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Author: PTUA

  • March 2007 newsletter

    Please join the PTUA to receive regular newsletters. March 2007 edition articles: The minister writes for you Connex Siemens debacle PTUA meets the PT players March fare changes welcomed Expert raises eyebrows East-west study launched Suburban branches Peak oil – been and gone?

  • Get set for traffic chaos

    The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) today warned that the State Government is failing Melbourne’s inner and eastern suburbs by neglecting to adequately plan and provide public transport before the opening of EastLink, or deal with current overcrowding on existing services.

  • Fare simplification welcomed

    The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has welcomed changes to the fare system taking place this Sunday, March 4th. PTUA President Daniel Bowen said that the removal of zone 3 represented a big price cut for city commuters coming in from the outer-most suburbs, and the cuts to V/Line fares would also be welcomed by…

  • State budget needs to rescue troubled public transport system

    Long-suffering commuters expect a major boost to public transport in this year’s state budget, the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) said today. “After months of poor reliability and disruptions, public confidence in the system is at a tipping point,” said PTUA President Daniel Bowen. “Decisive action is needed to regain public trust. Failure would mean…

  • Conference: the Future of Melbourne’s Public Transport

    Half-day conference, Tuesday 20th February 9am-1pm Organised by the Australasian Centre for the Governance and Management of Urban Transport (GAMUT), Victorian Local Governance Association (VLGA), and the Metropolitan Transport Forum (MTF) Our rail system is in crisis; public transport is required to lift its game to meet the targets set in Melbourne 2030; the franchise…

  • High petrol prices a sign of worse to come

    Rising petrol prices over recent years are giving Australians a glimpse of the future, the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) warned today. The warning came as a Senate Inquiry into future oil supplies highlighted growing doubts about the ability of global supplies to meet projected demand. “The transport status quo is a recipe for disaster,”…

  • Users call on Bracks to sack Connex

    The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) today called on the Bracks Government to commit to not renewing the suburban train franchise with Connex in 2008. The call comes after unprecedented disruptions to train services, due to problems with the braking systems on Siemens trains. PTUA President Daniel Bowen said Connex had been aware of the…

  • Melbourne set to grind to a halt

    Make no mistake: our public transport system is in crisis, and if safety concerns force the removal of the remaining Siemens trains from the network, the city is in danger of grinding to a halt. But it is the height of negligence for the Bracks Government to try and wash its hands of the matter…

  • Hold onto your train tickets — Compensation available

    Monthly and longer ticketholders will get compensation from Connex for January for the large number of cancelled and delayed trains. While it is only a Daily ticket — more of a token than genuine compensation — and it does not apply to shorter term ticketholders who have also put up with poor train services this…

  • Successful project a hopeful sign of things to come

    The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has congratulated the new Minister for Public Transport in delivering the Middleborough Road grade separation project ahead of schedule and with minimal inconvenience. “The Minister for Public Transport, Lynne Kosky, deserves congratulations for overseeing the Middleborough Road grade separation project and delivering a project ahead of schedule,” said PTUA…

  • Summer timetables lack consistency

    The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has called for a permanent end to ‘Summer’ service cutbacks and consistent timetables throughout the summer period. “There is currently no consistency between the summer timetables used on the train and tram network and the summer timetables used for buses”, said PTUA Vice-President Alex Makin. “In addition the detrimental…

  • Tram extension would complement new Shoppingtown

    The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has called on the State Government to fund the Doncaster tram extension so that the project could be completed simultaneously with the Doncaster Shoppingtown extension. “Doncaster’s status as an activity centre in Melbourne 2030 is still under threat despite the beginnings of the Doncaster Shoppingtown expansion,” said PTUA Vice-President…