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Author: PTUA

  • Big win for south east, no win for west and north, masks ‘split personality’ on transport policy

    The Napthine Government’s announcement of $2 billion of rail infrastructure upgrades and new trains for the Dandenong, Pakenham and Cranbourne corridors has won the strong backing of the Public Transport Users Association, who have labelled it “a template for fixing the rail network across Melbourne”. But it is a shame the improvements are entirely confined…

  • PTUA calls for more public transport for White Night

    The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has called for upgrades to public transport services for White Night, in response to long delays and overcrowding at the all-night festival. PTUA President Tony Morton said clearly White Night was a huge success, with estimates of 500,000 people attending, and the state government was to be congratulated for…

  • Follow the lead of world’s liveable cities

    Finally, we have confirmation from Infrastructure Australia co-ordinator Michael Deegan of what the community had suspected. The Napthine government has assessed the benefit-cost ratio for its east-west link as just 80¢ in the dollar (The Age, 13/2), in the absence of fanciful “agglomeration benefits”. The wider benefits claimed are the kind that you get by…

  • Census travel data: don’t jump to conclusions – public transport mode share is up

    from PTUA President Tony Morton The rather lightweight* McCrindle presentation of some Census data in the last couple of days seems to have triggered rather a lot of discussion, including a rant from Neil Mitchell on 3AW where he declared that we should forget about public transport, and just build more roads. It seems rather…

  • Dr Paul Mees OAM, 1961-2013

    DR PAUL MEES OAM, 1961-2013 Statement by the Public Transport Users Association 26 January 2014 The Public Transport Users Association is pleased to note today’s awarding of the Medal (OAM) of the Order of Australia to Dr Paul Mees, who died sadly in June 2013 after a battle with cancer. Paul Mees had a long…

  • ‘Take PT to Parliament’ with your MP

    On the morning of Thursday 6 February, community groups across Melbourne will be joined by their local Member of Parliament and take public transport to Parliament. The morning will see MPs catching trains, trams and buses to Parliament with their constituents. Find out more, and join this event at the Public Transport Not Traffic web…

  • Planned overcrowding – Reduced summer timetable results in passenger crush

    In the wake of severe overcrowding on some train services, the PTUA has criticised the continued reduced timetable, which has cut services on some lines by as much as 50% until late January.[1] The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) released photos and video [see below] showing crammed conditions on a Frankston line train on Wednesday…

  • The importance of federal funding for public transport

    PTUA President Tony Morton talks to Wake Up on the importance of federal funding for public transport for our cities. Source: Wake Up, Channel 10, 6/1/2014

  • This government was elected because it promised more

    Why change parties? The Premier is desperate to redeem his government’s record on public transport. So desperate that he starts by citing the Regional Rail Link, an initiative of his Labor predecessors. It was a sad disappointment that the Coalition’s only original contribution to this project was an ineffectual review, which upped the budget but…

  • Community campaign launched as traffic drives Melbourne to crisis point

    Fed up with crippling commute times, residents across Melbourne are voicing their anger at the Napthine Government’s plan to sink up to $14 billon into another traffic-clogged tunnel and toll road instead of better public transport. With one year until Victorians next go to the polls, Melbourne community groups from Kensington to Frankston and from…

  • ALP’S “Project 10000”, an important start, but not yet a plan

    With their “Project 10000” document, the Victorian Labor Opposition has clearly listened to community demands for better public transport, but it risks everything with its weak position on the East West Link , the Public Transport Users Association said today. PTUA President Dr Tony Morton said Labor’s pledge to remove fifty of the worst level…

  • PTUA presents inaugural Paul Mees Award to ‘people power’ transport activists

    The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has presented the inaugural Paul Mees Award for transport advocacy to Darren Peters and Trevor Carroll of the South Morang and Mernda Rail Alliance. PTUA Tony Morton presented the award to Mr Peters and Mr Carroll at the PTUA’s 2013 Annual General Meeting. “Darren and Trevor are worthy recipients…