Policy writers (not death) are in charge of the clattering train – Day 19

Odo 502

Well I've broken 500 km and not been stranded in any way. Something of an achievement. Not matched by my bran new Suzuki Grand Vitara which was off the road for repairs under warranty before 500 km was out.

I got a response from the NSW government. I don't know if I mentioned it but I wrote to a bunch of random ministers suggesting free or coin operated charge points at every railway station.

I quote:

I refer to your email of 31 October 2010 to the Deputy Premier and Minister for Health, the Hon Carmel Tebbutt MP, regarding installation of electric vehicle charge points at all NSW railway stations. Your correspondence was referred to the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water for reply.

Thank you for your interest in the promotion of electric vehicles in NSW.

The NSW Government's Transport Construction Authority has responsibility for commissioning the development and upgrade of a range of rail infrastructure in NSW, including stations, commuter car parks and rolling stock maintenance facilities. The NSW Government is committed to ensuring that rail transport promotes and contributes towards sustainable transport outcomes.

The Transport Construction Authority has developed Sustainable Development Guidelines to ensure that all aspects of procurement, design and construction of commissioned rail stations and associated car parks and facilities achieve sustainable social, environmental and economic outcomes. The guidelines for commuter car parks require preferential parking spaces to be dedicated to electric vehicles, as well as providing electric charging points for three per cent of all parking spaces. These charge stations will be provided in preferred locations and powered by renewable energy. The guidelines are applicable to all new train stations and major and minor upgrades to train stations, commuter car parks and maintenance facilities. The guidelines can be found on the Transport Authority's website at www.tca.nsw.gov.au

I trust this information is of assistance

Yours sincerely

(signature)

Leisl Baumgartner

Acting Director

Climate Change, Air and Noise

End Quote.

So they've already developed a policy. It's all home and hosed. It may take a while but it's *required* that there will be electric charging points at 3% of all spaces.

So I looked up the guidelines. You can too. They're here: http://www.tca.nsw.gov.au/ArticleDocuments/69/TIDC%20SDG%20-%20final%20LO%20RES%20160909.pdf.aspx

Which is a dreadful url. Try this page

http://www.tca.nsw.gov.au/Environment-and-Planning/Sustainability/default.aspx

there's a link on there to the Sustainable Development Guidelines

Get yourself to page 48 and you'll see section 6.15 Electric car charging now. Some symbols and a bold capital letter D. In the introduction you'll see that the bold letter D means “Discretionary” or in other words, they can include it if they so desire. But they don't have to. That's a bit different to “required”.

So I've rung the TCA and asked how many actual charge points are planned and where they're planned for.

http://www.tca.nsw.gov.au/Our-projects/Current-projects/Commuter-Car-Park-and-Interchange-Program/default.aspx

There are 22 carparks either being refurbished now or planned for the near future (funding already allocated). Most of the projects don't have any details on the website, however of the ones that do the total number of new parking spots is 5456. So I'm sure that there will be hundreds, no - maybe, hoping that there will be dozens, no - actually, would be gobsmacked if there were any, already installed or about to go in. I've drilled into each of the projects websites. Though each one lists the number of disabled parking spots, the fact that they've installed lighting and CCTV cameras etc, not a single one mentions the provision of charge points for electric vehicles, nor do they list the installation of reticulation for future installation of charge points (section 6.14). Installation of reticulation gets a bold F. Not for FAIL, (as you might think) but for Fundamental. Not something that's absolutely required to be done, but if you're not going to do it you're supposed to supply a damn good reason.

We'll see if/when they call back.