Category: Campaigns

At many stations, Metro has commenced more stringent enforcement of parking regulations. But the new signage is contradictory. Warning notices inside stations say that parking is for Metro customers only, but signs in the car park say it’s for users of rail or other public transport — meaning passengers catching nearby trams, buses or V/Line…

The rules around tram lanes are reasonably easy to understand: basically, stay out of the way of trams. But lots of motorists block trams, and it’s unclear if they are ever penalised for it. In cities such as London, cameras on buses catch motorists illegally using bus lanes. Perhaps it’s time these were used on…

There are two problems here: firstly, it’s been more than two years since Connex departed Melbourne, so why are their Rail Substitute Bus Stops still displayed at numerous locations around Melbourne, particularly as newer Metro signs can be found as well? Secondly, and more seriously: Metlink’s standardisation of signage, and detailed bus stop signs and…

It’s been just over a year since we first presented this flowchart of all the organisations involved in public transport in Victoria. Shortly afterwards Coalition announced an election policy to streamline this maze of different bodies with the Public Transport Development Authority. This Friday it’ll be a year since the Coalition government was sworn in.…

This is an all-too familiar sight across Melbourne: trams wasting up to a third of their time waiting at red lights. This has resulted in Melbourne having one of the slowest tram systems in the world. Trams (and buses) that may be carrying 20, 50, or even 200 people should have priority over other vehicles,…

These tram-only lights are meant to light up to indicate when the tram can depart to get a green at the next intersection. It’s not as good as proper tram traffic light priority of course, but could help tram drivers wait at stops (where passengers can board) rather than at red lights (which is just…

Down these stairs is the quickest way into Flinders Street Station from the popular Centre Place/Degraves Street/Flinders Lane area. The underground Campbell Arcade goes under the road and direct into the station, so (at least when it’s open — which it’s unfortunately not on Sundays) people headed for the station can avoid waiting for traffic…

We’ve highlighted before that despite opening in mid-2010, Coolaroo station has been missing from maps at Southern Cross Station and elsewhere. It might be a lot of work to update maps right across the network, but the same is not true online. Yet 16 months after Coolaroo station opened, it is still missing from the…

There were widespread disruptions to CBD trams last Friday due to police clashes with Occupy Melbourne protestors. Trams in Swanston Street didn’t run for several hours, but for much of the time there were no indications of the blockage on the “realtime” information screens provided at stops. While some passengers at nearby stops could (provided…

Most people are accepting of advertising on and around public transport, as long as the advertising is unobtrusive, and in the hope that the revenue goes into funding better services. Unfortunately this advertising at Southern Cross Station is far from unobtrusive. Instead, it obscures wayfinding signage designed to help people find the entrance to their…

It must be some kind of cruel joke that the priority seats (that is, those designated to be prioritised for passengers with special needs, such as the elderly and those with mobility issues) are so difficult to use on Siemens trains. It is common to see even able-bodied passengers struggle to pull them down into…