Category: Media releases
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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Napthine Government plays Victorian public for fools, says PTUA
‘Rash’ $15 billion promise will rip funds from schools, hospitals and vital transport fixes, says user group The Public Transport Users Association today slammed Napthine Government plans to commit more billions of dollars to a further extension of its proposed East West Link road project. “Even the first stage of this road at $8 billion…
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Signalling could boost rail capacity by 50%
Installation of high capacity signalling across Melbourne’s rail network would improve the capacity of the network by 50%, the Public Transport Users Association says. Speaking at the 5th Annual Victorian Transport Infrastructure Conference, PTUA President Dr Tony Morton outlined how an upgrade to Melbourne’s network would increase the capacity of lines into the city, accommodating…
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Three cheers for $3 billion on Melbourne rail – but be flexible and take advice
Uncertainty still shrouds Melbourne’s transport future, says user group The Public Transport User Association has backed a $3 billion commitment in the Federal budget to the Melbourne Metro rail project. But with another $6 billion needed from the State Government and the private sector, concerns abound still about the likelihood of the project proceeding, including…
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Transport group slams government ‘obsession’ with east west toll road
Government has one chance to redeem itself on public transport, says PTUA The state government has “abandoned reason for madness” in committing to a $15 billion road project in the face of falling GST revenue, declining car use per capita and mounting private sector toll-road failures, the Public Transport Users Association said today. Meanwhile there…
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Funding Rail is Vital but Avoid Hasty Promises, urges PTUA
The Public Transport Users Association today released a list of urgently needed Victorian rail projects they say should take priority over the Melbourne Metro rail tunnel and East West tollroad for Federal funding. “We are encouraged by the Gillard Government’s strong stand in favour of Federal funding for urban rail in Australia,” said PTUA President…
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Another Myki mess – Government scraps our most popular ticket
The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) revealed today the Victorian Government will scrap the use of short-term tickets on Geelong buses in the middle of next month. PTUA Geelong Branch Convenor Paul Westcott said that move was the worst decision since the introduction of Myki itself, and would cause huge problems for bus users in…
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Plan will sit on shelf unless priorities change, says PTUA
Welcome news on high capacity signalling, but must be fast-tracked Public Transport Victoria’s new Rail Network Development Plan risks joining previous attempts and gathering dust on a shelf, due to its reliance on expensive, unfunded and premature tunnels, the Public Transport Users Association said today. “This plan has all the right individual elements in it,”…