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The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has criticised the State Government for failing to take up recommendations from the Metropolitan Bus Reviews. In most areas of Melbourne, less than 30 percent of the recommendations have been implemented by the government. — See full list at [1], below.

“The bus network is struggling to meet the needs of people in the 21st century,” said PTUA president Daniel Bowen. “It is now clear that the government isn’t prepared to carry out all the recommendations that are needed to fix it.”
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The 903 bus journey between Holmesglen and Oakleigh via Chadstone should take only ten minutes, according to the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA). A study by the PTUA found that crowded buses are wasting a significant amount of time, especially at red traffic lights.

“While passengers hang from the wrist straps, Vicroads is making their bus wait at every single red light”, said the PTUA’s outer east convenor Jeremy Lunn. “Nothing is being done to upgrade bus priority.”
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The Rowville railway line should have been built by now, according to the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA). It’s been eleven years since Labor made the feasibility study promise which helped the Bracks/Brumby Government win power in 1999.

“It’s absurd that the Brumby Government hasn’t even done a study when we know the railway line is desperately needed,” said the PTUA’s outer east convenor Jeremy Lunn. “Not only has the government had 11 years to complete a study, the railway line could already have been built by now.
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Trains, trams and Smartbuses every ten minutes, all suburban stations staffed, V/Line trains every half-hour on main commuter routes, “Tram-cams” to catch careless motorists, and a Public Transport Authority to better plan and manage public transport all feature in the Public Transport Users Association’s call to the political parties in the run-up to the state election in November.

PTUA President Daniel Bowen said that in the next four years, significant steps could be taken towards providing all of Melbourne with frequent services, running at least every ten minutes, seven days-a-week.
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MELISSA Fyfe (”It’s time to help commuters make their connection”, 3/10) points out the basic weakness afflicting Melbourne public transport: the lack of an independent, publicly accountable authority to co-ordinate trains, trams and buses.

Groups as diverse as the Greens, privatisation experts and former train and tram operators support a lean, expert body to plan a public transport network for Melbourne. The benefits have been demonstrated in cities from Perth to London.
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As the state election approaches, the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has called for upgrades to V/Line short distance services^[1] to run at least every 30 minutes, seven days-a-week.

PTUA regional spokesman Paul Westcott said that with strong patronage growth, V/Line train services are increasingly overcrowded not just in peak times, but also at off-peak times, including weekends, and that waiting times are excessive.

“You will wait an hour between trains from Geelong to Melbourne, for  example. You could drive the distance in that time.

“And our members report passengers forced to stand for long distances on some off-peak V/Line trains.”
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