Budget breakdown: NSW roads left counting cost

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Traffic jam

Will the Federal Budget ease NSW's gridlock?

Road users across the state don’t need reminding about the poor state of our roads.The latest Federal Budget for 2012-13 released on Tuesday night gave Federal Treasurer Wayne Swan the opportunity to help NSW deal with some of the state’s most underfunded, unsafe and congested roads. So now that the dust has settled on the budget, let’s review how the nation’s spending money has been allocated to fix the many problems on NSW roads.

What’s new:

  • The Australian Government said they would inject  $3.56 billion to upgrade the Pacific Highway if the State Government matches the funding, which was announced last week.

What already exists:

  • $8.5 million from 2012 to 2014 for a smart technology system for the M4 motorway, which could improve congestion by informing motorists when heavy traffic is ahead.
  • $30 million planning money for the M4 East.
  • $150 million for planning for the F3 to M2 link, beginning in 2015-16.
  • The continuation of the Roads to Recovery program ($1.75 billion nationally over five years started in 2009 – with $350 million due in 2012-13).
  • The continuation of Black Spot ($300 million over five years) nationally. Black Spot projects target road locations where crashes regularly occur. By funding measures such as traffic signals and roundabouts at dangerous locations, the program aims to reduce the risk of crashes.
  • $4 million to extend the Seat Belt on Regional School Buses program for the next four years.

What’s not good:

  • The new Pacific Highway money is conditional on the NSW Government matching this funding.
  • Although $150 million for planning for the F3 to M2 link has been promised, the F3-M2 study funding does not actually begin until 2015-16.

The NRMA has the opinion that, all in all, the Australian Government’s budget has missed a big opportunity to help fix major traffic problems across NSW. We welcome the extension of existing initiatives but are disappointed that no cash has been allocated to much needed new infrastructure projects. Apart from the Pacific Highway pledge, NSW roads were largely neglected.

We want the Australian Government to commit the $3.56 billion it announced for the Pacific Highway without condition and to work with the NSW Government to finish the highway by 2016. Both the NSW and Australian Governments made a promise to voters in their last elections and they must keep that promise.

What do you think? Will the federal budget ease NSW’s traffic problems?

NRMA launches The Open Road iPad App

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Open Road iPad app

Click to download the App

Since the NRMA’s foundation in 1920 as an independent advocate body for motorists, The Open Road magazine has been posted through Australian letterboxes for almost a century. During its lifetime, it has been renamed, chopped, changed colour, survived World War 2, demutualisation and a takeover attempt from News Limited. Today it proudly enters the digital age with the launch of the innovative new Open Road iPad App – the first digital motoring club magazine of its kind in Australia.

The app is an interactive publication with social sharing, live updates, more pictures, extra information and bonus videos – bringing to life travel and motoring stories and giving readers the ability to instantly enter competitions and send feedback to the Editor.

“This is an exciting, digital-age development for one of Australia’s oldest and most trusted magazines. The NRMA Open Road app will allow us to give our Members even more inspiring content in an entertaining and colourful way” said NRMA’s Head of Publishing Emma Cornwell.

 

The iPad edition of Open Road will be available from today, Friday, May 4. To celebrate the launch, both the March/April and the May/June issue will both be available together as a special package for Members.

Originally called Good Roads, the journal was first published in 1921 to ensure NRA (the M for motoring was added in 1924) members were reliably informed about the association’s activities. However by 1927 its literary standard had slipped and advertising revenues were falling so the journal was renamed the Open Road and a Sun journalist was appointed assistant editor to sharpen the content. With a shiny new colour cover, an improved layout, less reliance on copy from American ‘good road’ journals, and the inclusion of regular features like ‘The Care of Your Car’, the magazine was reborn as we know it today, albeit very much younger.

By 1939, all members continued to receive a copy fortnightly. However problems with finance and publication remained, so the magazine was cut from 16 to 12 pages and advertising rates were reduced. Then in June 1941, government rationing of newsprint due to World War 2, demanded the journal be published monthly instead of fortnightly.

In 2002, a boardroom power struggle threatened the Open Road as a group of directors planned that the magazine would cease to be an independent publication of the NRMA. Instead, a proposal was made that six Open Road magazines would be produced annually, including four quarterly magazines published by the Daily Telegraph and two Open Road travel magazines published by the Sunday Telegraph.

