Despite the understandable concerns of peak hour train commuters, Metro Trains should be commended for wanting to double train patronage by 2020.
It shows there is more capacity to be squeezed out of the network, and smarter timetabling can get more trains on to the tracks.
But there will be no doubling of peak hour trips to the CBD. The vast majority of CBD commuters already use public transport, and the peak hour commuting population is only expected to grow by 20 per cent to 2020, according to City of Melbourne projections.
Outside peak hour, there is ample space on the public transport network to attract more people away from cars and cut traffic congestion by providing frequent services, seven days a week.
We look forward to Metro and the Government boosting services to get more people on board.
Daniel Bowen, president, Public Transport Users Association
(Published in the Herald Sun, 5/3/2010)