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News Public Transport Users Association www.ptua.org.au ISSN 0817 – 0347 Volume 42 No.4 September 2018 ‘Metro 3’ shows transport politics has turned a corner The Andrews Government’s announcement that it not already in a position to compare itself with large is planning a massive orbital rail line through cities such as London, Paris or Singapore, it almost Melbourne’s middle suburbs took everyone by certainly will be within Metro 3’s planning surprise. The orbital railway has apparently been timeframe. These large cities, while retaining very under consideration within government agency strong core areas, also possess high-quality orbital Development Victoria, and is mooted to involve public transport links. decades’ worth of construction and a price tag in Perhaps even more important, the Metro 3 the order of $50 billion - far cheaper than the announcement demonstrates that transport politics in equivalent length of motorway, if the $16 billion Victoria has well and truly turned the corner, to price tag for the North East Link is any guide. where Premiers and Transport Ministers are prepared The PTUA has to take seriously dubbed this project audacious, big- ‘Metro 3’, for a ticket rail projects, number of reasons. not just as once-in- First, its scale puts it a - g e n e r a t i o n on a par with the initiatives like the Metro 1 tunnel 1970s City Loop, project now but in a rolling underway, and the programme of proposed Metro 2 works. We are tunnel from finally seeing public Newport to Clifton transport take its Hill. Second, it deserved place on places the proposal Source - State Government of Victoria. the political stage. in the context of a de Of course, this is still early days. facto development plan for The Metro 3 project as yet carries no ‘business case’ Melbourne’s public transport infrastructure, where or formal evaluation. Asking for one in the short both Metro 1 and Metro 2, as key projects to boost term is difficult, given that Victoria’s official systems connections between the fast-growing western for project appraisal are severely compromised, suburbs and job-rich inner Melbourne, should still riddled with question-begging assumptions, and have overall priority. require a thorough overhaul. While not detracting from the imperative to progress What is imperative for the State Government now is Metro 2, it is clear that the government’s new to produce the Transport Plan that its own legislation proposal has merit. The PTUA has long adopted a calls for. This should feature Metro 2 and Metro 3 as cautious approach to orbital public transport in guiding priorities for transport infrastructure, Melbourne, recognising that the need is currently embedded within a comprehensive multimodal limited due to the predominantly radial focus of long- network plan and a competent authority charged with distance travel. While this approach makes sense for its execution, and carefully targeted rail and road a medium-sized city, it is steadily being overtaken by solutions for freight movement. Melbourne’s sheer growth, much of which is occurring in middle-suburban areas. If Melbourne is At least the outline of such a plan should feature in all parties’ platforms for November’s state election. PTUA News – September 2018 – Page !1 PTUA office Committee Member meetings Ross House, Anthony Morton – President Melbourne: 247 Flinders Lane, Melbourne David Robertson – Meetings will be advertised in PTUA e-mail: [email protected] Secretary News and on our website Phil Bourke – Treasurer www.ptua.org.au Internet Michael Bell Geelong: Our web site is at www.ptua.org.au Daniel Bowen First Saturday of every month (except January), 10:30am Tim Long The PTUA runs email lists for member Mary MacKillop Room, St Mary's discussions, and to stay up to date with Stuart McKenzie Parish Offices, cnr. Little Myers and PTUA events. Members can also view Anna Morton Yarra streets, Geelong archived newsletters online: Bruce Sutherland www.ptua.org.au/members/resources Ballarat: Jennifer Williams Second Thursday of each month (except January), 7pm Membership Enquiries Geelong Branch: Paul Westcott – Convenor Freight Bar, corner Mair and Peel Streets E-mail the office (see above). Ballarat Branch: PTUA members can obtain cheap yearly Ben Lever – Convenor Myki passes – see www.ptua.org.au/ members/offers Notice of Annual General In this issue Meeting • Melbourne Metro 3 p1 The Annual General Meeting of the PTUA will be • What is Melbourne Metro 2? p3 held on Thursday 18th October at 6:30 pm. in the Hayden Raysmith Room, 4th floor, Ross House, 247 • Cranbourne line - extend or Flinders Lane, Melbourne. duplicate? p4 Nominations for committee must be received in • Geelong branch report p5 writing by the returning officer no later than 