The Public Transport Users Association has commended Melbourne’s new train operator, Metro Trains Melbourne, for its support of the PTUA’s ‘Every 10 Minutes to Everywhere’ campaign.

A seven-month travel time study has found no noticeable improvement in tram travel times from extended clearway hours on Sydney Road in Brunswick.

The PTUA submission to the Victorian upper house Select Committee on Train Services has been released.
PTUA submission (PDF, 449Kb)
Summary:
The present inquiry has been prompted by an ongoing and widespread pattern of failure in Victoria’s train services, culminating in the near-total shutdown of the metropolitan system in extreme heat conditions in late January 2009. [...]

Public transport infrastructure announced for Melbourne in this year’s “nation building” Federal Budget may not deliver any real benefit to passengers – and the Brumby State Government is entirely to blame, says the PTUA.
“All indications are that when it comes to Victorian public transport, Wayne Swan will be ploughing all the available money into the [...]

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 Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has welcomed the government’s commitment of funding to the South Morang rail extension.
PTUA president Daniel Bowen said it was vital that outer-suburban areas were provided with fast, frequent, high-capacity public transport services, to relieve traffic congestion and take the pressure off household budgets.
“Residents of South Morang will welcome their [...]

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March 2009 edition articles:

Summer: Trains breakdown, tracks buckle, industrial disputes — what next?
Is 20/2020 to be dumped?
Decisive action on emissions critical
Myki: We told them so
Connecting to the future: An alternative plan
Smartbus an improvement, could be smarter
Big spending plan falls short on public transport
Geelong Branch: Bus route reform and [...]

PTUA President Daniel Bowen’s 200 word response to the Victorian Transport Plan, for The Age:
Little difference for most Melburnians
TWO-AND-A-HALF years ago, the government issued Meeting Our Transport Challenges, its long-term vision for Melbourne’s transport system.
That document is now in tatters, replaced by the new transport plan. While some communities will welcome new and improved train [...]

Ahead of the release of the Transport Plan next week, our new video highlights how public transport can run more smoothly for everyone.

And for those people on Facebook, you can now join our new group: It’s time for great public transport in Melbourne and across Victoria.

The Public Transport Users Association notes the passing of Frank Crean on 2nd of December. Frank was a patron of the PTUA from 1989, and participated in a number of PTUA events along with our other patrons, Winsome McCaughey, Sir Rupert Hamer (both pictured here with Mr Crean) and Dame Phyllis Frost. We offer our [...]