However, this proposal was roundly rejected and Open Road lived on to thrive into the digital age – today it is distributed to more than 1.6 million households predominantly in NSW and the ACT and is Australia’s fifth most read publication.

Editor of NRMA’s Open Road Suzanne Monks said the new NRMA Open Road Magazine App would be a great way to encourage Members to have conversations about content in the magazine.

“The print edition of Open Road is one of the most trusted and frequently read magazines in Australia,” said Monks.

“From today Members will be able to access not only a digital version of the magazine but also additional stories, videos and information through the NRMA Open Road app. It will be a one stop shop for every motorist and traveller.”

Members will have the choice to view Open Road either as an iPad app or to continue to read it in its print format.

NRMA Members will be able to download the app for free from the App Store by using their Membership number and surname. Non-members can purchase the digital edition for $4.49 per issue.

Let us know what you think of the app in the comments below.

8 green driving tips [Infographic]

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Simple changes to your driving habits and regular vehicle servicing could save you over $2,500 a year and help the environment.

Try some of these tips and start saving!

  1. Maximise tyre pressure
  2. Regularly service your car
  3. Remove roof racks and bull bars
  4. Turn off air con whenever possible
  5. Switch your engine off in traffic jams
  6. Watch your speed on highways
  7. Remove heavy objects from your car (ie don’t use your car as a cupboard!)
  8. Avoid hard accerelating and braking
Tips for greener driving

What are your tips for driving greener?

Courtesy on the roads – does it still exist?

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A wave goes a long way

What beeps you off on the road?

Do you consider yourself to be a courteous driver? According to a survey NRMA recently conducted 56% of people think they are most of the time, but what does it mean to be courteous? The Oxford dictionary definition is polite, respectful or considerate in manner. Some ways of being more considerate or friendly behind the wheel could just mean giving a friendly wave to someone who lets you in or not blocking intersections.

Let me put you in my shoes for a minute…

7am Monday morning and I have managed to coax my 16 month old son into his car seat with a muesli bar. I put my seat belt on, turn the volume up so I can hear the $1000 pop quiz and off I go into the peak hour traffic heading north bound along the Princes Highway. “Which artist sung these two songs – ‘I’m Bad’ & ‘Man in the Mirror’. MICHAEL JACKSON. The traffic comes to a halt so I courteously don’t block the intersection and let another driver in front of me. No thank you wave.

Now that really beeps me off!

Having a 16month old in the car stopped me from using a number of vulgarities on that occasion but boy did it put me in an bad mood for the rest of the day.  This got me thinking, on what occasion have I done the wrong thing by a fellow driver? Have I ruined someone’s day because I didn’t give them a friendly wave or because I was too lazy to put my blinker on or because I blasted the driver in front of me just because they simply merged into my  lane on a day that I am running late for coffee with my girlfriends? I’m sure most of you can relate to this.

The survey of over 1,500 motorists in NSW and the ACT found tailgating (42%), not letting drivers merge into lanes (39%) and slow drivers hogging the right hand lane (36%) are the top three discourteous behaviours that get us hot under our bonnet. Over the last few weeks I have been more aware of some of these behaviours on the road and amazingly I have learnt (deep breaths help) to not get so hot-headed when someone merges in front of me without giving me a friendly wave and I am starting to wonder if my horn still works?

Now put me in your shoes. What beeps you off about other drivers? Do you have any warm and fuzzy stories about someone being nice behind the wheel? Shopping centre car park stories are always great…

Tips for driving in the rain

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photo credit: OskarN (via Flickr)

Avoiding the strife aquatic!

Science tells us that there’s been about the same amount of water on the earth forever – that it doesn’t stay in the same place or form but is constantly redistributed by volcanic emissions, cosmic radiation and the wind and sun as part of “the water cycle”. However, science obviously doesn’t reside in Sydney – where the universe’s water supply has gathered recently, in the form of rain.

In a perfect world, rainy days would find us with our feet up at home in front of Dr Phil, nursing a cuppa and catching up with the papers. However, reality being what it is – you probably have to go to work instead. So in this super-saturated, water-logged blog we’ll discuss how you can stay safe and sane in the rain.

