Month: June 2008

  • Eastlink is no solution

    The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) today warned that the imminent opening of Eastlink will only have a short-term impact on the problems of traffic congestion in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs, and do nothing to overcome car dependency. The PTUA’s Outer East Convenor Jeremy Lunn said that spending billions on the new freeway at the expense…

  • Public transport the winner in the race to cut emissions

    As featured in The Age this morning, the PTUA has looked at the carbon emissions per person kilometre for a range of cars of various types and sizes, and compared them to the different forms of public transport.

  • Call for services “every 10 minutes to everywhere”

    The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has called on the government to take the next big step in upgrading public transport services. In launching their “Every 10 minutes to everywhere” plan at a climate change and transport forum at Melbourne Town Hall on Sunday, PTUA president Daniel Bowen noted the urgency for action on climate…

  • Free forum this Sunday

    Click here for full details of this Sunday’s free forum at the Melbourne Town Hall on transport and climate change. 15th June: Slides are now available

  • End of the line for Rowville rail excuses

    Commuters have called on the Brumby Government to stop making excuses for the lack of progress on Rowville railway line and to simply fund it. The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) says commuters are sick and tired of hearing the same old Government rhetoric when action is what is needed.

  • Rudd’s call for public transport relief welcomed

    The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has welcomed Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s call for national investment in public transport to provide relief from high petrol prices. Mr Rudd was reported as saying “hasn’t the time come for some decent, decent public transport systems, invested in by the national government across our major cities so people…

  • GetUp public transport petition

    GetUp! have launched a petition calling on the Federal government to fund public transport, to fight petrol prices and climate change. You can sign it on their web site.

  • Bus lanes to curb congestion on Springvale Road

    Commuters save 15 minutes The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has renewed calls for bus lanes to be installed on Springvale Road in each direction, to coincide with the opening of Eastlink. With petrol prices widely expected to reach two dollars a litre by 2009, public transport improvements are essential.

  • Private companies benefit from patronage gains

    The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has called for a restructure of the tram and train contracts, as the government prepares for the next phase of privatisation. PTUA President Daniel Bowen said that moving to a “fee-for-service” model (also known as “gross cost”) would ensure that growing patronage benefited commuters, rather than the private companies’…