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
The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has condemned Vicroads for the lack of public consultation before releasing their concept plan for the Springvale Road Rail Separation Project. As the plan does not meet the basic design principles for a proper transport interchange, the PTUA has called for a complete redesign of the project.
“A railway station needs to be properly designed to serve the community, and should not be a costly, short-sighted inconvenience,” said Jeremy Lunn, the PTUA’s Outer East Convenor. “The designers and bureaucrats behind this project seem set on a less functional design.”
Continue reading Station design short-sighted
The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has criticised the inadequate weekend timetable for the 903 bus, stating that its lopsided frequency is resulting in overcrowding and confusion. To rectify the problem it has called for buses every 15 minutes between Mordialloc and Heidelberg.
“Here we have this bizarre arrangement where Saturday buses run at mixed intervals of 15 minutes and half an hour,” said PTUA Outer East Convenor Jeremy Lunn. “So you might have buses at 12:00pm, 12:15pm, 12:30pm, then not another bus until 1:00pm. Then it repeats all over creating long waiting times, confusion and overcrowding on this otherwise successful service.”
Continue reading Hole in the bus timetable – Please fix now
Following intense lobbying from community groups such as the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) and Templestowe Road Reference Panel, recent State Government bus service reviews have finally provided two-directional public transport services along Templestowe Road. However, without any bus stops on the northern side of the road, the new service is useless if it cannot serve passengers along the route, and both groups demand their immediate installation.
Continue reading Service ‘useless’ without stops
The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has slammed John Brumby’s Transport Plan for failing to provide real transport solutions in Melbourne’s outer east. Instead the plan seeks to bail out Eastlink, while encouraging outer east residents to travel by car rather than public transport.
“John Brumby has once again failed to deliver a sustainable future for Melbourne’s outer east,” said Jeremy Lunn, the PTUA’s Outer East convenor. “This plan is about more roads, a few tokenistic gestures for public transport and even less for the outer east. It’s a return to the Kennett era, only far worse.”
Continue reading Transport Plan a ‘disgrace’ to the Outer East
Given the enormous growth in off-peak rail journeys across Melbourne, the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) is confident that in its upcoming transport statement, the state government will announce more off-peak train services, adding to those which started this week.
“Finally the government has listened to the community and realises the need for increased off-peak services, especially in the evenings and on weekends. However it has not done nearly enough,” PTUA Outer East Convenor Jeremy Lunn said.
Continue reading PTUA says extra rail services still needed
The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has welcomed progress by the Commonwealth and State governments towards the elimination of the Springvale Road level crossing in Nunawading. However, it has warned that the Mitcham Road and Rooks Road level crossings need to be done away with at the same time.
“If work on each crossing is carried out in isolation it will be highly disruptive for rail commuters,” said Jeremy Lunn, the PTUA’s Outer East Convenor. “To minimise disruption in the longer term, removal of the three crossings should be carried out together as a single project.”
Continue reading Commuters welcome crossing removal, but warn of problems
The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has warned that Premier John Brumby’s proposal for free “night owl” travel will only result in worse crowding on evening trains.
Continue reading Free ‘night owl’ travel not quite the hoot
The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has expressed dismay at the Premier John Brumby for considering the building of the so-called `missing link’ freeway as part of a metropolitan ring road. The PTUA said that major public transport investment is needed instead.
Continue reading The real missing link is public transport
A Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) plan to upgrade evening train services would be a boon to the local economy in Whitehorse. Under the PTUA’s proposal, trains would operate every 15 minutes on all lines, including those to Belgrave, Lilydale, Alamein and Glen Waverley, seven days a week.
“The current half-hourly evening train services are inconvenient and overcrowded,” said Jeremy Lunn, the PTUA’s Outer East Convenor. “As a result, many people are choosing to stay at home or to drive to their evening destination instead.”
Continue reading Evening train upgrades would be a boon