Category: Melbourne and suburbs
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No Night Buses on NYE “ridiculous”
The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has criticised the state government’s decision to not run Night Bus services on New Year’s Eve this year. While trains and trams will run all night[1], the Night Bus routes, which fill gaps in the network, will not. Areas that will miss out include Point Cook, Mernda, Mornington (and…
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NE Link: Waste of money
When Infrastructure Victoria called the North East Link a “priority road project”, it was because its consultants gave the road a highly favourable initial assessment. The report last year by KPMG, Arup and Jacobs estimated the project (including the Eastern Freeway and M80 widening) would cost between $4.8 and $7.1 billion. The benefits were stated…
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Call for govt to fund official PTV “every 10 minutes” train plan
The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has called on the State Government to fund the official PTV rail network service plan, which included trains every 10 minutes on most Metro lines by 2016 [1]. PTUA spokesman Daniel Bowen said the upgrade would revolutionise train travel around Melbourne, by cutting waiting times and crowding outside peak…
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Inside Melbourne’s new trains
Last week we took a look at the mock-up of Melbourne’s new train design, to give feedback to the project team. The mock-up is one and a half carriages, designed to show stakeholder groups the layout, including the inter-carriage connections. The platform alongside the mock-up has different heights, to simulate actual conditions around Melbourne’s rail…
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Port Rail Shuttle resuscitation welcomed
Vital context for unsolicited West Gate Tunnel Proposal, says PTUA The Public Transport Users Association welcomes the Andrews Government’s resolution on Sunday to progress work on the Port Rail Shuttle to “level the playing field” between road and rail freight for the Port of Melbourne. PTUA President Dr Tony Morton said the Port Rail Shuttle…
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Remember Doncaster
Northeast has the worst traffic? It should remind planners that the idea for trains to Doncaster Hill springs from a genuine need long recognised by the community.
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Lacklustre debut for route 58, while other tram routes suffer
On 1 May Yarra Trams commenced running a new tram route 58, a reorganisation of existing routes to West Coburg and Toorak. This change had been a long time in planning, and was aimed at providing a higher daytime frequency on the increasingly popular William Street route, and providing a direct east-west connection complementing the…
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V/Line: Jack of all trades…?
V/Line has been very much a victim of its own success over the last decade, with each new investment, from Regional Fast Rail to the Regional Rail Link, resulting in a boom in passenger numbers. This shows that when governments invest in a decent public transport option, people will flock to it – but unfortunately…
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PTUA welcomes new Track-free Airport Trains to Tullamarine
PTUA president Dr Tony Morton today welcomed news of the Skybus Citylink Airport Maxi service – an innovative partnership between the state government, Skybus, Transurban and Melbourne Airport. “We have seen a massive increase in demand for transport to the airport, and something had to be done. This new service makes great sense, it’s immediate…
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PTUA calls for Night Network to stay – but must be made more efficient
The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has proclaimed the Night Network trial a success, and that it needs to be a permanent feature of Melbourne’s public transport network[1] – but said it must be reformed to improve the service and make it financially sustainable and more useful for passengers. PTUA spokesman Daniel Bowen said that…
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Services packed while seven trains sit idle – where is the new timetable?
With trains sitting idle, and services getting more crowded, the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has called on the state government to run extra train services on Melbourne’s crowded rail network. “Regional Rail Link opened more than a year ago. This opened up space on the Metro network for dozens of additional peak hour trains…
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PTUA calls for better stations with skyrail
The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has called for all stations rebuilt as part of the Caulfield to Dandenong “skyrail” proposal to be upgraded to Premium status, and for better facilities and more weather protection than proposed by the government. The PTUA’s submission to the Level Crossing Removal Authority called for escalators at all stations…
