Perhaps the government thinks that Constance’s pranks will divert attention from its spending $45billion on building privately-run toll roads, instead of public transport.

Giving private toll operators a near monopoly on the motorways is a rort, which continues every time a car passes a tollway.

Every beep from the motorist’s e-tag represents an easy transfer of cash into the profits of the private toll operators.

Each beep also means less money is allocated to sustainable transport options.

It means that those waiting at the bus stop or the rail platform can expect a journey that is less comfortable, more inconvenient, slower and more expensive.

Thirty community groups from across Sydney, Hunter and the Illawarra do not see anything funny about Andrew Constance’s pranks and the government’s transport policies.

These groups have formed the Fix NSW Transport Coalition to insist on transport options that will actually achieve a more liveable and sustainable NSW.

The first action of the Fix NSW Transport Coalition will be a lantern walk from Sydney Town Hall at 5.30pm on August 11.

Supported by the City of Sydney, the walk highlights the light rail fiasco in the Sydney CBD.

Sydney’s light rail, one year behind schedule and possibly $1 billion over budget, is symbolic of the government’s shambolic and neglectful attitude to public transport.

According to recent polling conducted by the Committee for Sydney, people prefer to have new public transport infrastructure over big road projects.

The committee has also recognised the need for fast rail between Sydney and Newcastle.

People understand that more tollways mean more cars and more negative impacts on air quality, neighbourhoods, green corridors, public parklands and outer suburban farm lands.

People also realise that we need active transport.

Walking and cycling should be the first choice for short trips such as getting to school and to the shops.

Governments serious about a sustainable future would have policies and practices that facilitate both public and active transport.

The Fix NSW Transport Coalition understands that the rest of NSW is being left behind while the infrastructure boom continues in Sydney.

The Fix NSW Transport Coalition is reaching out to communities across the state.

A focus on providing what the community actually needs, rather than making money for the private sector, would be a good start to fixing NSW transport.

In the Hunter, we could do with any number of projects that could be funded if state transport planning were focused on the local and the sustainable.

The Glendale Transport Interchange, for example, remains unfunded despite 20 years of planning and talking.

Implementing the CycleSafe Network could make cycling much safer across the region.

The government might also consider jobs.

Hunter workers built the outgoing rail fleet which has served us well for decades.

The new intercity fleet should be built by local workers with knowledge and experience of our tracks, tunnels and travellers. Is that really too much to ask?

In the Hunter, at this point, we can also only dream of sustainable measures such as the Victorian Government’s systematic removal of rail level crossings and replacement of these with bridges and tunnels.

That’s something to think about next time you’re in your car or on your bike at the Adamstown gates or Clyde Street waiting for the coal trains to pass.

Andrew Constance is not funny.

Like the seats on the new regional trains, the government’s idea of going forward is having us, the public transport users, go backwards.