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Mrs KARYN PALUZZANO: My question without notice is addressed to the Deputy Premier, and Minister for Transport. What is the latest information on improvements to public transport passenger information?
Mr JOHN WATKINS: The Leader of the Opposition asked where the Government got his information of yesterday. The Leader of the Opposition leaned across the table and demanded where the Government got it. It got the information from the Internet site of the Liberal Party. He does not even know it was published! Today the Iemma Government has unveiled a new development in public transport information because that is what the travelling public want. Whether one is travelling on a train, bus or ferry, or is a regular commuter or a visitor to Sydney, one is entitled to the latest information that is easily accessed to plan a trip. Commuters deserve timely, up-to-date and accurate advice about any disruptions to services and information on factors that may change their normal journey, such as track work.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The honourable member for Wakehurst will come to order.
Mr JOHN WATKINS: Today I announce that, for the first time, commuters can access the latest information on train, bus and ferry services on mobile phones, Palm Pilots and other electronic organisers, and the information can all be downloaded quickly from the Internet. The popular 131500 Transport Infoline service—featuring timetables, service information and special event transport—is now accessible on-the-go, at the touch of a button. It is the equivalent of having all of Sydney's public transport timetables in one's pocket and it is available every day, all day.
The information is available with compatible devices through the link "mobile.131500.info" and includes the latest breaking news on public transport services, next service timetables for trains, buses and ferries, updated information on service changes, and the latest information on highlighted events. Commuters with compatible phones can check on the next bus, train or ferry to their desired destination. They can receive real-time updates on any disruptions to services and they can look up alternative ways of getting to their destination. It also provides free advice on transport options for major events like the Royal Easter Show and Randwick races.
When I travel the network, commuters tell me the service is improving. The reliability of our trains is vastly improved from two years ago, and while there is more work to do, the Government is making unprecedented investment in our public transport infrastructure. Across the public transport portfolio, the Government is spending $7 billion over the next five years on major infrastructure projects. And in rail alone, that figure rises to more than $14 billion during the next 15 years. While commuters acknowledge the improvements the Government has made and the strong investment it is making in the future, it is often the little things that can make a journey on public transport more enjoyable. The Government is listening to the concerns expressed by commuters, and it will use whatever technology is available to it to improve that experience.
The 131500 Transport Infoline has become even more popular in the past year with consumers accessing that information more than ever before. The number of people now accessing information has more than doubled in the past year, with more than 380,000 people per month using the 131500 web site. Now commuters can access this same information using the mobile phone technology. The mobile.131500 service operates on WAP or GPRS mobile phones and devices. More than one million Australians already use phones with that access, and communication experts suggest that by 2010 some 90 per cent of mobile phone users will use this type of technology.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The honourable member for Baulkham Hills will come to order.
Mr JOHN WATKINS: Currently the service is being made available through Telstra and Optus but other service providers are expected to join shortly. Commuters can also access a desktop version of the service through the same link, mobile.131500.info, so commuters can check the same information from their home or office computer before leaving. It is powered by the 131500 web site. The only costs involved are the standard charges associated with accessing on-line information from a mobile phone account. In most cases it will be cheaper than a mobile phone call to the 131500 hotline. Projects such as this, combined with the Government's record expenditure in public transport, will encourage even more people back to public transport and build further on recent patronage increases.