N e w s Public Transport Users Association www.ptua.org.au ISSN 0817 – 0347 Volume 39 No. 4 October 2015 All Change in Canberra - Will Mr Turnbull revive our stalled transport future?

National political news in the past month has habit of posting selfies on Twitter while using trains, been all about the replacement of trams and buses. In 2006 he told The Age, "It is one with as Prime Minister. There of the highest priorities for our major cities to is a widespread belief that Mr Turnbull's election improve public transport. I get around almost just puts a new face on existing Federal Coalition invariably by public transport and I find it quite policies, but one area where we can be cautiously impractical to drive." In 2010 he said to a Western optimistic about real change is the Federal population summit, "We complain bitterly funding of urban about crowded roads but public transport. do not provide enough of Mr Abbott maintained the only thing that can that the Federal be relied on to get people Government would not off the roads - efficient fund urban public and reliable mass transport projects. transit….Cities Although some claimed dependent on cars this reflected an anti- discriminate against the urban bias within the old, the poor and the Coalition, it is clear it young." was largely due to However, as we go to Abbott himself. Even press the Turnbull the Howard Government Government is yet to canvassed funding urban make any firm public transport in its 2002 AusLink green paper, commitment to urban public transport in . though this faltered in the actual legislation. Far When asked recently, Mr Turnbull said he had yet to from being "not in the knitting", there is a sizeable see a proposal from the Victorian Government for history of Federal involvement in urban public public transport funding. It is not clear whether this transport, including the Cranbourne line is a delaying tactic, or a genuine invitation to Premier electrification in 1991. to submit a case for a rail project. The Federal funding freeze had the practical effect The State Government indicates it is giving priority of sabotaging public transport investment by all to the Metro rail , but progress three levels of government. Without Federal toward a formal business case appears slow, in funding, almost any large infrastructure project is a contrast to road projects such as the expansion of non-starter. Mr Abbott by all accounts understood CityLink and the Tullamarine Freeway to the airport. this, and intended that public transport development Treasurer has indicated a business case would wither in favour of a 1960s road agenda. for Transurban's Western Distributor can be expected Mr Turnbull however has made strong statements in at the end of October, but will we be made to wait the past supporting public transport as the months for progress on rail projects? foundation of liveable cities, and many know his Continued on p3

PTUA News – October 2015 – Page !1 Keeping in touch… Committee Member meetings Anthony Morton – President Melbourne: PTUA office Tim Long – Secretary Meetings will be advertised in PTUA Ross House, Phil Bourke – Treasurer News and on our website www.ptua.org.au 247 Flinders Lane, Melbourne Daniel Bowen Telephone (03) 9650 7898 Alison Clarke : e-mail: [email protected] First Saturday of every month (except Matthew Ferrantino Jan), 10:30am Internet Ian Hundley Mary MacKillop Room, St Mary's Our web site is at www.ptua.org.au Parish Offices,cnr. Little Myers and Tony Mohr Yarra streets, Geelong The PTUA runs email lists for member David Robertson discussions, and to stay up to date with PTUA events. Members can also view Petra Stock archived newsletters online: Bruce Sutherland Membership Enquiries www.ptua.org.au/members/resources Jennifer Williams Call or e-mail the office (see above) Geelong Branch: PTUA members can obtain cheap Paul Westcott – Convenor yearly passes – see www.ptua.org.au/members/offers

Notice of Annual General Meeting The Annual General Meeting of the Public Transport Users Association will be held at 6:30 pm on Wednesday 2nd December, in the Hayden Raysmith Room, 4th Floor, Ross House, 247 Flinders Lane, Melbourne. The meeting will be addressed by the Minister for Public Transport, the Hon. Jacinta Allen MP who will also answer some questions from In this issue members. • All change in Canberra - p1 Nominations for committee must be received in writing by the returning officer no later than 25th • Level crossing works - p3 November. The nomination form is available on our • Infrastructure - but where are website at www.ptua.org.au/members/meetings, or the services? - p4 contact the office for a paper copy. Nominations will only be accepted from the floor at the meeting if • Race to the Town Hall - p5 insufficient nominations are received to fill required positions. Edited by Anna Morton. A reminder that you must be a current financial member to attend and vote at the AGM. You may Newsletter contributors - Daniel Bowen, Tony renew your membership at the meeting if it is still Morton, Eleisha Mullane, Paul Westcott. current or no more than four months lapsed. Printed by Kosdown, Port Melbourne. Airport Rail link forum There will be a forum about the economic and social Our thanks to Margaret Pullar and the dedicated case for the Rail Link at RMIT mailout team. on 30th October. For further information please see www.ptua.org.au/members/meetings