The fundamental thing to realise is that fair and foul-weather driving should be approached differently – wet weather demands you drive much slower. Taking a few other precautions and using wet-weather driving techniques will keep you from ending up soaked on the side of the road, waiting for one of our helpful roadside patrolmen to save the day.

Exercise extreme caution if a deluge has followed a long dry spell
During a dry spell, engine oil and grease collect on the road. When new rainfall hits, the surface becomes very slick. Continued rainfall will eventually wash away the oil, but the first few hours are the most slippery so bear that in mind.

Allow for more travel time
Traffic will be moving slower. You’re normal route might be flooded or jammed, so don’t blow a fuse if it is – everyone’s in the same car-shaped boat.

Turn your headlights on…
even in  light rain. Not only will your lights help you see the road, but they’ll help other drivers see you.

Drive in the tracks of a car ahead of you
Following another car’s tracks on wet roads can reduce the amount of water between the road and your car tyres. Also keep a keen eye on their brake lights so you can quickly anticipate their actions.

Brake earlier and easier than normal
This increases the stopping distance between you and the car in front of you and lets the driver behind you know that you’re slowing down. Be extra clear when using turn signals, so that other drivers can read your intentions easily.

Keep an eagle eye out for pedestrians and cyclists
Visibility is lower for everyone plus raindrops deaden sound, so the usual visual and audio cues for measuring car distances become obscured. Pedestrians are also impatient to get out of the rain so may make rash crossing decisions.

Defog your windscreen
Rain will cause your windscreen to fog up quickly. Switch on both front and back defrosters/heaters and make sure the air conditioning is also turned on.

Avoid large puddles (if possible)
Water splashing up into your car’s engine compartment may damage its internal electrical systems or a pothole under the water could damage a rim or knock your suspension out of alignment. If you can’t gauge the depth, try to avoid it. After you are across the puddle, tap on your brake pedal lightly to dry off some of the water on your rotors.

Give trucks and buses extra distance
Their over-sized tyres can splash enough water to block your vision completely. Avoid passing one, but if you must, do it as quickly as safety allows.

Traction and stability control are helpful on rain-soaked roads
Traction control helps you maintain grip by putting the brakes on the tyre(s) struggling for traction, while a stability control system monitors your steering input, intervening with the brakes and/or reducing engine power. Turn off cruise control. If you aquaplane, there’s the chance your car could accelerate. Cruise control permits drivers to take their foot from the pedals – not clever when reaction time is crucial.

How to manage aquaplaning if it happens
Aquaplaning occurs when the water in front of your tyres accumulates faster than your car’s weight can push it away. The water pressure causes your car to rise up and slide on a thin layer of water between your tyres and the road. If you find yourself aquaplaning, don’t panic (though it’s scary!) Don’t brake or turn suddenly as you may skid. Ease your foot off the accelerator and if you must brake, do it gently with light pumping actions. If your car has anti-lock brakes, then brake normally. The car’s computer will automatically adjust the brakes.

How to recover from a skid
If you find yourself skidding, ease your foot off the accelerator, and steer in the direction you want the front of the car to go. Be ready to turn the steering wheel repeatedly until the front of the vehicle is travelling in a straight line.

Don’t attempt to cross running water…
…unless you are in an SUV commercial. Two feet of rain water can wash a car away. Six inches can knock a person of its feet.

Keep your tyres inflated properly
Don’t put off replacing worn tyres. Slow down when roads are wet, and avoid puddles to avoid aquaplaning. If you have any doubts about the wet-weather performance of your car’s tyres, check it out with an NRMA mechanic.

Make sure that your wipers are in good nick and functioning correctly
If the blades are brittle or damaged, replace them before you’re caught in a deluge. Some wipers are better than others, so ask us for recommendations.

In very heavy rain, stop
When visibility is so poor that the edges of the road or other vehicles can’t be seen at a safe distance, pull over and wait for the rain to ease off. If you can’t stop at a rest area and the roadside is your only option, pull off as far as possible and wait it out. Keep your headlights on and turn on your hazard warning lights to alert other drivers. Be very careful to pick a safe spot to pullover as everyone’s visibility is dramatically reduced.