Author: PTUA
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Midday trains crowded
Every day between the peaks, some lines are packed because the trains run only every 20 minutes. Melbourne is growing; to cut waiting times and crowding, we need frequent services all day. Share this video on Facebook and Twitter
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Election 2018: our scorecard
2014-2018 has seen significant public transport investment under Labor, and they have delivered on their major promises. But as Melbourne continues to grow, and demand for regional travel increases, the challenge ahead is to build a public transport network not only copes with patronage growth, but also provides usable services into areas which currently don’t…
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Stories of Growth: car traffic driven by new roads
What’s worse than when population growth puts strain on our transport systems? When road traffic grows even faster than population. But that was the reality in Melbourne for nearly four decades. No matter how much or how little Melbourne grows, we’ll need to be smarter in future. Read the study: Stories of Growth – Population,…
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More bus services needed
Despite heavy travel demand and overcrowding, most bus routes only run every 30-60 minutes. More services are needed, particularly on main road routes serving major shopping centres, running frequently every day of the week. Share this video on Twitter and Facebook.
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Public transport: frequency must improve across the network #MoreServicesPlease
If you look at a map of Melbourne’s public transport network, you’d be right in thinking it’s a substantial service covering most of the city. But it will only attract people out of their cars if service quality is better. Frequency has to improve. With most suburban buses running only every 30-60 minutes, and even…
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Sunday trains packed #MoreServicesPlease
Melbourne’s trains: you might not expect a seat in peak hour, but on Sunday mornings? Most lines are very infrequent – and they’re packed. Services on the Werribee, Williamstown, Sunbury, Craigieburn, Upfield, Mernda, Hurstbridge and Sandringham lines on Sundays run only every 40 minutes until about 10am, resulting in crowding, while spare trains sit idle…
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PTUA launches Connecting Ballarat proposal
The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has launched an ambitious policy document, “Connecting Ballarat”, which calls for dramatic improvements to Ballarat’s bus network. Ballarat’s bus network currently has a lot of problems with indirect, inefficient routes through the CBD, which turn back on themselves in order to call at key destinations in a specific order,…
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IA assessments questionable
The Geelong Branch of the Public Transport Users Association has queried the logic of Infrastructure Australia’s negative response to the business case for the duplication of the South Geelong-Waurn Ponds rail line. Branch convener Paul Westcott noted that Infrastructure Australia seems to be saying that the project would stack up if some changes were made.…
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What year did your railway station open?
What year did your local station open? Before you were born? Probably before your grandparents were born! Our population is growing, and our public transport network needs to keep growing too. Click here to view the map larger. The rail network grew rapidly between 1854 and 1930… but since then almost nothing. Expansion of rail,…
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PTUA welcomes rail pledges
The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has welcomed state Labor and Coalition pledges to expand Melbourne’s rail network. Labor today pledged funding for a plan for airport rail via Sunshine if re-elected. In recent weeks the Coalition has pledged suburban rail extensions of the Cranbourne line to Clyde, and the Frankston line to Baxter. PTUA…
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PTUA welcomes rail investment in Ballarat
The Public Transport Users Association has today welcomed the government’s announcement of the details of a $130m project to untangle freight and passenger services in Ballarat. The project will largely separate freight and passenger trains west of Ballarat station, and upgrade the signalling system in the Ballarat area, to allow for more efficient movement of…
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Magic numbers distort North East Link business case
Cost and benefit figures presented in the North East Link business case by the Victorian Government suggest a “massive shifting of the goalposts” in an effort to make the $16 billion project stack up, according to a preliminary analysis by the Public Transport Users Association. “Comparing these new figures with those presented just 18 months…
