Comparison of transport policies for the 2006 state election
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We have evaluated the transport policies of the major parties, based on their documented public announcements and information found in their web sites and literature.
This table will be updated as further policy announcements are made. Note: the issue column lists Meeting Our Transport Challenges (MOTC) initiatives that will happen in the next four years no matter who is elected. (The only major point that a party has specifically said would be rolled-back is the Liberal party cancelling Dandenong triplication.)
Amended 24/11/2006
| Democrats | Family First | Greens | Labor | Liberal | National | People Power | ||
| Overall score | A good set of proposals that will solve many problems, only let down by a misguided attempt to move towards free public transport, which would deprive the system of valuable revenue.
A- |
Vague promises to encourage public transport are completely undermined by a move to massive freeway expansion, which long-term will lead to increased pollution and congestion.
F |
A good all-round package that would provide genuine solutions to Melbourne’s traffic and transport problems.
A |
Few initiatives over the existing Meeting Our Transport Challenges released in May. Apparently no plans to bring usable public transport to the two-thirds of Melbourne that doesn’t currently have it. Meanwhile, serious consideration is being given to multi-billion dollar freeway projects.
D |
Some significant broken promises from Labor to be implemented or brought forward. But let down by lack of specific plans to bring usable public transport to the rest of Melbourne, and by road expansion plans. C+ |
Some promises that will be beneficial to regional voters. C |
Good plans to overhaul the way transport is administered, upgrade frequencies and extend the network. Only let down by misguided fare reform that would see a trip down Collins Street cost the same as Pakenham to Sunbury. A- |
…Full details below…
| Issue | PTUA position | Democrats | Family First | Greens | Labor | Liberal | National | People Power |
| Public transport management
MOTC: Establishment of Co-ordinator General of Infrastructure position |
Central planning and timetable co-ordination via an efficient, accountable public agency
Planning and infrastructure department to provide coherence between land-use planning and transport Abolition of VicRoads as a separate entity Buy-back regional freight network Don’t renew franchise agreements, |
Co-ordinate timetables across services |
Establish lean, accountable agency to manage public transport
Return trains/trams to public ownership |
Buy-back regional rail network from Pacific National |
Buy-back regional rail network from Pacific National |
Buy-back regional rail network |
Establish an integrated transport planning authority
Establish a lean accountable public agency to run public transport, while retaining private operators |
|
| Issue | PTUA position | Democrats | Family First | Greens | Labor | Liberal | National | People Power |
| Metropolitan buses
MOTC: Work commencing on Red, Green, Yellow orbital Smartbus routes Upgrades 250 to local bus routes to seven-day-a-week (mostly hourly) services to 9pm Commencement of Doncaster bus upgrade Review of bus routes DDA upgrades |
All bus routes to run until at least 10pm, seven days a week
Restructure into a network of direct, frequent routes across Melbourne, with neighbourhood services filling the gaps Bus priority over other traffic Orbital and Smartbus rollout on 24 major routes Upgrade existing Smartbuses to new Smartbus standards |
Revamp bus network into two-tiered system with frequent main road routes and neighbourhood services
Link major centres with frequent buses Upgrade service frequencies Extend operating hours Traffic priority for main routes Switch bus fleet to biodiesel, ethanol, LPG or CNG |
Improve frequency, speed, travel time, accessibility and operating hours, replacing convoluted routes with direct and desired routes |
Redesign bus routes to run as fast direct links
Every neighbourhood to get a service running every 10 minutes peak, 30 minutes off-peak, 7 days a week to midnight |
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| Issue | PTUA position | Democrats | Family First | Greens | Labor | Liberal | National | People Power |
| Metropolitan train operations
MOTC: Major timetable revision in 2007 Metrol and communications upgrade DDA upgrades Station carpark expansion |
Trains at least every 10 mins peak, 15 mins off-peak every day including evenings
More express running Rail infrastructure and operations review to reform operations and identify genuine bottlenecks Train control system upgrade Review Alamein station locations More secure bicycle parking |
Upgrade service frequencies |
Improve frequency, speed, travel time, accessibility and operating hours
Adequate provision of secure bike facilities at stations Operational changes to address perceived capacity constraints |
Buy 6 additional trains
Upgrade stations at Ferntree Gully, Prahran Multistory carpark at Syndal |
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| Issue | PTUA position | Democrats | Family First | Greens | Labor | Liberal | National | People Power |
| Metropolitan rail network expansion
MOTC: Commence construction of third track Caulfield to Springvale City loop signalling upgrade West Footscray to Sunshine third track Sunshine to Watergardens signalling upgrade North Melbourne station upgrade Clifton Hill to Westgarth duplication Laverton to Werribee signalling upgrade |
Extend to South Morang
New lines to Rowville and Doncaster Electrify to Sunbury and Baxter Extra stations at Southland, Newport West, Derrimut Road and Forsyth Road (Werribee), Lyndhurst Park, Coolaroo, Campbellfield Duplication of single track on Epping, Hurstbridge, Werribee lines Cancel Dandenong line triplication in favour of more efficient operations, enhanced signalling and passing loops |
New stations at West Newport and Southland
Upgrade tracks and signalling to allow more express trains Build line to Rowville Extend Epping line to South Morang Build Doncaster line Build Airport (via Broadmeadows) line |
Extend Epping line to South Morang immediately |
Build new lines to Doncaster Hill, Rowville and extensions to Cranbourne East, Mernda, Aurora North and Wyndham Vale.
