Tag: bus network

Media Release: Metlink tools are ‘one stop shop’ for public transport

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Wondering whether you can have another coffee or finish that report before you race out the door to catch your train or bus? Now you can make an informed decision with Metlink’s handy online tools wherever you are.

Public transport customer service agency Metlink has designed four customer tools to help commuters save time across all modes of transport; a journey planner, iPhone app, downloadable timetable and mobile departure board.

Michelle Herbert, general manager at Metlink, says as Melbourne’s population continues to grow, Metlink is looking for innovative ways to make public transport even easier.

“The tools will help people get public transport information wherever they are via the internet on their mobile phones and computers,” Michelle said. “As the use of broadband and 3G continues to increase across Victorian households and businesses, Metlink has embraced the technology to create some very useful public transport tools.”

“The tools are very simple and suitable for all types of customer – whether young or old, frequent or infrequent users,” Michelle said.

Alex Makin, Mayor of City of Maroondah, is a strong public transport advocate who gave up his mayoral car when he came into office.

The Mayor covers most of his area’s 64km boundary on the bus network and uses the odd train from time to time.

“I rely on public transport to get to my appointments throughout the municipality so I was thrilled to learn of the new tools,” said Cr Makin. “The journey planner is my preferred tool which helps me plan my day and save time.”

The four tools are:

  • The journey planner – get a trip plan from A to B across all modes of transport;
  • The iPhone app, it’s one stop shop for all your transport needs;
  • Downloadable timetables you can print at home or your office and keep in your bag or on the fridge; and
  • Mobile departure board tells you when the next times are for your stop.

For more information about the tools, visit metlinkmelbourne.com.au.

Maroondah Leader: Demand for details

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The State Government’s review into bus services within Knox, Maroondah and the Yarra Ranges commenced in October 2008, including two workshops that were held in February and June last year.

The second workshop presented draft recommendations with the facilitator stating that a final report would identify improvements to the bus network.  Despite the workshops being concluded in the middle of last year, the final report is yet to be released.

The Maroondah Leader has reported on the growing community impatience at the delays in releasing the bus service reviews:

Maroondah Mayor Alex Makin said the council wanted to see the report, which was tasked with identifying route alternations and service improvements, made public.

“We’re very keen to not only see the report released, but the recommended improvements implemented.

While some other areas have had the final reports provided, there has been no definitive timeframe established for the release of bus service review for Knox, Maroondah and Yarra Ranges.

The report was to identify short, medium and long-term improvements and the delays in releasing the report, will mean that any improvements are further delayed.

Cr Makin said the council and community had entered the consultations in goodwill, and was concerned that this was being lost with the delays in releasing the report.

Delays in releasing the findings of the bus service reviews can potentially undermine the community’s confidence in believing that improvements will be implemented.  Several of Maroondah’s bus services require frequency and operating span improvements and it is imperative that the findings are released so that this can occur.

Delegates' Report: Advocating for public transport improvements and an update on the Ringwood Spiders

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On the 18th of June and the 16th of July I attended the Eastern Transport Coalition, as Maroondah’s delegate to the committee. The Eastern Transport Coalition is a regional body, that consists of Melbourne’s seven outer eastern councils and this includes the City of Maroondah.

One of the priorities for the group is to engage with the wider community and provide advocacy for the needed public transport improvements within the region. As part of this program, the Eastern Transport Coalition will be launching a regional petition, which will be circulated throughout the member councils and the wider community.

The Petition will be launched tomorrow and I would like to thank our Mayor for confirming his attendance at this important event.

The petition is calling for much needed public transport infrastructure improvements and has six key requests including several which are relevant to Maroondah:

  • A full and public feasibility study for an increase in capacity on the Belgrave/Lilydale and Glen Waverley lines,
  • Improved facilities for passengers, particularly at interchanges located in central activity districts – Ringwood, Dandenong and Box Hill,
  • Fully accessible public transport facilities and vehicles

Among those requests is the need for the redevelopment of Ringwood Station into a safe, accessible and integrated transport interchange, recognising the regional importance of Ringwood to Melbourne’s outer eastern suburbs.

On the 22nd of June I attended the second series of workshops for the review of Maroondah’s bus network. These workshops are an initiative of the State Government and aim to make recommendations to improve the configuration of bus routes, their frequencies and service spans.

