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The 31st Annual General Meeting of the PTUA took place on Thursday night, 25 October, at Ross House. The meeting was well attended, with 65 members present. Members present were keen to acknowledge the ongoing work of the PTUA, and the ordinary business of the organisation proceeded without dissent.

The membership passed two resolutions at the meeting, the full wording of which can be found below.

While these resolutions are non-binding, they establish guidelines for what is considered acceptable conduct by committee members with political affiliations. The incoming committee will also be considering more binding changes to the PTUA’s constitution and by-laws in future to avert any attempts at party-political ‘stacking’.
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The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has welcomed the Federal Coalition’s commitment of funds to the Mernda rail extension in Melbourne’s north.

“This rail extension will help to cut greenhouse emissions and fuel expenses in the heart of the mortgage belt where transport costs put major pressure on household finances,” said PTUA President Daniel Bowen. “We believe this is recognition that alternatives to driving are sorely needed to ease the squeeze on family budgets as well as to reduce greenhouse emissions and oil imports.”

Treasurer Peter Costello committed $80 million to two overpasses associated with the rail extension while visiting the area today. The federal government has however declined to fund public transport infrastructure, leaving the state government to fund all of the track laying, signalling and stations as well as several other road crossings along the route.

“Of course the money is welcome, but the buck passing is not. It highlights the silly arbitrary demarcation where the federal government will put billions into state and local roads but nothing into public transport,” said Mr Bowen. “Australia is one of the most urbanised countries in the world but the Australian government is unique among Western nations in not investing in urban public transport. This embarrassment needs fixing urgently.”
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Trams Trains and Tunnels — Meet Your Candidates for the 2007 Federal Election – Policies for the Future of Transport

Time: 6:30 pm for 7 pm start. Date: Wednesday 24 October 2007
Venue: Collingwood Town Hall, 140 Hoddle Street, Abbotsford. Melway reference: 44 D5. Closest station: Collingwood.
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1pm, State Library, Swanston Street, Melbourne

Add your support to the call for more sustainable transport policies.

Find out more at:
www.walkagainstwarming.org

With a federal election date now set, the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has called on the parties to commit to improving public transport infrastructure to reduce greenhouse emissions and provide relief from high petrol prices and congestion.

“Each day the science on climate change is becoming more certain, more alarming and clearer in the urgency it demands,” said PTUA President Daniel Bowen. “Climate is clearly the big issue in this election unless we want constant drought and water shortages, dearer food, more frequent and damaging storms and bushfires, and rising sea levels. We need a climate strategy that addresses all significant carbon sources, including transport.”
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The Public Transport Users Association has welcomed the announcement that eight additional trains will be purchased for Melbourne’s suburban network.

PTUA President Daniel Bowen said that the eight new trains, added to the ten that have already been ordered, would help boost services and ease crowding.

“Obviously we’re very pleased that the government has responded to growing patronage and our urging, and increased the order to eighteen trains. This will enable the extra trains to make a bigger difference to the crowding we’re now seeing.”

Mr Bowen repeated the PTUA’s call for a thorough operational review of the rail network.

“These new trains are badly needed. What we need now is a public review of rail services, and a publicly released plan, of how those trains will be used to their best effect,” concluded Mr Bowen.

See also: 8/10/2007: Call for decisive action on train network

In the face of growing delays and overcrowding, the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has urged the government to take decisive action to overhaul train services, to cut waiting times, improve reliability, and to handle and encourage further patronage growth.

In releasing the PTUA’s “Getting Melbourne’s Rail System Back on Track” document, Mr Bowen said that while new timetable (which started on September 30th) added a few trains, it was time for a more radical overhaul of services, to boost peak, off-peak, evening and weekend train services, and make better use of the current rail infrastructure.
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The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) today expressed frustration with Roads Minister Tim Pallas’ failure to speed up road-based public transport, especially buses, due to lack of action on priority measures.

“Roads Minister Tim Pallas needs to stop dragging his feet and start listening to the community, transport experts and his own advisors who all support giving buses proper priority on Melbourne’s roads”, PTUA spokesman Christopher Trikilis said. “If buses are to be an integral part of our transport network, then we need to ensure they are given their due priority on roads. Buses carrying 50 passengers shouldn’t be held up by cars averaging only one person each.”
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This Friday is Walk To Work Day (WTWD). WTWD is an event to promote regular walking and physical activity. It is an annual, national event in which the community can become involved in a healthy and environmentally friendly activity.

You can be a Walking Class Hero on Friday 5 October 2007 by simply walking all or part of the way to work. Use public transport and get off the bus, train, tram or ferry a few stops earlier and walk the rest of the way. Or take a half-hour walk at lunch-time. And where possible, walk up stairs. But, PLEASE, leave the car at home. If you have to drive, leave the car at least a kilometre or two from your destination and walk the remaining distance.

For more information see the Walk To Work Day web site at www.walk.com.au