PTUA President Daniel Bowen said extra peak-hour services on the Werribee, Craigieburn and Sydenham lines would improve conditions for commuters.

“These lines have some of the worst overcrowding in Melbourne. Every extra train can provide relief.”

The PTUA has also welcomed off-peak upgrades on the Frankston line that will see a train every ten minutes from 9am to 4:30pm, and every 20 minutes from 7pm to 10pm on weekdays.

Mr Bowen said it was unfortunate that the changes meant that Frankston trains would alternate between direct and Loop services, but said that the boosted frequencies were a big step forward.

“Crowding is not just a peak hour problem anymore”, said Mr Bowen. “On some lines it is now common to stand on trains in the middle of the day, on weekends, and in the evenings.

“Boosting off-peak services is critical to reduce crowding and cut waiting times. It will attract more people off the roads and onto trains, as well as encouraging more people to move their trips out of peak hour, helping to spread the peak load.

“Trains every ten minutes means you don’t really need to look at a timetable – it means that our train system is slowly becoming more like a real ‘Metro’.

“These upgrades to both peak and off-peak services show what can be done by better using the ample track capacity and train fleet we’ve already got, together with relatively minor infrastructure upgrades. Services every ten minutes make a big difference to passengers, and don’t require building multi-billion-dollar tunnels or massive track expansion.”

The changes mean that from October 10th, both the Werribee and Frankston lines will run about every ten minutes during weekday inter-peak periods.

“We’ll now have two out of fifteen lines running every ten minutes. The government should push ahead to upgrade remaining lines to run every ten minutes, not just on weekdays, but seven days-a-week, including evenings”, said Mr Bowen.

“It’s also important for the government to boost connecting tram and bus services so that people can get to the station without having to drive and do battle with packed carparks at stations.”

As part of its ‘Every Ten Minutes to Everywhere’ campaign, the PTUA has called for services every ten minutes on all train, tram and main bus routes, to help cut waiting times, improve connections and get more people onto public transport and cars off the road.

Mr Bowen said that the new train timetable, together with upgrades to Doncaster area bus routes (to start on October 4th) and the extension of the 901 Smartbus to Melbourne Airport (to start on September 26th) would all be welcomed by passengers.

But he said it was disappointing that there were no further Smartbus routes currently planned, despite the success of existing services.

“More trains and buses, running more often, are very welcome. It’s critical for the government to commit to more Smartbus upgrades, and improvements to train, bus and tram timetables, to cut overcrowding and waiting times on public transport across Melbourne”, concluded Mr Bowen.

Just what the people of Ivanhoe will get from a north-east link is unclear. EastLink hasn’t done anything to reduce traffic on Stud Road as the government and road lobby promised.

And as long as we go on expanding capacity for cars, Rosanna Road and Banksia Street will suffer maddening congestion whether we build a north-east link or not. Meanwhile, the link would become a rat-run for trucks from Dandenong avoiding CityLink tolls.

Tony Morton, secretary, Public Transport Users Association, Melbourne

(Published in The Age, 27/8/2010)

The forums will feature speakers from all the major parties and questions from the community.

Six forums are planned so far:

Whitehorse: 30 Aug 6.15 pm – 7.30 pm, Box Hill Town Hall

ALP: Brian Tee, MLC Eastern Metro and Parliamentary Secretary Public Transport

Greens: Damian Magner, Greens candidate LC Eastern metro

Liberal: Robert Clark, MLA Box Hill and Shadow Attorney General and Finance

Maribyrnong: Mon 6 Sep 7 pm– 8.15 pm,Maribyrnong council offices

ALP: Marsha Thomson, MLA Footscray and Parliamentary Secretary (Justice)

Greens: Colleen Hartland, MLC Western Metro

Liberal: Bernie Finn, MLC Western Metro

Melbourne: Wed 8 Sep 5.30 pm- 6.45 pm, Melbourne Town Hall Supper Room

ALP: Martin Pakula, MLC and Minister for Public Transport and Industrial Relations

