Author: PTUA
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Public transport users welcome Geelong rail duplication agreement
The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has welcomed the commitment by the federal government to fully fund its share of the planned duplication of the rail line from South Geelong to Waurn Ponds. PTUA Geelong Branch convener, Paul Westcott, said that the project had been on the agenda ever since the opening of Marshall station…
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State concludes its re-centralisation of transport planning: but to what end?
The Public Transport Users Association has responded with caution to Thursday’s announcement that State transport agencies PTV and Vicroads will be merged into a new ‘omnibus’ Department of Transport. “In some ways this is just the logical conclusion of a process that’s been underway for some time,” said PTUA President Dr Tony Morton. “But it’s…
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PTUA February newsletter
PTUA members! The February newsletter is now out, and covers Infrastructure Australia, the true cost of roads, the mobile Myki trial, reports from our Geelong and Ballarat branches, and more. If you’re a current member you should have received it via mail or email. Didn’t get yours? Email the office: Not a member? Join here!
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PTUA welcomes government intervention to save The Overland
The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has welcomed the announcement that the Victorian government will provide additional funding to assist the Overland passenger train to continue running between Melbourne and Adelaide – and has renewed calls for the government to support reinstatement of regular passenger trains to Horsham. The Overland has been supported by the…
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Midday trains crowded
Every day between the peaks, some lines are packed because the trains run only every 20 minutes. Melbourne is growing; to cut waiting times and crowding, we need frequent services all day. Share this video on Facebook and Twitter
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Election 2018: our scorecard
2014-2018 has seen significant public transport investment under Labor, and they have delivered on their major promises. But as Melbourne continues to grow, and demand for regional travel increases, the challenge ahead is to build a public transport network not only copes with patronage growth, but also provides usable services into areas which currently don’t…
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Stories of Growth: car traffic driven by new roads
What’s worse than when population growth puts strain on our transport systems? When road traffic grows even faster than population. But that was the reality in Melbourne for nearly four decades. No matter how much or how little Melbourne grows, we’ll need to be smarter in future. Read the study: Stories of Growth – Population,…
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More bus services needed
Despite heavy travel demand and overcrowding, most bus routes only run every 30-60 minutes. More services are needed, particularly on main road routes serving major shopping centres, running frequently every day of the week. Share this video on Twitter and Facebook.
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Public transport: frequency must improve across the network #MoreServicesPlease
If you look at a map of Melbourne’s public transport network, you’d be right in thinking it’s a substantial service covering most of the city. But it will only attract people out of their cars if service quality is better. Frequency has to improve. With most suburban buses running only every 30-60 minutes, and even…
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Sunday trains packed #MoreServicesPlease
Melbourne’s trains: you might not expect a seat in peak hour, but on Sunday mornings? Most lines are very infrequent – and they’re packed. Services on the Werribee, Williamstown, Sunbury, Craigieburn, Upfield, Mernda, Hurstbridge and Sandringham lines on Sundays run only every 40 minutes until about 10am, resulting in crowding, while spare trains sit idle…
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PTUA launches Connecting Ballarat proposal
The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has launched an ambitious policy document, “Connecting Ballarat”, which calls for dramatic improvements to Ballarat’s bus network. Ballarat’s bus network currently has a lot of problems with indirect, inefficient routes through the CBD, which turn back on themselves in order to call at key destinations in a specific order,…
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IA assessments questionable
The Geelong Branch of the Public Transport Users Association has queried the logic of Infrastructure Australia’s negative response to the business case for the duplication of the South Geelong-Waurn Ponds rail line. Branch convener Paul Westcott noted that Infrastructure Australia seems to be saying that the project would stack up if some changes were made.…