GRAMPIANS AND BARWON SOUTH WEST REGION PASSENGER SERVICES COST & FEASIBILITY STUDY FINAL REPORT March 2017 John Hearsch Consulting Pty Ltd 2 Steering Committee Peter Brown, CEO, Horsham Rural City Council Andrew Evans, CEO, Ararat Rural City Council Michael McCarthy, Director Shire Futures, Southern Grampians Shire Council Maree McNeilly, Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources Angela Daraxaglou, Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources Chris Banger, Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources Jozef Vass, Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources Study Co-ordinator: Susan Surridge, Horsham Rural City Council Study Team John Hearsch, Study Director Dr Bill Russell Peter Don Participating Councils Ararat Rural City Council Northern Grampians Shire Glenelg Shire Southern Grampian Shire Hindmarsh Shire West Wimmera Shire Horsham Rural City Council Yarriambiack Shire Grampians and Barwon South West Passenger Services Cost & Feasibility Study– John Hearsch Consulting Pty Ltd, Page 2 3 GRAMPIANS AND BARWON SOUTH WEST REGION PASSENGER SERVICES COST & FEASIBILITY STUDY Table of Contents Executive Summary .......................................................................................................... 6 Findings ............................................................................................................................ 8 Recommendations ........................................................................................................... 9 1. Rail Service Improvements-Stage 1 - (2017-2019): ............................................................................................ 9 2. Rail Service Improvements-Stage 2 - (2021 to 2026): ........................................................................................ 9 3. Coach Service Improvements ........................................................................................................................... 10 4. Tourism ............................................................................................................................................................ 10 5. Services for persons with disability and/or aged persons ................................................................................ 11 6. Recommendations in relation to Passenger Experience .................................................................................. 12 7. Transport Governance in the Grampians and Barwon South West Regions.................................................... 12 Additional notes regarding Reintroduction of Train Services ............................................................................... 13 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................... 14 1.1 Aim of this Report .......................................................................................................................................... 14 1.2 Terms of Reference ........................................................................................................................................ 14 1.3 State and National Context ............................................................................................................................ 14 1.4 Rail Revitalisation Worldwide ........................................................................................................................ 15 1.5 The benefits to the regions of investments in Regional Rail .......................................................................... 15 2. Social and Economic Issues ......................................................................................... 18 2.1 Population Trends .......................................................................................................................................... 18 2.1.1 Population Overview ...................................................................................................................................... 18 2.1.2 Population: Beaufort to Kaniva Corridor ........................................................................................................ 19 2.1.3 Population: Ararat to Portland Corridor ......................................................................................................... 20 2.2 Access to Jobs and other Employment Related Travel ................................................................................... 23 2.3 Access to Health Services ............................................................................................................................... 24 2.4 Access to Education Opportunities ................................................................................................................ 25 2.5 Aging of the Population – Transport Requirements ....................................................................................... 26 2.6 Public Transport and Tourism ........................................................................................................................ 28 2.6.1 Public Transport Access to Tourist Destinations ............................................................................................ 28 2.6.2 Public Transport and Cycling based Tourism .................................................................................................. 31 2.6.3 Rail and coach service offerings. .................................................................................................................... 32 2.6.4 Website issues ................................................................................................................................................ 33 3. Current Rail and Road Coach Services ......................................................................... 35 3.1 Overview of Current Public Transport services .............................................................................................. 35 3.2 Train Services ................................................................................................................................................. 35 3.2.1 Melbourne-Ararat services ............................................................................................................................ 35 3.2.2 Melbourne – Warrnambool Train Services .................................................................................................... 37 3.2.3 The Overland train .......................................................................................................................................... 38 3.3 Road Coach Services ...................................................................................................................................... 39 3.3.1 Coach services overview ................................................................................................................................ 39 3.3.2 V/Line coach services ..................................................................................................................................... 39 3.3.3 Non- V/line Regional Bus Services .................................................................................................................. 40 Grampians and Barwon South West Passenger Services Cost & Feasibility Study– John Hearsch Consulting Pty Ltd, Page 3 4 3.4 Taxi Services ................................................................................................................................................... 42 3.5 Passenger Infrastructure – Stations, Interchanges, coach stops, taxi ranks .................................................. 42 3.6 Park and Ride Facilities .................................................................................................................................. 47 3.7 Main Western Corridor services ..................................................................................................................... 48 3.7.1 Melbourne – Ballarat – Ararat– Horsham – Dimboola – Nhill – (Adelaide).................................................... 48 3.7.2 Services to Towns in Study Area .................................................................................................................... 49 3.7.3 Coach/Train Interchange Connections ........................................................................................................... 52 3.7.4 Links to Adelaide ............................................................................................................................................ 52 3.8 Travel Markets and Market Segmentation .................................................................................................... 53 4. Moving Forward – what is needed?............................................................................. 56 4.1 The need to provide good public transport services ...................................................................................... 56 4.2 Understanding Travel Demands .................................................................................................................... 57 4.3 The Regional Travel Markets ......................................................................................................................... 57 4.4 Factors for Increasing Public Transport Use .................................................................................................