Liberal: Terry Mulder, MLA and Shadow Minister for Public Transport and Roads

Greens: Greg Barber, MLC Northern Metro

Port Phillip: Wed 8 Sep 7 pm – 8.15 pm, St Kilda Town Hall

ALP:Martin Foley, MLA Albert Park; Tony Lupton, MLA Prahran

Greens: Phillip Walker, candidate for Caulfield

Liberal: David Southwick, candidate for Caulfield

Yarra: Sun 12 Sep 3 pm– 4.15 pm, Richmond Town Hall

ALP: The Hon Richard Wynne, MLA Richmond and Minister for Housing, Local Government and Aboriginal Affairs

Greens: Kathleen Maltzahn, candidate for Richmond

Liberal: Matthew Guy, MLC Northern Metro and Shadow Minister for Planning

Moreland: Mon 13 Sep 7 pm– 8.15 pm, Brunswick Town Hall

ALP: Cr Jane Garrett, candidate for Brunswick

Greens: Cyndi Dawes, candidate for Brunswick

Liberal: Matthew Guy, MLC Northern Metro and Shadow Minister for Planning

“We should not have a train network of ‘haves’ and ‘have-nots’”, said PTUA president Daniel Bowen. “Everyone’s local railway station should have such basic facilities such as toilets and a fulltime staff presence, providing safety and customer service.

“Staff should be able to call for a rapid police response where it is required, and funding should be provided for Victoria Police and Metro to determine which hotspot stations should have a permanent police presence, whenever trains are operating.”

Mr Bowen said a fulltime Metro staff presence at every station would help prevent crime, and provide customer service.

“Information from staff is vital during service disruptions, such as the widespread delays we saw on Tuesday the 27th of July, so that passengers are aware of what’s happening and can get advice on alternative services.

“Station staff can sell tickets and help people with ticket machines. Even today, some passengers have difficulties using Metcard.

“Long after Myki is up and running and the temporary ‘Myki Mates’ have disappeared, new and occasional users will continue to need help with it.

“‘Premium’ stations should be the standard right across the network. While current government commitments to staff more stations are welcome, it’s about time we got staff onto all railway stations in Melbourne, from first to last train.”

Currently only 38% of stations on the Metro network are ‘Premium’ status and have fulltime staff [1]. Even after currently funded upgrades take effect [2], only 48% of stations will have staff from first to last train, with a further 19% ‘Host Stations’ staffed during peak times only.

Gaps of 4-5 unstaffed stations in a row are common on the rail network. The biggest gap is on the Upfield line, where there are seven consecutive stations with no staff. These gaps will not change when currently committed upgrades have been completed. [See below]

Figures indicate that of the 7,205 incidents reported at metropolitan railway stations in 2009, around 30% of those occurred at stations with no fulltime staff presence[3], but the PTUA believes it is likely more incidents occurred at unstaffed stations which have not been reported.

Between August 2009 and June 2010, there were 877 attacks on Myki machines, causing some $3.2 million in damage, with the worst hit stations all lacking fulltime staff[4].

The PTUA believes that fully-staffed stations are preferable to the Coalition’s plan for Protective Service Officers after 6pm.

“While it’s true that Protective Service Officers on stations from 6pm to last train will alleviate fears about safety at railway stations at night, crime is not confined to night time, and many stations are already quite safe”, said Mr Bowen. “There is a danger that officers might be standing around doing nothing at some stations, when they are more badly needed elsewhere. And only Metro station staff can assist with customer service, including directions, helping with ticket machines, and ticket sales.

“Backed-up by security patrols, a fast emergency response from police and Authorised Officers when required, and police at known hotspots, getting staff back onto our stations fulltime is the best solution for passengers”, concluded Mr Bowen.

* * *

Lines with the biggest gaps between fulltime staffed stations:

Upfield: 7 (Macaulay to Moreland)
Glen Waverley: 5 (Heyington to Glen Iris)
Epping/Hurstbridge: 5 (Jolimont to Victoria Park)
Hurstbridge: 5 (Westgarth to Darebin)
Alamein: 4 (Riversdale to Burwood)
Frankston/Cranbourne/Pakenham: 4 (Hawksburn to Malvern)
Craigieburn: 4 (Oak Park to Glenbervie)

Note: These will not change under current government or coalition plans — See maps below.

