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Month: July 2012

  • ‘Balance’ is missing

    THE secretary of the Australian Workers Union, Cesar Melhem, suggests Victoria can have the $10 billion east-west road link and still invest in public transport improvements (“AWU pushes for east-west tunnel“, The Age, 30/7). As Darryl Kerrigan would say, “he’s dreamin”‘. Such a massive road project would suck up all our transport funding for a…

  • PT Problem of the Day: Incorrect wayfinding signage – that’s not the way out

    Wayfinding signage is important to help people get where they’re going — especially in underground stations, where obviously people can’t orient themselves using nearby landmarks. While signage has improved in recent years, it’s not perfect. These signs on the lower levels at Parliament station won’t help you. That’s not really the way to the south…

  • PT Problem of the Day: most V/Line trains don’t stop at essential interchange stations on weekends

    You would think they’d want to make it easier to use their services, but most V/Line trains don’t stop at major inner-city interchange stations such as Richmond and North Melbourne on weekends. Outbound trains also bypass these hubs on weekday mornings, and inbound trains on weekday afternoons. It’s not only confusing, it’s inconvenient for passengers,…

  • State quiet on train lines

    THE Kennett government didn’t survive long enough to face the consequences of privatising the roads that became CityLink. It opened in 2000, a year after Kennett was voted out. Moreover, most of the losers from the decision to toll existing roads were in ALP-held seats. CityLink’s main effect was an explosion in private car travel…

  • PT Problem of the Day: Loop reversal means long waits between trains at lunchtime

    The City Loop reverses direction at lunchtime, which causes untold confusion among occasional users. But it also has another detrimental effect: while there are frequent services in most of the Loop tunnels for most of the day, the reversal results in gaps of almost 25 minutes at some stations. This picture shows a departure screen…

  • PT Problem of the Day: Now no interchange point between Melbourne’s busiest tram and bus corridors

    Swanston Street’s new tram stops at Bourke Street opened last week, and while it’s good news to see more accessible stops opening, it’s also meant the Lonsdale Street tram stops have closed. This means there is now no proper interchange point between Melbourne’s busiest tram corridor and Melbourne’s busiest bus corridor. You have to walk…

  • PT Problem of the Day: Flinders Street Station’s leaking underpasses

    There’s perhaps no more obvious sign of the neglect of Flinders Street station than the underpasses, where on rainy days water drips down from above, causing puddles and a slippery floor. Perhaps one day our busiest railway station will be returned to its former glory, but in the mean time, watch your step. Any upgrades…