PTUA News – October 2015 – Page !2 Level crossing progress

The Andrews government has with two consortia shortlisted, and in huge cost savings compared embarked on the level crossing construction expected to start in with deferring this work until later. removal program it committed 2016. As the popular saying goes: "Do it to at the 2014 state election. The The PTUA has been repeatedly once, do it right." government envisages the told that the Caulfield to Over or under? removal of 50 level crossings in Dandenong line projects will Metropolitan Melbourne by Much is not clear about the include "passive" provision for program. This includes whether 2022 which is to cost an future expansion to four tracks. estimated $4 billion. grade separations other than what This means authorities will not has been the traditional approach The Burke Road, Gardiner level acquire properties for additional in Victoria of sinking the rail line crossing removal is the first tracks, allow but neither will they under the road are to be scheduled to be completed, and is allow new buildings to be built on considered. progressing, with a trench parallel the alignment. to the existing rail line This is not always the best being dug for the new line. solution. It may result in significantly increased A week-long closure of the costs which would be Glen Waverley line during avoided in many cases if the September school the rail lines were to be holidays had passengers elevated above the road. carried by bus from Elevated rail lines in many Darling to Caulfield, and cases would result in seemed to run relatively superior land use and and smoothly. More major enhanced values in the works are expected to be area. There should also be carried out over Christmas, significant potential with with the project finished in many grade separations 2016. Given the importance of additional and associated construction of new Other crossings on the Sunbury tracks in the future to cater for railway stations to secure and Frankston lines are undergoing additional trains, including significant revenue through "value early works. expresses, V/Line and freight, we capture" in the redevelopment of But the first full series of crossings urge the government to implement these locations. This appears to to be removed on one line - the the extra tracks as part of the grade have not progressed beyond a nine between Caulfield and separation project. They will be "thought bubble” within the Dandenong on the Cranbourne/ needed eventually, but doing this Victorian government but it needs now with so much other to. Pakenham line - are yet to begin, construction occurring will result

Continued from p1 which six are urban rail, including other initiatives to renew our The Federal Opposition, the Melbourne . public transport network: high- meanwhile, is setting up for a Our State Government needs to capacity signalling, level crossing bidding war on public transport grasp the opportunity raised by grade separation, short rail funding. They have announced these changes, and exert pressure extensions to growth areas and they will elevate Infrastructure on Mr Turnbull and newly new accessible bus and tram fleets. to become an investment anointed Cities Minister Jamie The grim alternative, already 'facilitation' body as well as an Briggs to fund the public transport gaining pace as population grows, evaluation body. It will initially that the people in Victoria need is that Melbourne will deteriorate commit to a list of 10 projects of and want. This includes not only to be a liveable city for just a select the Metro tunnel but also the many few. PTUA News – October 2015 – Page !3 Infrastructure pushing ahead, but what about service planning?

There’s no doubt that the upgrade frequencies to cut operations (and passenger trips) Andrews government is pushing overcrowding on key routes such made quicker and more efficient, ahead with rail infrastructure - as Warrigal Road, have been and better co-ordinated with other surveying and planning for the planned since last year, but were routes. The key is that the benefits metro rail tunnel, the extension postponed in April. It’s still not should heavily outweigh to Mernda, level crossing known when and if they will be disadvantages. removals, new stations at implemented, and in what form. Southland and Caroline Springs This type of bus network change and more. Even the simplest of changes, the in Brimbank in 2014 seems to opening of Flagstaff station on have proven successful. More But what about the other vital weekends, pledged by both major direct, more frequent routes, aspect of good public transport: parties in the 2014 election, hasn’t reduced duplication and better upgraded services? happened yet. alignment to train timetables were introduced - and have resulted in When the Some of these proposed service increased patronage. opened in June, accompanying changes aren’t perfect. The Metro local bus route changes were proposal would remove remaining We hope that the government isn’t implemented, but Metro timetable Frankston trains from the City putting off changes that will changes were deferred - including Loop, while not using all the freed provide the majority with a better