It is encouraging that the network recommended for Maroondah consists of largely positive proposals, including the need for more direct and frequent services. While the final report still needs to be prepared, it was somewhat disappointing that details were vague in regard to the implementation of the recommendations.

This is an issue the Eastern Transport Coalition will be following in coming months to call on the Government to commit to the timely implementation of the bus route reviews, particularly since parts of the reviews conducted in other regions of Melbourne have already received commitments.

On the 28th of June I attended the Ringwood Spiders Home Game against Parkside. The Ringwood Spiders are a football club for people with disabilities and is supported by the Ringwood Football Club at Jubilee Park. The game coincided with the Ringwood Spiders Sponsorship Day Afternoon and it was great to see the team playing some of its best football all year.

The Spiders had a tremendous victory against their competition and the development of the team over the season was clearly evident. What is always amazing about the Spiders is their focus on providing a sense of community and opportunities. This was reinforced by the player who was awarded the Best Player of the Match and who spoke about what the Spiders meant to him and how it helped him realise his potential.

The Ringwood Spiders now sit at the top of the division ladder and are playing their next home game on Sunday the 26th of July from 11am at Jubilee Park in Ringwood.

Maroondah Journal: No rail cash – funding uncertainty for station upgrade

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One of the most important community issues within Maroondah is the much needed redevelopment of Ringwood Station. The station fails disability compliance standards and is perceived to be unsafe by the wider community.

While the State Government has committed $39 million over four years to redevelop the Station forecourt and bus interchange, the current funding omits any works to the station itself.

The Maroondah Journal has reported on the ongoing uncertainty surrounding Ringwood due to the lack of a full funding commitment towards Ringwood Station.

Cr Alex Makin said the station’s update was a critical part of the Ringwood Central Activity District Project. He described the station as an eyesore and in urgent need of attention.

Ringwood has been designated as Central Activity District by the State Government, meaning it is supposed to be a priority for urban revitalisation and transport projects.

“The upgrade is required to ensure an accessible and safe means of public transport for the community. It fails in regard to safety requirements and fails disability standards thus preventing people with a disability from using the station.”

Ringwood Station currently fails disability standards, as designed by the Commonwealth Government’s Disability Discrimination Act of 1992, which established guidelines for the width and gradients of ramps and accessways.

This means that efforts to encourage sustainable transport and inclusiveness within Ringwood are hampered due to the fact that Ringwood Station does not meet these standards.

Cr Makin said Ringwood was one of the busiest stations outside Melbourne’s CBD, adding that there was “all the more reason for it to be upgraded.”

Ringwood is a major transport hub of regional significance within Melbourne’s eastern suburbs. The station serves as the junction of the Belgave and Lilydale lines and provides access to the community facilities within Ringwood.

The full redevelopment of Ringwood Station is needed to ensure that the vision of a vibrant future for Ringwood can succeed.

Review of Bus Services – Second Community Workshop

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The State Government is undertaking a series of bus service reviews across Metropolitan Melbourne and is currently reviewing services within Maroondah, Knox and the Yarra Ranges.

These reviews consist of two community workshops, the first which was held back in February and provided an opportunity for participants to raise their concerns. Issues that were discussed included the need for additional routes to cover gaps in network coverage, as well as the need for more frequent and longer running services.

Tonight’s workshop provided an opportunity to respond to the first draft of recommendations that will be made into the bus network covering Maroondah, Knox and the Shire of Yarra Ranges.

The recommendations were largely positive and included a number of improvements from the written submission I made to the bus review process.

These improvements included a proposed new bus service along Canterbury Road from Camberwell through to Ringwood, a new bus service along Mount Dandenong Road providing accessible and direct access to Karralyka and Maroondah Hospital and improving the directness of routes to make it easier for people to use public transport.

Unfortunately, there was an omission of new services for the Warranwood area and some of the changes for Ringwood North, which included a telebus service operating in a loop to Ringwood Station needs further refinement to provide better connectivity and to ensure quick travel times.

In addition, there was a lack of detail over service frequency and operating span improvements, although there was the recognition that more frequent services were required particularly along main roads such as Maroondah Highway.

Overall the recommendations were largely positive, although these initiatives will only come to fruition if government funding is forthcoming.