* * *

Current staffing (excluding Stony Point line): Fulltime (Premium) 77; Peak hour only (Host) 26; No staff 98.

Expected staffing after currently funded upgrades are complete: Fulltime 97; Peak hour only 39; No staff 65.

* * *

[1] All Metro stations excluding the Stony Point line. This line is served by trains with conductors.

[2] 2010 Victorian State budget funding.
http://www.budget.vic.gov.au/domino/Web_Notes/budgets/budget10.nsf/d6e571e551bef80eca2572bb002bcea7/baee162a283b4c2dca25771900012d7d!OpenDocument

[3] Metro figures obtained by the Herald Sun. Excludes Stony Point line.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/citys-most-dangerous-stations/story-e6frf7kx-1225884963316

[4] Sunday Herald Sun, 11/7/2010, “Myki vandal bill tops $3.2m”. Most vandalised stations were Yarraville, Hastings, Spotswood, Seddon and Upwey, all of which lack fulltime staff. Of these, only Yarraville has any staff presence, but in morning peak hours only.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/myki-vandal-bill-tops-32m/story-e6frf7kx-1225890257932

* * *

Current train map. Fully-staffed (Premium) stations are shown as black dots:

Train map showing upgrades to Host and Fully-staffed (Premium) stations committed by the government and Metro. Gaps of up to 7 consecutive stations without fulltime staff will remain:

Photographs taken by the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) show large numbers of standing passengers, and the PTUA said the same buses waste a lot of time stuck in traffic in and around Chadstone.

“These photos show that buses to from Chadstone are overcrowded and slow, and urgently require more services and traffic priority,” said Jeremy Lunn, the PTUA’s Outer East Convenor. “Passengers on crowded buses deserve to have priority over other vehicles so they don’t end up with blisters from the time spent standing.”

The crowded buses were seen on a particularly slow section of the Smartbus route 903, which travels at 10 km/h – half the speed of the Melbourne average bus trip speed of 20 km/h [1]. This is despite the fact that there are relatively few bus stops along the way.

Bus priority measures that the PTUA is calling for include:

* Bus lanes on Middle Road, between Warrigal Road and the bus interchange

* Increased green time for Warrigal Road at Princes Highway, which currently only gets 25%, with the addition of dynamic priority for buses.

* Priority for buses on Warrigal Road over cars entering/exiting the Monash Freeway

* Priority for buses at other busy intersections in the area.

Mr Lunn said that increased priority would also enable the same fleet to do more trips, providing a boost to service frequency and lowering costs.

“These photos taken on three different weekends including Saturday and Sunday services show that additional weekend bus services are also urgently required, to relieve overcrowding and cut waiting times”, said Mr Lunn. “There is no reason that passengers should be forced to stand when extra services could be added right away.”

The PTUA believes that the Smartbus routes could be upgraded immediately to run at least every 15 minutes between Heidelberg and Mordialloc, seven days-a-week, to cut waiting times on weekends. However, Mr Lunn said that the government should upgrade services to run every 10 minutes by 2012.

Over a year ago the PTUA identified a ‘hole’ in the Saturday timetable for the 903, leaving a half-hourly gap each hour [2], which has not been plugged. On Sundays there are gaps of up to 45 minutes.

“We tried to warn the Government but they didn’t respond. By failing to provide priority to buses, and enough buses to cope with demand, the Brumby Government is treating bus passengers with contempt.”

The PTUA recently launched a Facebook group ‘Better Public Transport to Chadstone’, for members of the public to voice their concerns about transport to Chadstone:
www.chadstonept.info

[1] Average travel speeds by public transport:
http://www.transport.vic.gov.au/doi/internet/planningprojects.nsf/AllDocs/D12830C9DF1D226ACA257420007FDE9E?OpenDocument

[2] Hole in the bus timetable – Please fix now, June 10th, 2009:
http://www.ptua.org.au/2009/06/10/hole-in-the-903-timetable/

More photos, taken on Saturday 10th July 2010, Saturday 17th July 2010, Sunday 2nd August 2010: