THE state government is set to overhaul the public transport system by specifying stricter and more transparent performance standards for agencies such as RailCorp and State Transit, which runs the bus network.

The model, expected to be outlined soon by the Transport Minister, Gladys Berejiklian, would centralise planning, information, marketing and financial management across the transport system in the one department. This would accelerate a process already started by the previous government when it set up the Transport NSW super-department.

But it is understood that one crucial difference under the Coalition would be that RailCorp, the public operator of passenger rail services, would be put on a contract dictating clear benchmarks for performance.

The move would denude RailCorp's role in public transport planning and, in effect, put its relationship with the state government on the same level as the government's relationship with contracted private bus companies.

The Coalition has said it will not privatise public transport services in NSW, with the exception of the operation of Sydney Ferries. However, the new structure would allow governments to assess how well the public operators of rail, bus, and even maintenance and ticketing services, meet their performance benchmarks. In theory, this would make it easier for governments to let private operators compete with public agencies for contracted services.

Ms Berejiklian sent an email to all Transport NSW staff last week saying the department's present director-general, Les Wielinga, would be asked to stay in the role.

However, the future of other senior transport public servants is less certain. The deputy director-general for policy and planning, Joanna Quilty, is married to Kristina Keneally's former deputy chief of staff, Tony Pooley. Ms Quilty has taken annual leave since the election.

The position of another deputy director-general, Elizabeth Zealand, who was in charge of ticketing, is also unclear.