The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has welcomed new Metro train timetables that will boost train services on some of Melbourne’s busiest lines, and as well as the boost to Smartbus services in Melbourne’s northeast.

PTUA President Daniel Bowen said extra peak-hour services on the Werribee, Craigieburn and Sydenham lines would improve conditions for commuters.

“These lines have some of the worst overcrowding in Melbourne. Every extra train can provide relief.”

The PTUA has also welcomed off-peak upgrades on the Frankston line that will see a train every ten minutes from 9am to 4:30pm, and every 20 minutes from 7pm to 10pm on weekdays.
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CRAIG Langdon has kept his promise to voters to resign if a freeway through Heidelberg became Victorian Labor policy (”Freeway dissenter urges referendum”, The Age, 26/8). But how awkward that he’s left it until three months before the election rather than standing down in 2008 when plans were announced.
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The Metropolitan Transport Forum (MTF), of which the PTUA is an associate member, is holding public transport forums in various areas around Melbourne in the lead-up to November’s state election.

The forums will feature speakers from all the major parties and questions from the community.

Six forums are planned so far:
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The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has called on all political parties to commit to fulltime staffing of all metropolitan railway stations, and a joint Victoria Police/Metro review to determine which stations should have a permanent police presence.

“We should not have a train network of ‘haves’ and ‘have-nots’”, said PTUA president Daniel Bowen. “Everyone’s local railway station should have such basic facilities such as toilets and a fulltime staff presence, providing safety and customer service.

“Staff should be able to call for a rapid police response where it is required, and funding should be provided for Victoria Police and Metro to determine which hotspot stations should have a permanent police presence, whenever trains are operating.”

Mr Bowen said a fulltime Metro staff presence at every station would help prevent crime, and provide customer service.
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BUSES serving the busy Chadstone Shopping Centre are slow, infrequent and overcrowded, with many passengers being forced to stand on weekend services.

Photographs taken by the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) show large numbers of standing passengers, and the PTUA said the same buses waste a lot of time stuck in traffic in and around Chadstone.

“These photos show that buses to from Chadstone are overcrowded and slow, and urgently require more services and traffic priority,” said Jeremy Lunn, the PTUA’s Outer East Convenor. “Passengers on crowded buses deserve to have priority over other vehicles so they don’t end up with blisters from the time spent standing.”
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In order to try and make up for the widespread train service disruptions on Tuesday, all Melbourne (zone 1 and 2) public transport (trains, trams and buses) will be free on Friday. Further information from Metlink.

Weekly, monthly and yearly ticketholders can apply for a free daily ticket from Metro.

V/Line users with a ticket that was valid on Tuesday can apply for a free travel voucher.

While we don’t expect that those who faced long delays will be placated by a free day’s travel, the PTUA encourages eligible users to submit a claim form. And we encourage you to make sure ensure the government knows that you care about public transport, and want to see more and better services. Make your voice heard.

The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has called on the state government and opposition to commit to building a railway station at Southland Shopping Centre.

PTUA president Daniel Bowen said it was ludicrous that a major traffic generator adjacent to a railway line had no station.

Southland’s western entrance is only a short distance from the Frankston line, but train passengers must walk a kilometre from the closest station at Cheltenham, or catch buses, which are not timed to connect with trains, and depart from several different stops.
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A new Facebook group has been launched by the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA). The group aims to harness the support of the public in order to solve the many transport woes that exist around Chadstone Shopping Centre.

“After years of bad planning and neglect we have a situation that is sub-optimal around Chadstone,” said Jeremy Lunn, the PTUA’s Outer East Convenor. “Crowded buses are getting caught in traffic because the government and Chadstone owners have failed to see the importance of public transport”.
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The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has called for an upgrade of buses to every ten minutes on Stud Road, to make better use of new bus lanes. The upgrade from the existing 15 minute service would add two extra buses an hour.

“Although we applaud the installation of new bus lanes, they would be better justified with a ten minute service,” said Jeremy Lunn, the PTUA’s Outer East Convenor. “Upgrading the bus service would help to take traffic off the road by providing a more convenient service.”
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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 Myki cards on trams to get the correct fare. Under plans announced today, zone 1 will be valid on the entire tram network. Sections of routes currently in zone 2 will become part of the zone 1+2 overlap, and the City Saver zone will be removed. Passengers will not have to touch-off, and the default charge will be a zone 1 fare. Passengers travelling entirely in the zone 2 overlap area can still touch-off if they want the cheaper zone 2 fare.
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