Author: PTUA
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Hold the state government to account: Rally at Parliament on Tuesday
With the rail system in crisis (again), now is the time to remind the government that they must be accountable. Despite polls showing people would prefer more money be spent on public transport than roads, the government is planning massive expansion of the motorway system under the most recent transport plan. Meanwhile our rail system…
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Let’s move on real solutions, not just freebies
The government needs to scrap its re-privatisation of Melbourne trains and trams and get to work on real solutions to the transport crisis, the Public Transport Users Association said today. “Today’s free travel is a gimmick obscuring the real issue,” said PTUA President Daniel Bowen. “It does no good when you’re about to collapse from…
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Public transport meltdown
Why does Melbourne’s public transport lurch from one crisis to another? This week’s spate of train and tram cancellations in relentless 40 degree heat made the national news. But it’s hardly the first such crisis to embarrass those in charge. Continue reading this article from PTUA Secretary Tony Morton on the ABC Unleashed web site.
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Council stalls on bus stops
The City of Greater Geelong Council has stalled again on approving the location of Geelong’s central bus interchange, blocking $80 million of State Government funding for improvements to the whole bus system. At its meeting on Tuesday night, the Council deferred, for the second time, any decision to approve the recommendation of council officers to…
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Government must act on trains
With large numbers of cancellations causing chaos on the rail network, we’re now tracking the number of daily cancellations on our web site. Watch for the last weekday’s cancellations in the top right of page, and daily totals will be listed here. Trains in peak hour can easily carry over a thousand people. This means…
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Melbourne fares still the highest
The PTUA has updated our comprehensive comparison of public transport fares from cities across Australia. Melbourne once again came out with the highest prices for most trips. The exceptions were short trips (where Adelaide is more expensive) and some long ones (thanks to the removal of Zone 3 in 2007). The comparison was done by…
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Transport Plan: Little difference for most Melburnians
PTUA President Daniel Bowen’s 200 word response to the Victorian Transport Plan, for The Age: Little difference for most Melburnians TWO-AND-A-HALF years ago, the government issued Meeting Our Transport Challenges, its long-term vision for Melbourne’s transport system. That document is now in tatters, replaced by the new transport plan. While some communities will welcome new…
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Transport Plan a ‘disgrace’ to the Outer East
The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has slammed John Brumby’s Transport Plan for failing to provide real transport solutions in Melbourne’s outer east. Instead the plan seeks to bail out Eastlink, while encouraging outer east residents to travel by car rather than public transport. “John Brumby has once again failed to deliver a sustainable future…
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Brumby’s foot to the floor on freeways as public transport stagnates
Premier John Brumby’s new Transport Plan is a plan to get Victorians out of public transport and into cars, the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) said today. “Sure, it’s nice to see the government un-break some of its broken promises and finally commit to some of the public transport projects it should have built five…
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How to make our public transport better for everyone
Ahead of the release of the Transport Plan next week, our new video highlights how public transport can run more smoothly for everyone. And for those people on Facebook, you can now join our new group: It’s time for great public transport in Melbourne and across Victoria.
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Transport Plan must commit to real change
The government’s new transport plan will need to contain more than sweeteners, un-broken promises and business-as-usual road projects if it is to energise the community, the Public Transport Users Association said today. “This government has made quite a name for itself by releasing a lame transport plan every two years,” said PTUA President Daniel Bowen.…