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September 5-11, 2019 Dubbo Photo News
NEWS EXTRA
OPINION & ANALYSIS
LETTERS & FEEDBACK
THE TOONS’ VIEWS
Does Dubbo need Uber? The Editor, I read with interest the article about Ridwan Quaium suggestions about public transport in Dubbo, and the current cost. [“Call for Uber service in Dubbo”, Dubbo Photo News, August 29.] Mr Quaium has not included in his interview other options for transport including Community Transport and Vouchers to be utilised with the Taxis (this halves the cost and makes that cost effective). He is commenting from the viewpoint of the Public Transport Network in Thailand, a big city, not Regional NSW. Each country has its own standards, laws, culture, and training requirements for being able to carry passengers from point A to point B. Each customer need is different – for example, some customers need the Maxi Taxi for wheelchair/ disability access. The Maxi wheelchair-accessible taxis are also wonderful for family groups and bigger groups and are very cost effective. The cost is the same as a standard taxi and when split between a number of people is very cost effective – not expensive by any means. Each taxi driver has special training for his/her driving in the taxi system and follows professional standards and training of the taxi industry. This includes training in locations, theory and practical tests, how to deal
with special needs customers, the aged, as well as people with wheelchairs, guide dogs and assistance dogs; also tourism directions, and – most important – police checks and working with children checks (for those working with children). The hotels work with the taxis to transport customers in the early hours of the morning – a very busy time for them. In particular the hotels offer free vouchers to get their customers home after their festivities. This is very cost effective and they are working together with our local community for everyone to have a good time and be responsible. This works also with the Police focussing on having a Plan A, B and C in getting home without driving in your car when you have had a few drinks. With tourism, many travellers appreciate the local knowledge of drivers in being able to locate and be transported to the desired location, within a limited time, for example the zoo, the hospital, and the private hospital. Getting around Dubbo can be daunting for those from smaller centres who are very grateful for a kind word and assistance. Tourists do not all fly into Dubbo. They also come by road, rail and bus and often like to be able to be transported, in particular if they have a limited time to see
the sights. Many people come to conferences, meetings and seminars from all over the world. Some come for medical reasons and education needs, and they are very grateful for kind directions from public transport drivers for accommodation locations, where to eat and more. The amount of value added with the extra services that taxis provide, on top of the transportation for their customers from A to B, can not be underestimated. Transportation is at all hours, day and night. Ann McLachlan, Dubbo
And an alternative view, in short The Editor, Uber would be a great transportation network for the Dubbo community, and it should start ASAP. Raman Dipkuk Via email.
More to consider for new south bridge The Editor Re: The current investigation into a fourth river bridge for the southern part of the city. I trust that the investigation will look further than providing access for West Dubbo people to access the CBD. As indicated, simply extending Minore Road, cross-
ing the river and joining up with Bligh Street would provide some traffic relief, but other considerations need to be investigated. For example: (1) Actual road construction down the steep embankment to Sir Roden Cutler Park area (2) Building a bridge across the river at a tight bend in the river where there’s potential for bank erosion. Maybe the same location as the current footbridge would be more appropriate. (3) The main question to answer would be where would the traffic be heading. A look at the plan of Dubbo would indicate better access to Wheelers Lane, and later Sheraton Road,
for workers, schoolchildren, shoppers, etc to attend the abattoirs, Purvis Lane business area, crematorium, university, racecourse, hospital, private schools, Bunnings, Blueridge, Masonic Village, Orana Gardens, dog track, soccer ovals, etc. In reverse, ambulance and fire services, the golf course and the zoo, etc. There would also be improved access to Sydney and Newcastle, along with the tourist precinct and Lazy River Estate. Limitation to South Dubbo residential roads could be achieved by banning left lane access to these roads.
This could be done by signs or the installation of concrete strips. Boundary Road would appear at the most danger with increased traffic. Possibly the Wheelers Lane/Cobra Street roundabout would need some conversion or traffic lights. Maybe a combined traffic and cycleway bridge at the current footbridge site would be the best concept. Safe crossing of the cycleway would need to be included in the concept, no matter where the bridge is located. Kevin Duncan Dubbo
HAVE YOUR SAY ❱❱ feedback@dubbophotonews.com.au or 89 Wingewarra St, Dubbo 2830 ❱❱ Letters to the editor are best limited to no more than 250 words and may be edited for clarity, space or legal reasons. For our records, please include your name and contact details, including a daytime phone number. The writer’s name, title and/or town will be included unless specifically requested otherwise.
