A future rail service plan hidden away in a Rowville Rail study technical document has been uncovered by the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA).

The plan is contained in Travel Demand Modelling Draft Report for the Rowville Rail Study[1], and although it emphasises that the plan does “not necessarily represent the actual planned services”, PTUA President Daniel Bowen said that for the first time it gave the public a glimpse of what was planned for the future operation of their rail network.

The plan was based on the completion of the Regional Rail Link project in Melbourne’s west, and made the assumption that there would be enough trains to run services more frequently.

“The good news is the plan does include services at least every ten minutes all day on most lines. If implemented, this will make a huge difference to travel around Melbourne, making it easier to get around much of the city without long waits or relying on timetables”, said Mr Bowen.
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Trains every ten minutes on weekends on the Dandenong, Ringwood and Frankston lines have been welcomed by the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA).

PTUA President Daniel Bowen said the proposed services, due to start in late-April[1], would be a good step towards more frequent train services, seven days-a-week, that would encourage people out of cars.
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Services on the Belgrave, Lilydale, Alamein and Glen Waverley lines are still operating below acceptable standards outside peak hours according to the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA), which has called for all political candidates to commit to upgrading services.

“Trains should operate every 10 minutes from 6am to midnight seven days-a-week, bringing train services up to a true ‘Metro’ standard, which is needed in order to meet 21st century travel demands,” said PTUA outer east convenor Jeremy Lunn.
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The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has called for an upgrade of buses to every ten minutes on Stud Road, to make better use of new bus lanes. The upgrade from the existing 15 minute service would add two extra buses an hour.

“Although we applaud the installation of new bus lanes, they would be better justified with a ten minute service,” said Jeremy Lunn, the PTUA’s Outer East Convenor. “Upgrading the bus service would help to take traffic off the road by providing a more convenient service.”
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A study by the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has highlighted the poor co-ordination between train and bus timetables on many routes around Melbourne.

It found that just 37.5% of train arrivals have bus connections at stations — 39.8% on weekdays, 32.3% on Saturdays, and just 25.3% on Sundays.

Of those connections, 42.5% require passengers to wait more than 10 minutes — 39.7% on weekdays, 56.7% on Saturdays, and 58.6% on Sundays.

The average connection time is 11.2 minutes — 10.3 on weekdays, 12.6 on Saturdays, and 14 minutes on Sundays when fewer buses run.

“Good connections are vital for public transport, because many trips simply can’t be made using a single service”, said PTUA President Daniel Bowen. “To make connections quick and easy, the network either has to have careful timetable co-ordination, or have frequent services. But most of Melbourne’s public transport has neither.”
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A study into the developed world’s biggest cities has concluded that all but a handful have metro systems — but that handful without metros includes Melbourne and Sydney.

The study by the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) showed that of biggest 30 cities in the developed world by population, all but seven have metros: the car-dominated United States cities of Dallas, Houston, Detroit, Miami and Phoenix, and Melbourne and Sydney.

“The definitions of ‘metro’ vary, but the common ground is that they provide high-capacity trains, with high-frequency services to most stations at least every ten minutes, all day [1][2][3]“, PTUA President Daniel Bowen said. “It’s not important for the trains to run underground — most ‘metro’ systems have more above ground than underground track[4] — what’s important is frequent services.

“Metros are important for ensuring cities function well, moving large numbers of people quickly. People who live in cities with metros know they can travel efficiently, without being caught in traffic, without checking a timetable, and without long waiting times at stations.

“Giving Melbourne a metro doesn’t require tunnels, underground stations, or a new type of train. Start hiring extra drivers today, and metro “turn up and go” frequent services 7-days-a-week could introduced across the rail network within 12 months.
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The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has welcomed Metro Trains Melbourne on its first day of operation, and called for the government to boost services across the week.

“Around the world, the name ‘Metro’ means a service with frequent trains, from early to late, seven-days-a-week. This is what the government must commit to for Melbourne”, said PTUA President Daniel Bowen.

Mr Bowen said passengers needed to see more than just new logos on the trains and stations, and better reliability was critical. But he said the key to getting more people out of cars and onto public transport was a complete re-write of the timetable, incorporating trains at least every 10 minutes on all lines.

The PTUA says about 80% of Melbourne’s train system can cater for services every 10 minutes with no infrastructure changes.

“Trains every 10 minutes are possible on most of the rail network right now with the infrastructure we already have. All that’s needed is more drivers and maintenance staff.
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The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has welcomed the announcement of a new train timetable to begin in July.

PTUA President Daniel Bowen said that the introduction of trains every ten minutes on the Werribee line was a significant step forward.

“This is the first step towards a ‘metro’-style rail service in Melbourne. The next step is for the government to fund ten minute services right across the network, seven-days-a-week until late.
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Melbourne’s train services would double, buses would run every 10 minutes on every arterial road, and more country rail lines would be restored. And this would only cost 40% of the government’s $38 billion transport plan, according to a new report released today by the PTUA.

The Connecting to the Future report is billed as the alternative to the Victorian Transport Plan. Its proposed package of improved public transport services and targeted road works includes rail extensions to Rowville, Doncaster, Mernda, Clyde, Mornington and the Airport, tram extensions, return of conductors to trams and staff to all stations, country train lines, level crossing removals, rural road and bridge repairs, and a massive boost to bus services.
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Multi-car families could save thousands of dollars a year if they had access to high quality public transport services, the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has said.

In promoting a call for public transport services “Every 10 Minutes to Everywhere“, PTUA president Daniel Bowen said that if fast frequent services were provided, more outer-suburban families could happily give up their second or third cars, resulting in huge savings.
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