Author: PTUA
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North East Link is Victoria’s real budget bin fire
The Federal Government pledging an additional $3.5 billion to the $26 billion North East Link tollway should focus the public’s attention on the massively costly but poorly-appreciated ‘dumpster fire’ spoiling the Allan Government’s Big Build, the Public Transport Users Association has said. “The North East Link is the most expensive road in Victoria’s history and…
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Public transport: Vic budget in a holding pattern ahead of Metro tunnel opening
The Victorian State Budget presented no earth-shattering surprises, but did include some welcome if modest investment in public transport services, the Public Transport Users Association said today. “There are some worthwhile upgrades for buses and V/Line which perhaps are not revolutionary, but will offer more travel options for people in regional Victoria and outer Melbourne”,…
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Call for heritage listing for Melbourne’s public transport timetables
PTUA calls for heritage listing for Melbourne’s public transport timetables
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The wires that bind, and the cars that choke
Saul Griffith’s recent Quarterly Essay “The Wires That Bind” outlined an ambitious programme for renewable electrification to stem dangerous climate change, driven by local community action and without reliance on unproven technologies. It also makes clear how massive is the challenge posed by the energy transition, with millions of individual machines having to ultimately be…
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Bus proposals welcomed
The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has welcomed Infrastructure Victoria’s paper on fixing Melbourne’s bus network. PTUA spokesperson Daniel Bowen said that IV’s recommendations to the government were to be applauded. “For many Melburnians, their only local public transport is buses. But the bus network is poorly funded, poorly planned, and poorly implemented. With indirect…
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Mulgrave is closed on weekends unless you have a car — PTUA calls for 7-day bus services
The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) is calling on all Mulgrave by-election candidates to champion 7-day bus services on crucial routes within the electorate. Key Mulgrave bus routes 800, 802, 804, 814 and 885 do not operate on Sundays despite providing residents in the electorate a connection to destinations such as Chadstone, Monash University, Dandenong,…
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Fare rise unexpected
The rise to $5 for a single trip and $10 per day for a standard Myki fare is unexpected, given these usually occur in January. The PTUA along with the rest of Victoria has only had a week’s notice of the increase, which is a big jump for most fares. Passengers won’t be welcoming the rise, which…
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Big Build burnout?
While we all want a better transport system, disruption fatigue is becoming a real factor for passengers, particularly on the train network. On some lines, there have now been major disruptions every year since 2016. Not all of these are in the name of better rail services. This winter a two week shutdown of lines…
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State Budget: Upgrades welcome, but no step change
The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has welcomed measures in the 2023 Victorian Budget funding incremental public transport improvements, particularly in outer suburban communities. “Bus upgrades for growth areas such as Melton, Maddingley, Wyndham and Casey will provide vital connections for those communities, enabling better access to education, employment and other opportunities”, said PTUA spokesperson…
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Dandenong line frequency cuts cause turmoil
The PTUA is alarmed about cuts in the frequency of trains on Melbourne’s busiest rail lines, only days after the completion of works which were supposed to improve services. Having endured the closure of the Cranbourne and Pakenham lines for almost a month to allow the installation of new rail equipment, passengers have had their…
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V/Line: coming fare cuts set to worsen crowding
Service upgrades, including full length trains, are needed to cope with crowding.
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PTUA’s scorecard for the 2022 Victorian election
Where are the services? With billions spent on transport infrastructure recently, the time has come for investment in additional public transport services to make the most of it. Our election scorecard reviews differing policies. Some initiatives are already funded, and/or assumed to be locked-in no matter who wins the election – including many infrastructure projects…
