Monthly Archives: March 2008

Ethanol in petrol

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Over the past four years ethanol has been making its way to our fuel distributors, being sold as E10. It is a colourless alcohol, the same as in alcoholic drinks and is manufactured from grain or sugar. The CSIRO has calculated that an E10 blend cuts overall greenhouse emissions by around 3 per cent. However it’s more costly than petrol to produce and requires special storage facilities. Testing shows that fuel consumption increases by 3-4 per cent when using an E10 blend.

10 per cent ethanol mixed with petrol should not affect the majority of vehicles on our roads. The motor industry’s website advises which cars can use E10, E5 or no ethanol at all. All vehicles manufactured before 1986 are recommended not to use ethanol.

Ethanol is currently rebated at the normal fuel excise, but the rebate will be phased out over 5 years from 2011*, by which time the industry is expected to have reduced the costs of production.

*please note: straight unleaded 91 octane petrol will now be phased out in NSW by 1 July 2012.  Vehicles not able to use ethanol will then use premium 95 octane petrol.

What’s your experience with E10? Is your car cheaper to run overall and has E10 had any effect – good or not so good – on your car’s performance or reliability?

Would you catch the train if you could Park and Ride?

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A new report from NRMA Motoring & Services has found that the main reason motorists don’t catch the train to work is due to a lack of sufficient and secure parking facilities at train stations.

43 per cent of those surveyed said they would use ‘Park and Ride’ facilities if they were provided. But the report found that some of the busiest stations in NSW are severely lacking in adequate parking:

  • • Strathfield 23 spaces – 10,700 commuters. 
  • • Hornsby 350 spaces – 7,290 commuters.
  • • Parramatta 780 spaces – 15,190 commuters.
  • • Bankstown 170 spaces – 4,720 commuters.
  • • Kogarah 330 spaces – 6,770 commuters.

“More than 80 per cent of motorists currently drive to work – we could get that number down considerably if motorists were given the option of driving to the station and parking in a secure, well-lit parking space,” NRMA President Alan Evans said.

He said it would be a great way to get motorists off the road and onto trains, reducing traffic congestion and pollution.

Transport Minister John Watkins said the NSW Government is expanding park and ride facilities at Seven Hills, St Marys, Glenfield, Werrington, Holdsworthy, Blacktown and Wenthworthville.

The report also showed that some of Sydney’s busiest stations don’t have any ‘Kiss and Ride’ areas – legal and safe areas for dropping off and picking up that would allow people to get a lift to the station rather than drive.

Would you catch a train to work if there were proper parking facilities at the train station?