Category Archives: Election 2010

Election 2010, Letters to the editor

Co-ordination key – letter to the editor

MELISSA Fyfe (”It’s time to help commuters make their connection”, 3/10) points out the basic weakness afflicting Melbourne public transport: the lack of an independent, publicly accountable authority to co-ordinate trains, trams and buses.

Groups as diverse as the Greens, privatisation experts and former train and tram operators support a lean, expert body to plan a public transport network for Melbourne. The benefits have been demonstrated in cities from Perth to London.
Continue reading Co-ordination key – letter to the editor →

Election 2010, Geelong, Media releases, Melbourne west, Regional

Call for more V/Line services to cut waiting times

Southern Cross StationAs the state election approaches, the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has called for upgrades to V/Line short distance services[1] to run at least every 30 minutes, seven days-a-week.

PTUA regional spokesman Paul Westcott said that with strong patronage growth, V/Line train services are increasingly overcrowded not just in peak times, but also at off-peak times, including weekends, and that waiting times are excessive.

“You will wait an hour between trains from Geelong to Melbourne, for  example. You could drive the distance in that time.

“And our members report passengers forced to stand for long distances on some off-peak V/Line trains.”
Continue reading Call for more V/Line services to cut waiting times →

Election 2010, Media releases, Melbourne east

Alamein Line upgrade call

The Alamein line which is used for over 1.8 million journeys a year is falling behind, according to the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA). Recent timetable upgrades for the metropolitan train network launched earlier in the month ignored Alamein line commuters.

“Alamein passengers are tired of being left behind by the government and Metro”, said Jeremy Lunn, the PTUA’s eastern spokesman, “so an upgrade is needed in order to bring Alamein trains in line with services on the Ringwood line”.

With the state election just around the corner, the PTUA believes there is a strong chance of seeing an upgrade to Alamein services.
Continue reading Alamein Line upgrade call →

Election 2010, Media releases, Melbourne east

21st century upgrade call – Belgrave and Lilydale lines

Passengers on the Lilydale and Belgrave lines beyond Ringwood are receiving train services that are below urban standards according to the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA). In the off-peak, services beyond Ringwood operate half-hourly, compared with every 15 minutes between the city and Ringwood.

Peak hour services also finish very early at just after 8am in Belgrave, potentially inconveniencing commuters who work irregular hours or outside the CBD (in places such as Ringwood or Box Hill).

“There is absolutely no reason to believe that people living beyond Ringwood deserve poorer public transport services,” said Jeremy Lunn, the PTUA’s Outer East Convenor. “Both these lines are supported by a good urban population and residents deserve much better than what they are currently receiving.”
Continue reading 21st century upgrade call – Belgrave and Lilydale lines →

Election 2010, Media releases, Melbourne and suburbs

Crime stats highlight station hotspots

Booking officeAnalysis of 2009 crime statistics by the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has shown that 45% of assaults on railway stations occur at just ten locations. The figures also showed about half the assaults occurred in the daytime.

PTUA President Daniel Bowen said that the figures reinforced the association’s call for all stations to be staffed from first to last train, and with a permanent police presence at the top ten hotspot stations.

The PTUA also wants a review of communications and emergency response times to ensure that station staff can quickly get police or ambulance assistance when required. Police deployment should include a mechanism for radio contact between patrolling police officers and station booking office staff, and be regularly reviewed to ensure chosen locations remain appropriate, with possible expansion if required.

“While people are most concerned about safety on the train system at night, the reality is that about half the assaults happened in broad daylight”, said Mr Bowen.

“And just ten stations accounted for 45% of the incidents reported.

“All together 85 stations had recorded incidents of assault, but 116 had none.”
Continue reading Crime stats highlight station hotspots →

Election 2010, Events, Melbourne and suburbs, Melbourne east, Melbourne north, Melbourne west, Outer East

State election public transport forums in your area

Community Forums
The Metropolitan Transport Forum (MTF), of which the PTUA is an associate member, is holding public transport forums in various areas around Melbourne in the lead-up to November’s state election.

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

Six forums are planned so far:
Continue reading State election public transport forums in your area →

Election 2010, Media releases, Melbourne and suburbs

Call to staff all stations

Unstaffed stationsThe Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has called on all political parties to commit to fulltime staffing of all metropolitan railway stations, and a joint Victoria Police/Metro review to determine which stations should have a permanent police presence.

“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.
Continue reading Call to staff all stations →

Election 2010, Media releases, Melbourne south

Call for railway station at Southland

The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has called on the state government and opposition to commit to building a railway station at Southland Shopping Centre.

PTUA president Daniel Bowen said it was ludicrous that a major traffic generator adjacent to a railway line had no station.

Southland’s western entrance is only a short distance from the Frankston line, but train passengers must walk a kilometre from the closest station at Cheltenham, or catch buses, which are not timed to connect with trains, and depart from several different stops.
Continue reading Call for railway station at Southland →