Royal Navy.

If Jeremy loses the present contest, which is much more likely than not, he would then have to “walk the plank”.

There is something attractive about the personality and character of Rory Stewart, who is young and dynamic.

He seems the British equivalent of the man who became French President, Macron.

And Macron’s fellow nationals quickly became disillusioned with the new regime which seemed to promise so much.

Macron has been criticised for governing in the interests of the wealthy, former bankers like himself.

I am a bit concerned too at Mr Stewart’s involvement in the Iraq War as a senior administrator in one part of that territory more than 15 years ago.

Since the war itself was ill-conceived, most people would now say illegal, there is some possible complicity by this “Young Turk” who at least is dynamic and intelligent but, my not being a Conservative supporter at the present time, I could not give him a more positive endorsement than perhaps the best of a bunch of flawed and to some extent or other discredited Conservative politicians who can be blamed for not dealing more energetically with the poverty which is now part of the British experience in 2019.

Michael O’Neill

Penarth

An 18-year-old motorcyclist is fighting for his life in hospital after a crash in Cardiff.

Emergency service were called to Bishopston Road in Ely at around 3pm on Tuesday.

South Wales Police said that a blue Ford Focus was involved in the crash with a black and orange KTM motorcycle.

A spokesman said that the rider of a the motorbike was a local man who suffered life threatening injuries.

He is currently at the University Hospital of Wales after being taken there by air ambulance.

The driver of the car was uninjured.

The road, which was closed for several hours, has since reopened.

A statement from the police said: “South Wales Police Roads Policing Department are appealing for witnesses to the collision or the manner of driving of either vehicle prior to the collision to contact them via 101 quoting reference 1900219512.”