Category: Media releases
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New housing needs public transport urgently
Over 90,000 new households will be locked into crippling car dependence unless state and federal governments urgently expand Melbourne’s rail network, the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) warned today. “Families on Melbourne’s urban fringe have few transport options and are locked into owning and running at least one car per adult,” said PTUA President Daniel…
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Commuters say: we want direct Alamein trains
Ahead of contract renewals for Melbourne’s train network, the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has called for much needed upgrades on the Alamein line. “Alamein commuters are sick and tired of being treated as second class citizens of the train system,” said Jeremy Lunn, the PTUA’s Outer-East Convenor.
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State Government must act on passenger rail shutdown
Following news that V/Line might abandon passenger rail services from Wangaratta to Albury because of the poor condition of the track, the Public Transport Users Association has urged the Victorian Government to immediately begin negotiations with the federal Government for the conversion of the inadequate broad gauge line to standard gauge. “The Victorian rail network…
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Get on track Brumby and upgrade Lilydale line.
The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has called for the immediate duplication of single track sections on the Lilydale line, along with service upgrades. “We’ve seen no major timetable changes or upgrades on our line since the Kennett era and it’s now time for action,” said Jeremy Lunn, the PTUA’s Outer-East Convenor. “The existing timetables…
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Upgrade our trains Brumby, before we’re a backwater
After years of government inaction, the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has called for the immediate overhaul of train services in Melbourne’s east. Under this move, train services would be upgraded on the Belgrave, Lilydale, Glen Waverley and Alamein lines. “We’ve seen no major timetable changes or upgrades since the Kennett era and it’s now…
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Smartcard cost would pay for conductors, station staff for over a decade
The billion dollar cost of the troubled Myki smartcard ticketing system, revealed in the Herald Sun today, would cover the direct cost of re-staffing Melbourne’s transport system for over a decade, the Public Transport Users Association said today. PTUA President Daniel Bowen said rather than spending the money on a ticketing system which, like Metcard,…
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Oil use sending Australia broke
The growing cost of oil imports is a major factor in Australia’s trade deficit and household financial stress, a coalition of transport groups warned today. “Australia’s annual oil import bill has blown out from under $5 billion per year a decade ago to over $23 billion in 2007,” said Public Transport Users Association President Daniel…
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Time running out to fix transport, Federal government warned
Australia’s transport system is totally unprepared for the looming challenges of climate change, rising oil prices and urban congestion, a national coalition of transport groups warned today. In making the warning, the groups urged the federal government to fund the long-overdue expansion of urban and regional rail networks. “The transport sector is one of the…
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National commitment to rail network urgently needed
A national coalition of transport groups has urged the federal government to fund a major rail network upgrade to enable the introduction of high speed passenger services and ensure the viability of regional rail freight services. In a submission ahead of this year’s federal budget [1], the sustainable transport coalition, which includes Victoria’s Public Transport…
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SmartBus a success – though not quite there yet
Following the success of the Warrigul Road SmartBus (route 700), the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) is calling for the State Government to fix bus priority along with further upgrades. This would help to bring the bus service into line with trains.
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High petrol prices here to stay – more public transport needed
The finding that there is “no obvious evidence of price fixing” by petrol retailers underlines the need for greater investment in public transport to provide an escape from car dependence, the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) said today. “The report on petrol pricing released today by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) shows that…
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No Hill without tram
The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) said today that the Doncaster Hill project was destined for failure without a proper rail transport link and renewed calls for the immediate extension of tram 48 to Doncaster. “There’s no chance of a successful Doncaster Hill without a tram connecting to the city and nearby suburbs,” said PTUA…