Duplication and electrification of railway line to Melton Various new railway stations Duplication of single track sections of metropolitan railway lines Improved signalling |
Upgrade Hurstbridge signalling
Build Coolaroo station |
Extend to South Morang
Feasibility study on line to Rowville Extend to Cranbourne East Cancel Dandenong triplication in favour of passing loops and operational improvements |
Extend to South Morang and Epping North
Build Doncaster line Build Rowville line Build stations at Southland, Lyndbrook, Point Cook, Pakenham Lakes, Campbellfield, Caroline Springs, Coolaroo and Newport West Duplicate single track on the Epping and Hurstbridge lines Duplicate and electrify to Melton Duplicate Ferntree Gully to Belgrave |
|
| Issue | PTUA position | Democrats | Family First | Greens | Labor | Liberal | National | People Power |
| Metropolitan trams
MOTC: Think Tram programme to continue, including St Kilda Road upgrade DDA upgrades |
Trams at least every 10 minutes, every day including evenings
Tram priority over other traffic Tram conductors on all but the quietest routes Tram extensions to East Malvern/Chadstone, Doncaster, East Keilor, Knox, Ashburton, 72 to Doncaster Road and Caulfield, Carnegie station |
Upgrade service frequencies
Traffic priority Extend tram lines to Knox, Chadstone, Doncaster, Glenroy, Caulfield and Bentleigh |
Improve frequency, speed, travel time, accessibility and operating hours
Traffic light and road space priority Extend routes to meet nearby railway stations Extensions to Knox, Chadstone and East Keilor |
Extend to Knox
Extend to Doncaster Buy 5 additional trams |
Increase frequencies to at least every 15 minutes until midnight
Extend tram routes to local stations, and to Chadstone, Doncaster, Keilor and Knox |
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| Issue | PTUA position | Democrats | Family First | Greens | Labor | Liberal | National | People Power |
| Late night services | Regular services until at least 2am nightly
Nightrider enhanced to shadow more train lines, and more frequent |
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| Issue | PTUA position | Democrats | Family First | Greens | Labor | Liberal | National | People Power |
| Fares and ticketing
Myki smartcard system to rollout from 2007 |
Integrate Nightrider and Skybus fares into Metcard
More discounts on periodicals Remove GST on fares Reduce increment across fare boundaries, reducing cost of multizone trips |
Four year moratorium on fare increase
Make concession fares available to international and interstate students Investigate feasibility of free public transport |
Single fare zone across Melbourne
Incentives to encourage public transport use |
Improved clarity, convenience and equity to encourage use of public transport |
Abolish zone 3
Expand Met zones to cover city fringe areas Cut V/Line fares by 20% Make Metcards valid on Nightrider |
Abolish zone 3
Free travel for fulltime students |
Halve V/Line fares |
Abolish zone system
Make weekend travel free for all |
| Issue | PTUA position | Democrats | Family First | Greens | Labor | Liberal | National | People Power |
| Staffing and security
MOTC: Some additional staff; 7 new Premium stations |
Staff to sell tickets alongside machines
Re-staff stations from first to last train Conductors on all but the quietest trams |
Guards back on trains
Conductors back on trams |
Staffing all stations and throughout system |
Staff on 100% of late night train trips
Premium station staff to include more customer service Upgrade lighting at stations Upgrade Prahran station to premium |
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| Issue | PTUA position | Democrats | Family First | Greens | Labor | Liberal | National | People Power |
| Regional trains
MOTC: Mildura rail upgrade (freight only) |
Restore passenger train services to Mildura, Leongatha, Horsham and Portland
Upgrade to frequencies to provide services every half-hour, 7 days-a-week to all destinations within two hours of Melbourne Phased standardisation of regional rail network |
Convert freight lines to dual-gauge when re-laying
Accelerate standardisation Improve V/Line service frequencies Upgrade signalling and track quality |
