A national coalition of transport groups has urged the federal government to fund a major rail network upgrade to enable the introduction of high speed passenger services and ensure the viability of regional rail freight services.
In a submission ahead of this year’s federal budget [1], the sustainable transport coalition, which includes Victoria’s Public Transport Users Association (PTUA), has recommended that the federal government’s commitment to infrastructure investment begin with dragging Australia’s rail network out of the steam age and into the 21st century. Continue reading National commitment to rail network urgently needed→
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 ban. We believe such a ban makes minimal difference to overcrowding (reportedly less than 100 cyclists use trains at peak times) while severely impacting those who have a genuine need to take their bicycle on-board. There are other more effective measures that can be made to relieve overcrowding on trains, without banning particular groups of passengers.
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 within zone 2, including stations in the zone 1/2 overlap.)
While we recognise that many peak hour services are crowded, we are aware of a number of passengers who genuinely need their bicycles at both ends of their train trip. These represent only a small number of people relative to total passenger loads. So a total ban is unlikely to have a big effect on crowding, while unfairly disadvantaging those people who need to take their bikes on trains. Continue reading Bicycles to be banned from peak hour trains→
Regular public transport users are reminded that compensation is available for monthly and longer ticketholders due to poor reliability on metropolitan and regional rail services recently.
Connex for May and June — Click here or get a form from a staffed station
V/Line for April, May and June on most short and long distance services — click the following links for details for April / May / June
While the compensation is minimal (a free daily/return ticket), and shorter term ticketholders who have also been affected are not able to apply, the PTUA encourages all eligible passengers to make a claim, as it helps send the message that public transport reliability needs to improve.
Public transport advocates have criticised the Federal Budget for again failing to fund sustainable transport initiatives. Victoria’s Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) said the Federal Government continued to ignore the problem, against the advice of such bodies as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), whose report last week on mitigating climate change highlighted the urgent need to invest in public transport.
“The concern revealed in the IPCC report about growth in transport emissions shows how grossly unsustainable our current transport policies are,” said Mr Bowen. “And the Federal Government is continuing to lead us down this dangerous path, by funding billions of dollars in road projects, but not putting a cent into urban public transport.”[1] Continue reading Federal budget bypasses sustainable transport→
While the compensation is minimal (a free daily/return ticket), and shorter term ticketholders who have also been affected are not eligible, the PTUA encourages users to make a claim, as it helps send the message that public transport reliability needs to improve.
Update: Passengers affected by the disruption on the Hurstbridge line this morning (Thu 12/4/2007), and other similar Connex disruptions that lasted more than two hours, are also reminded that under Connex’s Service Commitment Code, that: “If train services on a line are suspended for a period of over two hours and a bus replacement service is not provided, all eligible periodical ticket holders who use the line and validated their ticket on that day will receive a free daily ticket.”
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 regional travellers.
Mr Bowen said that rationalisation of bus fares was also a plus. “A fare structure that is consistent and simple to understand is an essential part of the public transport system. Making Metcards valid on the Nightrider buses is a big boost”, he said. Continue reading Fare simplification welcomed→
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 month, the PTUA encourages all eligible customers to send in a claim form. It helps send the message that Connex and the government need to work harder to fix the current problems.
The State Government should buy back the lease for the state’s broad gauge rail network from private operator Pacific National, the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) said today.
“Privatisation of the regional rail network has failed dismally,” said PTUA regional spokesman Paul Westcott. “Pacific National, and Freight Australia before them, failed to invest in the infrastructure or provide competitive access to other rail operators. It’s time to bring this natural monopoly back into public hands.” Continue reading Buy back rail lease, says transport user group→
The public transport advocacy group for Victoria, Australia
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 within zone 2, including stations in the zone 1/2 overlap.)