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The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has welcomed the announcement of a new train timetable to begin in July.

PTUA President Daniel Bowen said that the introduction of trains every ten minutes on the Werribee line was a significant step forward.

“This is the first step towards a ‘metro’-style rail service in Melbourne. The next step is for the government to fund ten minute services right across the network, seven-days-a-week until late.
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This Tuesday 26th of May between 12:30pm and 1:30pm, Public Transport Minister Lynne Kosky will participate in an online forum organised by Leader Newspapers. Go to www.leadernews.com.au and follow the link to the Lynne Kosky Live Blog.

More sustainable transport events

Please join the PTUA to receive regular newsletters.

May 2009 edition articles:

• Funded: South Morang rail, Sunbury electrification, Tarneit/Regional link – but at what cost?
• Member meeting: Monday 15th June (please note date in paper newsletter is wrong)
• Watching over the fleet
• Parliamentary Select Committee on Train Services
• Senate inquiry probes Federal funding
• South Morang not far enough
• Connex trials modified train
• Flags for Footscray
• Northeast standard gauge project welcomed
• Geelong: buses to be upgraded
• Multi-million dollar Myki rolls on
• Connecting to the Future: Our transport alternative

Members can read this edition online.

The side effects of motor vehicle use are costing Australia at least $100 billion each year, according to a submission released by the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) today. The cost of impacts such as pollution and road trauma are more than three times the level of taxes and charges on road users, based on research outlined in the submission.

“We’ve known for a long time that car dependence is costing us dearly,” said PTUA President Daniel Bowen. “But the size of these social costs left us gobsmacked. It would be economic, social and environmental madness to keep driving down the road of car dominance.”
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The Federal Government are to be congratulated for finally putting money into urban public transport, which will cut congestion by getting cars off the road, cut emissions, and give people more sustainable transport choices. But brickbats are due to the Brumby State Government for advancing flawed projects, says the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA).

Despite the name, the Regional Rail Express project funded by the Federal government will help metropolitan train users, by separating out fast and stopping trains, allowing many more trains and better reliability. The lengthening of platforms at stations is also good news for regional and outer-urban passengers.
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Public transport infrastructure announced for Melbourne in this year’s “nation building” Federal Budget may not deliver any real benefit to passengers – and the Brumby State Government is entirely to blame, says the PTUA.

“All indications are that when it comes to Victorian public transport, Wayne Swan will be ploughing all the available money into the metro rail tunnel,” said PTUA President Daniel Bowen. “But it’s a completely unnecessary project. We have already doubled the capacity of the city’s rail network: we did it in the 1970s, with the City Loop, yet everyone seems to have forgotten. All this new tunnel will do is soak up all the money that should be used to extend rail and bus services into our growing suburbs.”
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Melbourne’s train services would double, buses would run every 10 minutes on every arterial road, and more country rail lines would be restored. And this would only cost 40% of the government’s $38 billion transport plan, according to a new report released today by the PTUA.

The Connecting to the Future report is billed as the alternative to the Victorian Transport Plan. Its proposed package of improved public transport services and targeted road works includes rail extensions to Rowville, Doncaster, Mernda, Clyde, Mornington and the Airport, tram extensions, return of conductors to trams and staff to all stations, country train lines, level crossing removals, rural road and bridge repairs, and a massive boost to bus services.
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The Public Transport Users Association has made a submission into the City of Melbourne’s public consultation on the possible redevelopment of Swanston Street.

Of the options proposed for development, there is only one that is fully consistent with the prevailing uses of the street and with Council’s liveability objectives, and that is Option 6: Decreased motor vehicle access. This option is endorsed by the PTUA as it would overcome 18 years’ worth of flawed design compromises to fulfil the original purpose of the 1991 Council decision: to create a ‘transit mall’ following the example of notable European boulevards such as Zurich’s Bahnhofstrasse or Göteborg’s Avenyn.

Read the full submission here

The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has welcomed the government’s commitment of funding to the South Morang rail extension.

PTUA president Daniel Bowen said it was vital that outer-suburban areas were provided with fast, frequent, high-capacity public transport services, to relieve traffic congestion and take the pressure off household budgets.

“Residents of South Morang will welcome their new rail service, giving them an option of getting off the roads for more of their trips, saving money on fuel and reducing their emissions.”
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