The review of bus services has been a positive initiative and it would be a shame if funding was not made available to use this opportunity and demonstrate a serious commitment to providing fast, frequent and readily available bus services across Melbourne and its outer suburbs.

Eastern Transport Coalition – the bus network and transport inquiries

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Tonight’s Eastern Transport Coalition meeting included a presentation from the Bus Association of Victoria outlining the increasing patronage experienced on Melbourne’s bus routes.

It is of little surprise that the more frequent routes have attracted higher patronage, with Melbourne’s SmartBus routes experiencing ongoing and strong growth. For example, the Ringwood to Frankston SmartBus (route 901) has experienced rapid patronage growth, as has route 903 from Mordialloc to Altona. These improvements result in reducing the number of cars on our roads, mitigating traffic congestion and greenhouse emissions, while also improving social inclusion.

The SmartBus network demonstrates how Melbourne’s bus routes should operate and there is a dire need for further improvements across the bus network.

The current bus review process for Maroondah, Knox and the Yarra Ranges will identify required improvements and it is imperative that these findings are funded and implemented.

The State Government must follow through with the funding required to implement the bus service reviews and help deliver a sustainable and inclusive transport system.

It is in this regard that the Eastern Transport Coalition is calling on Members of Parliament to initiate an Inquiry into Melbourne’s public transport system.

While the Victorian Legislative Council has resolved to undertake an inquiry into the factors leading to and causes of failures in the provision of metropolitan and V/Line train services, there is a need for a broader inquiry examining Melbourne’s entire public transport system.

A broader inquiry would explore the disconnect that exists between Melbourne’s public transport modes and investigate the systemic failures in delivering a public transport system that would promote transport choice through being competitive with private vehicle travel.

The Eastern Transport Coalition will be issuing a letter to local Members of Parliament requesting their support for this inquiry.

The redevelopment of Ringwood Station, accessibility improvements and more frequent and readily services are among the priorities for the Eastern Transport Coalition and will be included within this letter.

Media Release: Council establishes public transport priorities

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Maroondah City Council has confirmed the priorities for public transport issues to be advocated through the Eastern Transport Coalition.

Councillor Alex Makin is Maroondah City Council’s representative on the Eastern Transport Coalition, a group of seven outer Eastern metropolitan Councils.

“The Eastern Transport Coalition is an ongoing collegiate of seven Councils that advocates to the Federal and Victorian Governments for sustainable and integrated transport services in Melbourne’s outer East,” said Cr Makin.

“Each year the Eastern Transport Coalition seeks to set objectives for advocacy regarding improved bus services, more rail services and better coordination between modes of public transport,” said Cr Makin.

“At the formal meeting of Council on Monday this week, Council confirmed Maroondah’s public transport advocacy priorities for 2009,” said Cr Makin.

The three priorities are:

  • The triplication of the rail line from Box Hill to Ringwood;
  • The upgrade of Ringwood Railway Station and the bus interchange, and
  • The continued improvements to coverage and service frequency for the bus network within Maroondah.

“As Council’s representative on the Eastern Transport Coalition, I will be ensuring that these priorities are uppermost in the minds of the Coalition and in our advocacy to the State and Federal Government,” said Cr Makin.

Please continue reading to view some background information on these three priorities:

Continue reading “Media Release: Council establishes public transport priorities”

Submission – Maroondah bus service reviews

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The State Government is currently reviewing bus services across Maroondah, Knox and the Shire of Yarra Ranges and has called for submissions into the bus network within these municipalities.

The initial deadline for submissions was Friday the 27th of February but this has now been extended until Friday the 3rd of April, since several workshops within the Yarra Ranges have needed to be rescheduled due to the bushfires.

I have completed a submission in regard to bus services within Maroondah, focusing on the need to rectify gaps in coverage, as well as increased frequencies and operating spans.

The City of Maroondah, with a residential population of approximately 100,000 residents, is located in Melbourne’s outer east, 25 kilometres east of the Melbourne CBD.

The City of Maroondah includes the activity centres of Ringwood and Croydon, with Ringwood identified as a Transit City and Central Activity District. State Government planning and transport policies have acknowledged the need for public transport to underpin the designated Central Activity Districts.

Accessibility is of critical importance within Maroondah, since the municipality has one of the highest proportions of people with a disability. As such infrastructure, in the form of bus stops and vehicles need to be accessible so that they can be used by people with a range of mobility aids and disabilities.