The long but one-way road to electrification Greg Smart ❚ OPINION IN 1900, 38 per cent of cars in America were electric powered, and electric-powered cars continued to sell strongly for the next ten years. In 1914 Henry Ford and Thomas Edison were collaborating on the development of a practical and cheap electric car. Of course, Henry Ford went on to mass-produce the Model T. Being roughly a third of the price of an electric vehicle, the Model T was mass-produced mobility for the masses. The market spoke and thus set off the dominance of gasoline-powered cars for the next century. I was thinking about this divergence recently while looking at the electric cars displayed at the Dubbo Sustainability Expo, pondering the missed opportunities and the state of the planet had we gone electric rather than with fossil fuels a century ago. How much more advanced would our battery and solar panel technology be? Would our air be cleaner? Would worldwide geopolitics be stable without a reliance on Middle Eastern oil? Conjecture would have the
world an entirely different place. I have the feeling the century-long divergence is over. This time it is the combination of government legislation and market forces that is driving the push for electric vehicles. Many Europeans cities are banning fossil fuel-powered cars; beginning with bans on older diesel vehicles in parts of large cities like London, Berlin and Amsterdam; moving to bans on all diesel and petrol-powered cars from entering these cities by the end of the next decade. The aim is the gradual transition to emission-free electric-powered vehicles. These legislative measures have already caused the sales of diesel-powered cars (for decades the fuel of choice in Europe) to decrease markedly. Rules set by the European Union for car manufacturers require carbon dioxide from all new cars to be lowered 15 per cent by 2025, and 37.5 per cent by 2030 compared to 2021 levels. Reducing emissions caused by electricity generation is also part of the planning. European countries generate a huge portion of their power from wind turbines, mostly situated offshore. Last year alone Europe invested $US30 billion in wind farms. Whilst gas still has a major role in electricity production, Europe realised the switch to renewable energy is inte-
gral to transition away from fossil fuel-powered vehicles. And let’s not forget oil-rich Norway, which has the highest number of electric vehicles per capita due to two decades of government incentives aimed towards having all new cars, urban buses and light commercial vehicles emission-free by 2025. Industry analysts point to 2020 as the tipping point for electric vehicles, when they will no longer be just for ‘early adopters’, and the shift to the wholesale acceptance of electric vehicles is inevitable. Car manufacturers know this tipping point has nearly arrived – realising the fossil fuel car is headed for extinction. Given the tightening regulations and the long lead time to get a new car from the drawing board to the showroom, the manufacturers have acted. The number of electric car models available in Europe will increase by around 75 per cent before the end of 2020.
Just four years ago, Volkswagen was embroiled in a diesel emissions scandal. Now it sees the future as electric, recently announcing it will release 50 new fully electric models by 2025. Mercedes Benz has recently released its EQC fully electric vehicle, and has plans to release 16 electric vehicles by 2025. Mercedes are believed to be in discussions with long-time rival BMW to jointly develop shared vehicle platforms and components, with BMW planning 12 new electric vehicle models. The Renault/Nissan Alliance and PSA (Peugeot, Citroen, Opel) have dozens of vehicles under development. Toyota has reset its 2030 target for getting half its global sales from electric vehicles to 2025. Korean companies Hyundai and Kia have newly released full electric vehicles, and more planned for release within the next few years. And the rapidly developing Chinese vehicle manufacturing industry has plans for more electric vehicles. From the car manufacturers point of view, the future is electric. So where is Australia in this technology shift? ` The 2019 federal election Industry analysts point to showed the contrast in electric ve2020 as the tipping point hicle ideology between the major for electric vehicles, when Australian political parties. Labor they will no longer be just declared the transition to electrifor ‘early adopters’... a fication ‘unstoppable’ and pledged monetary support to resurrect a
vehicle manufacturing industry in Australia. The Coalition mounted a scare campaign, declaring the end the Aussie Weekend because electric vehicles can’t tow or get to a campground. And heaven forbid Aussies should give up their utes! Was the Coalition too busy being disingenuous to do some research? Or perhaps they thought the Australian consumer could be waylaid from discovering the electric Ford F-Series utility being developed, or the pure electric dual cab ute and SUV being introduced to Australia next year by new American company Rivian? Has the government not heard of the successful Brisbane-based company Tritium, which develops and manufactures vehicle fast chargers for domestic and international markets? At the moment electric vehicles make sense in an Australia urban setting. Long distance driving presents some problems with re-charging and vehicle range, but these are not insurmountable in the long term. More rural charging stations, and home-based solar panel systems with battery storage, will have us charging into an electric future. It’s not like we are short of sunshine. And it shouldn’t take another 100 years to get there. z Greg Smart lives and works in Dubbo, and is keen observer of current affairs.