Increased services between Melbourne and regional centres |
Build new station at Grovedale |
Upgrade and standardise rail lines
Restore train services to Mildura and Leongatha |
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| Issue | PTUA position | Democrats | Family First | Greens | Labor | Liberal | National | |
| Regional buses
MOTC: Upgrade to services (no details) Rural school bus upgrades |
Upgrade main town bus services to at least Melbourne minimum standard levels (7 day a week until 9pm)
Upgrade regional coach services to comprehensive network linking with trains and providing regular service |
Improving regional and rural services, ensuring connections with trains |
Allow school buses to take public passengers |
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| Issue | PTUA position | Democrats | Family First | Greens | Labor | Liberal | National | People Power |
| Roads
MOTC: Arterial road upgrades Safer Roads programme Some level crossing upgrades Widening of Monash freeway Deer Park bypass Westgate bridge reversible lanes |
Moratorium on all new freeways and freeway expansion
Phased removal of level crossings, starting with those affecting tram and frequent bus routes Incentives and infrastructure measures (eg. dedicated Competitive neutrality between road and |
Reward energy-efficient transport vehicle users |
Complete ring road through green wedge
Build Frankston bypass/freeway Feasibility for east-west tunnel Remove most dangerous level crossings |
Abolish VicRoads
Moratorium on new freeways and tollways Removing most dangerous and disruptive crossings Removing car parking requirements from planning provisions Prevent road construction in Yarra Valley Green Wedge at Heidelberg/Bulleen |
Serious consideration being given to a multi-billion dollar freeway tunnel under Royal Park, that would do nothing to solve traffic congestion, would take away valuable parkland, and jeopardise future public transport to serve the north-eastern suburbs
Expand clear ways, harming local amenity, and bring more induced traffic |
Frankston, Lilydale and Belgrave bypass/freeway
May seek to lower CityLink tolls Level crossing eliminations at Blackburn, Ormond, Nunawading, Frankston and Bayswater Upgrade regional level crossings at Warragul, Birregurra, Trawalla Upgrades to numerous country roads Abolish CBD parking levy |
Improvements for country roads
Upgrade country rail crossings |
Improve street conditions for cycling and walking
Remove level crossing at Nunawading |
| Issue | PTUA position | Democrats | Family First | Greens | Labor | Liberal | National | People Power |
| Planning | 20% by 2020 and 25% by 2025 target for public transport mode share Encourage sensitive development around railway stations Public participation in all major planning decisions following Vancouver model Require public transport provision for new housing developments when people start moving in Single portfolio |
Workplaces in centres well-served by public transport
Bring land use, transport and infrastructure planning into single integrated department Incorporate social, environmental and economic factors into decision making and provide public reports on deliberations Require local governments to develop integrated transport strategies Reviewing Melbourne 2030 activity centres Ensure public transport services integrated into new housing developments |
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| Issue | PTUA position | Democrats | Family First | Greens | Labor | Liberal | National | People Power |
| Other MOTC: TravelSmart programme to continue Some pedestrian upgrades Transport interchange upgrades |
Seek Federal government funding for urban and rural public transport projects
Seek removal of Federal tax incentives |
Reduce tax on petrol, which would encourage greater use of this polluting non-renewable fuel and reduce funds for other government services |
Increase proportion of transport spending on public transport
Lobbying federal government to fund public transport 40km/h speed limits in shopping strips |
10% tolerance for speeding could harm road safety, especially for cyclists and pedestrians |