The state member for Campbelltown, Bryan Doyle, has come to the aid of the Opal card, the new ticketing systrem for public transport, and dismissed criticism from the Labor Party as hypocritical.
“I am proud to be part of the NSW Government, which is delivering the Opal Card across the public transport network,” Mr Doyle said.
“We have done in three years what Labor couldn’t do in 16 – that is deliver an electronic ticketing system.
“Labor has no credibility on this issue. Labor promised electronic ticketing before the 2000 Olympics and left Sydney decades behind the rest of the world.
“Not only did they fail to deliver electronic ticketing for commuters, they cost the state $100 million on their failed T card project.
“More than 570,000 Opal cards have been issued and Opal is now available on all trains, ferries and around half of all bus routes,” Mr Doyle said.
“We have always said about 90 per cent of Opal users will be the same or better off and the NSW Government is proud of this fantastic project.
“[Opposition leader] John Robertson and the Labor candidate are hypocrites with their claims about the cost of living, under Labor – the State suffered double digit electricity price increases including a 22.4 per cent hike during John Robertson’s reign as Energy Minister. John Robertson did nothing to get his Labor colleagues in Canberra to help remove the Carbon Tax for the benefit of NSW.
“With the Carbon Tax now out of the way, energy retailers can now remove the carbon component from their customers’ bills. It is estimated the average electricity customer could see between a six to eight per cent reduction on their bill. “It is estimated the average gas customer could see between a four to six per cent reduction on their bill,” Mr Doyle said.
On a separate issue, Mr Doyle said work was progressing on the installation of the 3.5 metre high noise abatement wall along the Moore-Oxley Bypass which will reduce traffic noise for Beverley Park, Lomandra and Campbelltown North Schools.
“Work on this $2.35 million NSW Government funded project is proceeding at breakneck speed with major construction work already visible,” Mr Doyle said.
The Moore Oxley Bypass is one of the main arterial roads linking Campbelltown to the Hume Highway in the fast growing south west of Sydney and forms a key link to the town centre.
“With this major road in such close proximity to these schools, it was important something was done to ensure the traffic noise had a minimal impact on students,” Mr Doyle said.
Work is being carried out on weekdays between 7am and 5pm until mid- January 2015, weather permitting. If night work is required, the community will be advised in advance.
