Category: Regional
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PTUA welcomes extra Night Coach services
The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has welcomed the government’s announcement of extra Night Coach services for regional Victoria. Passengers on the Ballarat and Bendigo lines will benefit from new Night Coaches leaving Melbourne around 1am, in addition to the existing coaches which leave around 2am. This fills a gap of approximately 2 hours in…
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Rail users call on MPs to save North Melbourne stop
Volunteers will hand out fliers at Geelong railway stations this week, asking passengers to contact state and federal MPs to help save stops at North Melbourne station. When the Regional Rail Link opens, Geelong line trains will run past North Melbourne station without a stop, despite it being the best station for changes to the…
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Minister’s spin doesn’t wash
The Public Transport Users Association has described as “pure spin” Public Transport Minister Terry Mulder’s excuse for regional trains not stopping at North Melbourne station under the Regional Rail Link (RRL) “The minister is trying to dress up a downgrade as an improvement,” PTUA regional spokesperson Paul Westcott said. Mr Mulder has said that continuing…
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Bus users call for new paper tickets to replace short-term Myki
The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has called on the Public Transport Minister Terry Mulder to clarify the position regarding Myki short-term tickets. PTUA Regional Spokesman Paul Westcott said yesterday’s announcement about Myki had created uncertainty for regional bus users in areas using Myki, including Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo. “Over sixty percent of bus travellers…
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Regional Rail Link must be reviewed, users say
The Public Transport Users Association has criticised the state government for giving the go-ahead to the Regional Rail Link (RRL), without an independent review to fix the project’s problems and explore alternative plans. PTUA secretary Tony Morton said the government’s approval made a mockery of its commitment to set up an independent Public Transport Development…
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Geelong Branch: Regional Rail Link needs independent review, users say
The Geelong Branch of the Public Transport Users Association is disappointed that the state government has given the go-ahead to the Regional Rail Link (RRL) without any real changes. “When he was in opposition, Public Transport Minister Terry Mulder made a number of pointed criticisms of the scheme, yet now he has rushed into announcing…
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Billion dollar rail blowout a blessing in disguise
The billion dollar blowout in the construction costs of the Regional Rail Link, reported in the Australian Financial Review today (3 February 2011), could provide the opportunity to revise the project and fix its worst problems, the Public Transport Users Association has said. Secretary Tony Morton said that well-chosen experts for the proposed new Public…
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Transport review must include the regional rail link
The PTUA has called on the Minister for Public Transport, Terry Mulder, to include an evaluation of the Regional Rail Link (RRL) in the review of the former government’s transport plan. PTUA Geelong Branch convenor Paul Westcott noted that in his recent announcement of the review, Mr Mulder said all projects proposed in the Victorian…
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Labor transport policy: Good upgrades, but big gaps remain
The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has welcomed the launch of Labor’s transport policy, and said that it contained a number of worthwhile initiatives that would make life easier for passengers, but warned that it was not a comprehensive vision for fixing Victoria’s public transport woes. PTUA President Daniel Bowen said it was pleasing to…
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What a mess – a hundred different organisations running public transport in Victoria
The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has highlighted the fragmented nature of public transport management in Victoria, issuing a flowchart illustrating how difficult it is for the average person to work out who to contact with questions and problems. The flowchart will be sent to PTUA members, and available on the PTUA web site. “We…
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Users present public transport vision
Trains, trams and Smartbuses every ten minutes, all suburban stations staffed, V/Line trains every half-hour on main commuter routes, “Tram-cams” to catch careless motorists, and a Public Transport Authority to better plan and manage public transport all feature in the Public Transport Users Association’s call to the political parties in the run-up to the state…
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Call for more V/Line services to cut waiting times
As the state election approaches, the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has called for upgrades to V/Line short distance services[1] to run at least every 30 minutes, seven days-a-week. PTUA regional spokesman Paul Westcott said that with strong patronage growth, V/Line train services are increasingly overcrowded not just in peak times, but also at off-peak…