Category Archives: More Services Please

Every 10 Minutes to Everywhere, Media releases, More Services Please

Victorians want investment in public transport

Polling released today by the Climate Council shows that Victorians want all levels of government to invest more in public and active transport. The PTUA is supporting the Climate Council’s call for governments to allocate at least 50% of their transport budgets to public transport, and 20% to safe walking and biking infrastructure.

80% of Victorians agreed that governments should invest more in public transport, with 63% saying they would be more willing to use services if they were more frequent, better connected, reliable, safe and affordable.

Just 16% of Victorians want roads prioritised in the transport budget, while 39% want improvements to public and active transport prioritised, and 35% want a balance between the two.

“These poll results reinforce what we’ve known for a long time – people want convenient alternatives to driving,” said PTUA spokesperson Daniel Bowen. “If you create a well-connected network of frequent public transport services, people will use them.

“If we had services running every 10 minutes, all day every day, across our trains, trams and major bus routes, millions of Victorians could get around conveniently without needing to drive – slashing carbon emissions, reducing congestion, and saving their household budgets.

“There’s still a need to invest in big city-shaping infrastructure for the future, but most of these improvements to frequencies could be rolled out in a matter of months – as quickly as you could train the drivers.

“Electric cars are an important part of cleaning up transport, but that transition can’t happen quickly enough on its own – giving people real alternatives to driving would slash emissions this decade, and be incredibly popular as well.”

More information:

Every 10 Minutes to Everywhere, More Services Please

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 waits for trains and trams being as much as 20 to 40 minutes outside peak times, people can spend more time waiting for a service than travelling on it.

Running all trains, trams and main road buses at least “every ten minutes to everywhere” all day, every day, would ensure that all of Melbourne has a “turn up and go” network that people can use without having to check a timetable first, and that connections are easy.

Every 10 Minutes to Everywhere, More Services Please

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 in stabling yards.

It hasn’t changed in decades. Sunday 10am to 7pm frequencies were increased in 1999 to 20 minutes, but the morning 40 minute gaps have existed since the 1970s.

This is not good enough for a growing city of 5 million people. To get Melbourne moving, it’s time for frequent train services every 10 minutes on all Metro lines, every day of the week.