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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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