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Category: Melbourne and suburbs

  • New housing needs public transport urgently

    Over 90,000 new households will be locked into crippling car dependence unless state and federal governments urgently expand Melbourne’s rail network, the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) warned today. “Families on Melbourne’s urban fringe have few transport options and are locked into owning and running at least one car per adult,” said PTUA President Daniel…

  • Commuters say: we want direct Alamein trains

    Ahead of contract renewals for Melbourne’s train network, the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has called for much needed upgrades on the Alamein line. “Alamein commuters are sick and tired of being treated as second class citizens of the train system,” said Jeremy Lunn, the PTUA’s Outer-East Convenor.

  • Get on track Brumby and upgrade Lilydale line.

    The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has called for the immediate duplication of single track sections on the Lilydale line, along with service upgrades. “We’ve seen no major timetable changes or upgrades on our line since the Kennett era and it’s now time for action,” said Jeremy Lunn, the PTUA’s Outer-East Convenor. “The existing timetables…

  • Upgrade our trains Brumby, before we’re a backwater

    After years of government inaction, the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has called for the immediate overhaul of train services in Melbourne’s east. Under this move, train services would be upgraded on the Belgrave, Lilydale, Glen Waverley and Alamein lines. “We’ve seen no major timetable changes or upgrades since the Kennett era and it’s now…

  • Smartcard cost would pay for conductors, station staff for over a decade

    The billion dollar cost of the troubled Myki smartcard ticketing system, revealed in the Herald Sun today, would cover the direct cost of re-staffing Melbourne’s transport system for over a decade, the Public Transport Users Association said today. PTUA President Daniel Bowen said rather than spending the money on a ticketing system which, like Metcard,…

  • Minister to review bike ban

    The PTUA is pleased to hear that the Minister for Public Transport, Lynne Kosky, will review the ban on bikes on peak hour trains. 1-Feb-2008: We are advised that in the mean time, no action will be taken against any cyclist with a bicycle on a peak hour train. The PTUA remains opposed to the…

  • SmartBus a success – though not quite there yet

    Following the success of the Warrigul Road SmartBus (route 700), the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) is calling for the State Government to fix bus priority along with further upgrades. This would help to bring the bus service into line with trains.

  • Bicycles to be banned from peak hour trains

    V/Line and Connex plan to ban bicycles on peak hour trains from the 1st of January 2008. The V/Line ban will apply to all trains in the peak direction, and we understand that the Connex ban will apply to all trains in the peak direction within zone 1. (Bicycles will be allowed at all times…

  • No Hill without tram

    The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) said today that the Doncaster Hill project was destined for failure without a proper rail transport link and renewed calls for the immediate extension of tram 48 to Doncaster. “There’s no chance of a successful Doncaster Hill without a tram connecting to the city and nearby suburbs,” said PTUA…

  • Bus as slow as bicycle – Rowville train needed

    The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has renewed calls for the immediate construction of the Rowville Railway line, describing the route 900 Wellington Road SmartBus as inadequate. “Bus services just cannot be compared with trains,” said Jeremy Lunn, the PTUA’s Outer-East Convenor. “The bus crawls along at bicycle pace resulting in travel times of over…

  • Box Hill Commuters ‘hold on’ for Toilets

    The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has called for the immediate installation of toilet facilities to be installed at Box Hill railway station, the only Premium Station in Melbourne without any toilet facilities. “Commuters have to go out of their way on a stroll through the shopping centre to find a toilet,” said Jeremy Lunn,…

  • Petition to end bus drought

    The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has launched a petition demanding an end to inadequate bus services along Canterbury Road and calling for a new ‘SmartBus’ service operating between Box Hill and Ringwood serving commuters, business and the community. “The bureaucrats and the Brumby Government are just not paying attention to the needs of the…