Trains every ten minutes on weekends on the Dandenong, Ringwood and Frankston lines have been welcomed by the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA).
PTUA President Daniel Bowen said the proposed services, due to start in late-April[1], would be a good step towards more frequent train services, seven days-a-week, that would encourage people out of cars.
“We are yet to see the detail, but more trains running more often will encourage more people to use public transport for more of their travel, and will be embraced by passengers”, said Mr Bowen.
A 2010 study published by the PTUA concluded that Melbourne is one of the world’s biggest cities that does not have a metro, that is, high-capacity train services running every ten minutes.[2]
“This upgrade to run more services every ten minutes is a step towards Metro actually running like a metro”, said Mr Bowen.
“It’s essential that the government follow through, and fund more frequent trains on all the other lines, and on connecting tram and bus routes.”
Mr Bowen said the PTUA remained concerned that excessive extra travel time added into schedules would result in unnecessary delays to trains, as was already the case on some Frankston line services, and that this would need to be closely monitored by Metro and the new planning authority, Public Transport Victoria.
Mr Bowen urged Metro and the government to continue to upgrade and re-write timetables across the train network to make them simpler, with fewer stopping patterns, and more frequent services all day every day.
“Train, tram and bus services running ‘every ten minutes to everywhere’ right across Melbourne, seven days-a-week is the best way a big city like ours can provide an alternative to traffic mayhem”, concluded Mr Bowen.
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[1] Herald Sun 7/3/2012: Price to pay for extra Metro train services under new timetable www.heraldsun.com.au/news/more-news/price-to-pay-for-extra-metro-train-services/story-fn7x8me2-1226291124349
[2] Melbourne Metro by name, but not by nature www.ptua.org.au/2010/04/03/melbourne-metro-by-name/
[3] PTUA: Some trains consistently run early www.ptua.org.au/2011/08/22/potd-early-trains/