Month: February 2011

  • Regional Rail Link: Many better ways to spend $5bn

    JASON Dowling’s defence of the Regional Rail Link (Comment, 22/2) essentially asserts that a project costing about $5 billion must be a good thing. What began as a line on a map in the Eddington report has evolved secretly and fitfully. We still have no idea how train services will be organised, but we do…

  • Monthly tickets too expensive, says PTUA

    Melbourne’s monthly tickets are markedly more expensive than those in other cities, a survey by the PTUA (Public Transport Users Association) has found. The study, comparing periodical public transport tickets around the world, found that Melbourne’s monthly tickets were not priced to encourage frequent public transport usage. “A monthly ticket in Melbourne costs around the…

  • Billion dollar rail blowout a blessing in disguise

    The billion dollar blowout in the construction costs of the Regional Rail Link, reported in the Australian Financial Review today (3 February 2011), could provide the opportunity to revise the project and fix its worst problems, the Public Transport Users Association has said. Secretary Tony Morton said that well-chosen experts for the proposed new Public…

  • Transport review must include the regional rail link

    The PTUA has called on the Minister for Public Transport, Terry Mulder, to include an evaluation of the Regional Rail Link (RRL) in the review of the former government’s transport plan. PTUA Geelong Branch convenor Paul Westcott noted that in his recent announcement of the review, Mr Mulder said all projects proposed in the Victorian…