*/

For all the fuss about fighting fare evasion, some major stations regularly have their gates left open and unattended, allowing those without tickets to travel unchecked. This photo was taken two days before the current fare blitz began. The only way to permanently cut fare evasion is by putting more staff on the system so that passengers expect to get their tickets checked on every trip.

Are you unhappy with public transport? Use our online tool to write to your local MP and demand action.

More about PT Problem Of The Day, including how you can contribute your photos.

It’s not just trains that get packed. This is tram route 8 in the evening peak. Increasing numbers of tram services are suffering from overcrowding, with many cases of passengers being left behind, unable to board. While the former government finally got around to ordering 50 new trams, the first of these won’t arrive until 2012 — and it will be 2017 before they are all in service.

It’s just another example of poor public transport planning, which is why we need a central Public Transport Authority, staffed by expert planners, to better co-ordinate and manage our public transport.

Help our campaign for better public transport. Join the PTUA now. We rely entirely on member funding and enthusiastic volunteers to operate.

More about PT Problem Of The Day, including how you can contribute your photos.

Weekday peak-hour at South Yarra station. Queues of people heading in and out have to wait to get through just a handful of fare gates. Despite strong patronage growth in the last ten years, nothing has been done to expand the entrance, in fact a bypass gate takes the space that could be used by one or more extra fare gates. One consolation: each gate is set to one direction, to prevent total gridlock.

It’s just another example of poor public transport planning, which is why we need a central Public Transport Authority, staffed by expert planners, to better co-ordinate and manage our public transport.

Are you unhappy with public transport? Use our online tool to write to your local MP and demand action.

More about PT Problem Of The Day, including how you can contribute your photos.

Welcome to our new daily series of pictures. Each day we’ll be aiming to highlight problems from around the public transport network.

It’s been like this for decades: Every day, Monash Uni students endure long queues and packed buses between Huntingdale Station and Clayton campus. The solution in the short term is more buses, and ultimately, the train line to Rowville.

It’s just another example of poor public transport planning, which is why we need a central Public Transport Authority, staffed by expert planners, to better co-ordinate and manage our public transport.

Are you unhappy with public transport? Use our online tool to write to your local MP and demand action.

More about PT Problem Of The Day

The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has called on the Baillieu Government to commit to a four-kilometre extension of the number 8 tram along Toorak Road from Glenferrie Road to Summerhill Road, Hartwell. The extension would link four tramlines and fill in a severe public transport black hole for residents in Toorak, Hawthorn East, Glen Iris and Camberwell.

“The extension of the number 8 tram along Toorak Road is decades overdue and now is a good time to complete it,” said PTUA eastern spokesman Jeremy Lunn. “It’s a glaring hole and missing link in our tram network.”
Read the rest of this article »

A study completed by the The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has revealed gaping holes and long waits exist on the Knox Transit Link. Only 16 percent of tram services are met by a connecting bus service timed within two minutes, while 163 tram services per a week have no connecting bus at all.

“Outer east residents have been lied to and deceived over the Knox Transit Link,” said PTUA outer east convenor Jeremy Lunn, “We were promised that this bus service would be just as good as a tram all the way to Knox, but it’s far from it.

“There are long waits and gaping holes in this service. Some buses leave just before the next tram is due to arrive and vice-versa.
Read the rest of this article »

The Public Transport Users Association has criticised the state government for giving the go-ahead to the Regional Rail Link (RRL), without an independent review to fix the project’s problems and explore alternative plans.

PTUA secretary Tony Morton said the government’s approval made a mockery of its commitment to set up an independent Public Transport Development Authority to guide the improvement of Victoria’s public transport system.

“We strongly support the government’s initiative for an independent, expert body to guide the development of public transport services and infrastructure. We understand the government is in the process of selecting the key personnel. So why wouldn’t these, the experts we’re counting on to guide the system over the coming years, start by reviewing the largest and most expensive Victorian rail project in living memory?” Dr Morton said.
Read the rest of this article »

The Geelong Branch of the Public Transport Users Association is disappointed that the state government has given the go-ahead to the Regional Rail Link (RRL) without any real changes.

“When he was in opposition, Public Transport Minister Terry Mulder made a number of pointed criticisms of the scheme, yet now he has rushed into announcing that it will continue it as it is, even in the face of a huge cost increase,” Branch convenor Paul Westcott said.

The cost blow-out that Mr Mulder revealed after the Coalition came to power, coupled with the federal government delaying its funding commitment in order to deal with recent natural disasters, provided a perfect opportunity to have the project properly re-assessed, and for alternatives to be fully explored.
Read the rest of this article »