Category: Melbourne and suburbs
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Myki change welcome, but City Saver users pay the price
The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has welcomed the decision to scrap the requirement to touch-off Myki cards on trams, but said that zone 1 fares should be reduced to compensate for the loss of the City Saver Zone. Until now, the government had said that tram passengers would need to touch-on and touch-off their…
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Widened freeway slows buses to a crawl — Urgent action needed
The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has expressed concern that increased traffic from the widening of Monash Freeway is already slowing down buses on Warrigal Road. The section of road is used by two of Melbourne’s major SmartBus routes and a number of other routes servicing Chadstone Shopping Centre. “Buses are scheduled to take 10-12…
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June Metro train timetable changes
From June 6th, metropolitan trains will run to new timetables. While most lines will get tweaked, the Frankston and Dandenong/Cranbourne/Pakenham lines are getting a shake-up, with numerous changes, particularly in peak hours. These and some other lines will get extra services. The changes allow more trains to run, and Metro and the government say it…
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Full link not viable
THE RACV wants us to believe that while WestLink may not be economically viable on its own, the full east-west freeway link would be (”Freeway not worth the cost: report”, The Age, 21/5). But it is not so: the Eddington study in 2008 found that the full East-West freeway had a benefit-cost ratio of just…
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Huntingdale chaos brings renewed call for Monash/Rowville rail
Chaos at Huntingdale station for students and staff waiting for buses to Monash University’s Clayton campus have led the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) to renew calls for the Rowville rail line.
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Melbourne Metro by name, but not by nature
A study into the developed world’s biggest cities has concluded that all but a handful have metro systems — but that handful without metros includes Melbourne and Sydney. The study by the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) showed that of biggest 30 cities in the developed world by population, all but seven have metros: the…
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Influencing travel habits
Our letter as published in today’s Age was edited, which has subtly changed the intent. Below is the original letter as submitted: Peter Fisher and Len Puglisi (Opinion, 18/3) are correct that density is not a panacea for car dependence. Los Angeles is a denser city than Melbourne but hardly rates on the sustainable transport…
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Limit to peak hour commuter numbers
Despite the understandable concerns of peak hour train commuters, Metro Trains should be commended for wanting to double train patronage by 2020. It shows there is more capacity to be squeezed out of the network, and smarter timetabling can get more trains on to the tracks. But there will be no doubling of peak hour…
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Swanston St: Solution is Simple
Mayor Robert Doyle’s ”Damascus” conversion on Swanston Street has led to a good plan. But on design and location of tram stops, it lets the city down badly.
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Avoid Myki for now, PTUA advises passengers
The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has criticised the government’s botched rollout of the new Myki ticketing system onto Melbourne’s trains only, and has recommended that passengers continue using Metcard for the moment. “Most passengers won’t want the hassle of a flaky ticketing system, and will want to keep using Metcard until Myki works properly…
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Connex compensation for Oct/Nov
Departed operator Connex are paying compensation to Monthly and longer ticketholders for poor performance in October and November. Unfortunately the Connex web site has gone offline, but you can get the form from the Metro Trains web site.