3rd October. The nomination form is available on our • PSOs on trains p5 website at www.ptua.org.au/members/meetings, or contact the office for a paper copy. Nominations will • Mernda line opens p6 only be accepted from the floor at the meeting if insufficient nominations are received to fill required • Connecting to trains at positions. Frankston p6 A reminder that you must be a current financial • Ballarat branch report p7 member to attend and vote at the AGM, or to be nominated, or nominate someone for, the committee. Edited by Anna Morton. You may renew your membership at the meeting if it Newsletter contributors - Daniel Bowen, Ben Lever, is still current or no more than four months lapsed. Tony Morton and Paul Westcott. The guest speaker at the meeting will Rachel Printed by Kosdown, Port Melbourne. Lynskey from the Sustainable Cities campaign Our thanks to Margaret Pullar and the dedicated jointly funded by PTUA and Friends Of the Earth. mailout team. PTUA News – September 2018 – Page !2 What is Metro 2? We've all heard of Metro 1 - the Alongside other rail projects it proposed 3-lane West Gate Tunnel rail tunnel under construction to would improve connections, could handle. link the Sunbury line with the allowing far more trains to run. Dandenong line, via Parkville and But that wouldn't be stretching the Domain (to be known as Anzac Passengers on both lines would rail infrastructure. More can be station). have a faster, more direct trip into squeezed out the current lines right the CBD, which if accompanied by now, and a new tunnel should be Metro 2 is the proposal for a quality local feeder services able to run at least 24 trains, but up second metro rail tunnel. (buses) and infrastructure (bus and to 30 or more using high capacity bike lanes, and pedestrian signalling, and if built for it, 10-car It would be a connection from the facilities) would better compete trains. Mernda line, just north of Clifton with car travel. Hill station, tunnelling under There is a strong case not to delay Fitzroy (probably with a station From Werribee the new direct building such a project until after there), Parkville (with interchange route would make the train a better the Metro 1 tunnel is finished in to Metro 1), then Flagstaff, match for the Westgate Freeway. 2025 - rather, start now with Southern Cross, and then out to And not just for western suburbs to detailed planning, surveying, soil stations around new development CBD commutes; it would also testing, property acquisition, all the at Fishermans Bend, then under the cater much better for trips to and work that Metro 1 went river to Newport, to through ten years ago in connect with the preparation for the major Werribee line. works now underway. So the Mernda line Then preferably major would be separated from works (including the Hurstbridge line, excavation) can start on boosting capacity on Metro 2 as they finish on both (and allowing the Metro 1 - which isn't the Doncaster line to be built end of the first project, - though some argue that but some time early next this can be done sooner, decade. This would with high-capacity allow expertise and signalling). equipment to roll off one The Werribee line would onto the next. be separated out from the There's a cost to all this Williamstown and Altona of course - well above Loop (Laverton) lines. Melbourne Metro 2 - Source - Infrastructure Victoria. $10 billion, according to This has a lot of merit. Infrastructure Victoria. Although the Werribee line has from the Fishermans Bend area - But ultimately, Melbourne has a been freed of the contraints of the currently completely choice: a big boost to rail Geelong line trains thanks to the noncompetitive by public infrastructure and services, getting Regional Rail Link project, it transport. thousands more people onto public serves a massive growth area to If the line ran 15 trains per hour transport, or continued Melbourne’s south-west, and (up from about 7 in the busiest construction of massive motorway eventually the line will fill up hour now), that's at least 8800 projects, bringing thousands more again. Mernda is also seeing a lot additional people, assuming the cars onto the roads. of growth, and enabling high new design 7-car high capacity frequencies on the line might also metro trains, well above what the make possible a branch to Epping North. PTUA News – September 2018 – Page !3 Cranbourne line: Extend vs duplicate? Why not both? As we move towards the state the line from Dandenong to quickly snowballing into larger election, the mainstream parties Cranbourne, with associated track ones. have each pledged upgrades to upgrades around Caulfield and the Cranbourne line, but have Dandenong at a cost of $750 Single track has no place on a differing views on the priority. million, with completion by 2023.