resolving the Altona Loop shuttle capacity for other services, which service because a small number of mess. The result is that much of may result in crowding. Parts of people will be slightly the huge rail capacity boost the bus plans would cut disadvantaged. provided by this multi-billion- frequencies on some services, dollar project is not yet being particularly in the western Improved infrastructure is used. suburbs. welcome, but alone won’t provide the public transport Victoria needs. Tram network changes designed to From that point of view, some Timetable and service reform is provide more capacity on key aspects may need review and needed on our trains, trams and routes such as Swanston Street/St consultation. But they shouldn’t be buses. Kilda Road and William Street, put on ice indefinitely. and introduce low-floor trams to Nobody would pretend the the hospital precinct, were also Some changes, such as making network is perfect, and it does planned for June, but have been bus routes more direct, may mean need to evolve as the city grows - deferred as well. some passengers have to walk but the government can’t stall slightly further to get to a stop, or forever on changes. Transdev bus route changes have to change services. This is intended to improve service not unacceptable if it means reliability (by splitting the long services can be more frequent, the orbital routes), reform routes and network more legible and bus

PTUA News – October 2015 – Page !4 Race for PT continues

The Race for PT continues this Transition Darebin and Friends of environment groups and residents month with an event scheduled to Merri Creek to help build the groups. coincide with the Preston Market movement for increased Food and Wine Festival on investment in public transport Saturday 24th October. infrastructure and services. Key dates This will provide an interesting Also coming up is the Race to Race to Preston Market Saturday snapshot of people travelling to a Moreland Town hall in Coburg October 24th community hub and help bring to which will coincide with the Race to Moreland Town Hall life a variety of local transport annual night markets at the reserve (Coburg) Friday December 4th issues like poor weekend services opposite the town hall. We hope to To register for the event go and connectivity. be able to partner with Moreland to race4pt.org.au We have partnered with the Council to try and spread a message of taking PT instead of Or contact Eleisha Mullane Darebin Council, Preston Market at [email protected] or and the Preston Central Traders driving and adding to the parking woes locally. We will be holding a B e r i s h B i l a n d e r Association who have kindly at [email protected] if you would offered $10 vouchers to the first 50 planning meeting with local groups including Moreland like to discuss hosting an event in people who RSVP. We are also your area. working with a range of Citizens Alliance for Transport, community groups such as Revitalise Sydney Road, Darebin Climate Action Network,

Industrial Action on Trams and Trains: Hopes for a positive outcome

The Rail, Tram and Bus Union As an advocate for all passengers the measures proposed by Metro exerted some of its industrial on public transport, the PTUA was may have adverse consequences. muscle in August and September, disappointed that the union felt the But overall it is our view that with the train and tram divisions need to resort to stop-work action industrial negotiations should staging various actions including that disrupted hundreds of always be conducted in good faith some half-dozen daytime strikes. thousands of passengers. As we by all parties and genuine effort be The action was associated with were not privy to the negotations made to secure sensible negotiated negotiations for new Enterprise we do not presume to apportion outcomes balancing established Bargaining Agreements with blame for this between the union workers' rights with the need for Metro Trains and . and the private operators. operational efficiency. Some industrial action took place We understand that one of the In any case we are pleased to see in the years following privatisation matters under dispute concerns that the operators and workers are in 1999, however these recent Metro wanting to divide the train reportedly close to agreement and actions were the first stop-work network into five sectors with most that further stop-work action has actions this century that affected drivers allocated separately to been averted as at the time of the entire train or tram network at each. To us it has always made writing. This has been achieved in one time. sense to separate the train groups part through the active intervention Although the formal stop-work operationally, as this is common of the State Government, as we covered the period from 10am to practice overseas and helps avoid believe is appropriate in the case of 2pm on most occasions, practically knock-on delays, though disputes affecting critical this meant that services began to importantly, this does not infrastructure. wind down at the tail-end of the necessarily require dedicated morning peak, and did not fully driver fleets or the wholesale recover until around 4pm. removal of crossovers and some of PTUA News – October 2015 – Page !5 Geelong branch report

