Transport for NSW this week announced the integration of functions of the Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) into the agency.
The changes were first announced in April as part of an administrative overhaul following Gladys Berejiklian’s state election win earlier this year, but the passing of the Transport Administration Amendment (RMS Dissolution) Bill 2019 on Tuesday formalised these changes.
“The passing of this Bill enables a more integrated and strategic approach to transport for everybody in the State, leading to better roads and services,” minister for transport and roads Andrew Constance said.
“With $55.6 billion being invested in transport and roads infrastructure over the next four years, an integrated transport agency that meets the needs of the community is vital.”
“With a single transport agency we will no longer have roads being built in one corner and transport delivered in another, without anybody talking to each other. These changes will better serve our community with a new fit-for-purpose, ready-to-respond transport agency.”
Minister for regional transport and roads Paul Toole added that TfNSW is now better placed to plan and deliver roads, transport, and freight movements across the regions due to the integration.
“This re-organisation is not about cuts, we have given a solid commitment that there will be no job losses in regional NSW,” Toole said.
Earlier this week, the Sydney Morning Herald reported that the changes mean a major reshuffle of TfNSW’s senior positions. Based on internal documents it obtained, SMH reports that the roles of many executive-level managers have disappeared and their names are absent from the proposed structures for each of TfNSW’s divisions.