The Geelong meeting for the Someone who attended a couple of side of politics has any monopoly PTV Regional Network Branch meetings earlier in the on virtue when it comes to PT. Development Plan (RNDP) was year, angry that changed bus routes The most popular sentiment at the quite well attended, with a would mean she would be trapped meeting appeared to be that the number of members present. It in her house, recently contacted system should revert to the way it was sidetracked to an extent by our Convenor to ask if a redundant was. Remarkably, a Lara resident people who were there to complain bus shelter on her former route said they now had too many buses, about the adverse consequences for could be moved to the nearby stop and someone who didn't use buses them of the new bus system. she was obviously now using. Not maintained that the old system was Fortunately, the facilitator wanting to downplay the fine. The Liberal MPs said they managed the situation skilfully and inconvenience to some people of would campaign to have an there was a focus on medium and the bus changes, it's significant that immediate review of the system. longer-term goals for public the person involved is still able to transport in the region. travel. Our Convenor met Christine Cozens to try to clarify when any review of the bus system might be held. She has been saying it would be before Christmas, whereas PTV originally said it would be held in a year. She explained that she has been pushing PTV to have reviews in specific locations (as has already happened at Lara) before the end of the year, and is frustrated that she hasn't been able to get PTV to agree to that. The Branch's view is that PTV should start the review process as early as possible in the New Year. Someone who travels from The earlier stakeholders meeting Local Liberal MPs reacted to Geelong to work at Laverton, and for the RNDP was heavily complaints about the new bus previously had a simple cross- populated by bus industry people, system and the Regional Rail Link platform connection to Metro some from Melbourne. About six by holding a public forum at trains Werribee station, now has to “non-stakeholders" attended, Grovedale, which was attended by use the -Werribee apparently at the suggestion of about 100 people. Our Branch station connecting bus. He said the local state Labor MP Christine Convenor was invited to make new arrangements have virtually Couzens, to complain about some brief remarks. To try to doubled his daily travel time, and changes to the bus system. They dampen party-political bias, he he’s see the patronage of the were admitted after a bit of noted that the new bus system was connecting bus decline noticeably hesitation, and seated at their own entirely developed by PTV under since 21 June. separate table. A number of the the previous state Coalition stakeholders were puzzled by the government, and Regional Rail complaints because they didn't Link planning had occurred under know what local bus routes went both Labor and Coalition where. governments. Therefore neither

PTUA News – October 2015 – Page !6 Altona Loop Group - still waiting for decent services

The Altona Loop Group was skipping the very stations it is public transport and drive to their formed in 2011 prior to the supposed to service. There are also destination. introducation of a new timetable many infrastructure faults on the At previous community meetings, on the Werribee line that would line that add to the problems. residents were advised they could disadvantage local residents. PTV data showed an immediate not have their service reinstated The three stations on the Altona and sustained decline in patronage until Regional Rail commenced. At loop are Seaholme, Altona and of 30% on the Altona loop after the the Metropolitan Transport Forum Westona. Peak hour services were current timetable was introduced2. prior to the 2014 election, the local reduced to an impossible to In the latest patronage data, Member for Altona, Jill Hennessy remember 22 minutes and a shuttle Seaholme and Westona boardings MP stated that the off peak through operates between service would be Laverton and restored under a Newport off peak Labor Government. with lengthy waiting The improved times for connecting timetable was services to the city or rejected by the Werribee. Three incoming Andrews trains are required to Government fearing travel to a a backlash from station off peak. people in marginal To make up time, seats on the Metro sometimes Frankston line. bypasses these Commuters on the Will it or won’t it go via Altona? - Werribee line train near Altona loop are still stations due to the Footscray station. limiting single track. This waiting for an acceptable train service 4 years later. occurs on a regular basis as a have decreased further while bypass only counts for 1/8th of a patronage on the rest of the 1 Track Record 63, April to June cancellation. There have been 391 Werribee line has soared. The 2015 bypasses in the last 12 months and station car park and surrounding 2 1 PTV Train Station Patronage Fact the figures are increasing . streets at Newport are overflowing Sheet www.ptv.vic.gov.au/about- Passengers are dumped at Newport as people drive to a station with a ptv/ptv-data-and-reports/research- of an evening outbound and have better service and there is a and-statistics/ to wait another 22 minutes for the petition from local traders and next train while the train runs residents to sort out the mess. direct to Laverton to make up time, Others have simply given up on

Commuter club reminder

passes – in previous years many of Want to make sure you get your our CC patrons have missed out on get your pass at the 2015 prices 2016 discounted 365 day yearly their December renewals before and beat the early December cut- pass – a new Commuter Club card the price rise. Last year we only off. or renewal? got a single day’s notice that the Order now at www.ptua.org.au/ cut-off date was being made earlier In December, PTV will announce members/offers/ new fares for 2016 and they also than 10 December. Don’t miss out bring forward the application date – order yours before 30 Note your new pass is not active for December Commuter Club November so you are guaranteed until first use. PTUA News – October 2015 – Page !7 PTUA News Newsletter of the Public Transport Users Association, Org. No. A-6256L Print Post: Publication No. PP 100002658 If undeliverable, return to: PTUA Office, 247 Flinders Lane, Melbourne 3000

Inside:

All change in Canberra Races to the Town Halls We have infrastruture, now give us services. Altona Loop frustration Commuter Club

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PTUA News – October 2015 – Page !8