Likewise service levels need to be of a standard that does not restrict the mobility of people that are reliant on public transport services and takes into account the urban revitalisation that is being encouraged within Ringwood and Croydon.

Specially, the submission calls for a new bus route along Canterbury Road from Ringwood to Box Hill, and a new route along Mount Dandenong Road providing a direct connection between Ringwood, the Karralyka Centre, Maroondah Hospital and the associated medical precinct.

In addition there is a need for localised services through Warranwood, where houses reside beyond reasonable walking distance to bus services.

The success of the Ringwood to Frankston SmartBus, where patronage has increased by up to 80% due to increased frequencies and service spans, demonstrates that public transport will be utilised if services are direct, frequent, readily available and accessible.

Bus services that travel along Maroondah’s main roads, should have a level of service comparable to the SmartBus network to deliver a comprehensive public transport system within Maroondah.

Lastly there is need for comprehensive bus route reform to ensure that Maroondah’s main thoroughfares are serviced by frequent public transport routes. Localised services could operate in residential areas and connect to these main routes. Such reform will provide efficiency savings on the bus network and will also lessen confusion over bus routes and minimise travel times.

To view the full report, please read my submission made to the bus services review for Maroondah.

Eastern Ranges Retirees – discussing transport advocacy for Melbourne's outer east

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The Eastern Ranges Retirees is a seniors group based at Maroondah Federation Estate and encompassing members from Maroondah, Knox and the Shire of Yarra Ranges.

This morning I was invited to speak at a meeting of the Eastern Ranges Retirees in regard to public transport advocacy and the need for community involvement in seeking public transport improvements.

While there is understandably an emphasis on infrastructure improvements within the growth areas of Melbourne, there is the risk that the outer east will continue to miss out on much needed public transport improvements.

Projects such as the redevelopment of Ringwood Station, track improvements along the Belgrave and Lilydale lines, new rail lines and tram extensions as well as further bus improvements are urgently required for Melbourne’s outer east.

Community groups have a critical role to play in encouraging governments to invest in public transport improvements. The bus service reviews represent an opportunity for the community to advocate for service frequency and operating span improvements to the bus network and submissions have recently been extended to Friday the 3rd of April.

In regard to infrastructure improvements there is a need for ongoing community advocacy to ensure that projects such as the redevelopment of Ringwood Station are delivered. Ringwood Station currently fails disability access standards, with many people choosing to avoid using the station due to this difficulty.

It is clear that the funding commitment for the station redevelopment must be expanded to ensure the creation of a Station that is safe and accessible and integrated through pedestrian, bus and bicycle facilities.

Maroondah Leader: Transport Coalition aims for changes

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The State Government is undertaking review of bus services across Metropolitan Melbourne with the latest series exploring routes within Maroondah, Knox and the Yarra Ranges.

The Maroondah Leader has reported on the upcoming reviews, including the public workshop which will be held this Thursday.

Coalition Deputy Chair and Maroondah councillor Alex Makin called for a two-tier service with frequent, direct services on main roads and a second tier of local bus routes to connect passengers to the main services.

A two-tiered bus network would significantly reduce travel times and ensure that Maroondah’s main roads are are provided with frequent and direct bus services.

“The average bus route in Maroondah tends to go down a lot of different side streets and that adds a lot of time to the journey,” Cr Makin said.

The success of the Ringwood to Frankston SmartBus demonstrates that people will use public transport when it is frequent, direct and readily available.

Cr Makin said residents raised several complaints about bus services at a public forum on January 29.

“People brought up issues about the frequency of the bus routes, the fact that the average bus finishes at 8pm or 9pm on a weekday and that buses are failing to make connections with other buses and with the train network,” Cr Makin said.

Given that the majority of Maroondah’s residents live beyond walking distance to the rail network, it is critical that the municipality is provided with a comprehensive bus network that enhances the mobility of our community.

“Unfortunately it’s all too common an occurance when the bus pulls up at a station, only for people to find that the train has already left.”

The feedback from council’s workshop will be used to assist council’s submission to the State Government. In addition community members should attend one of the State Government’s workshops to provide a further opportunity for input.

Improvements to bus services will help ensure an accessible municipality and reduce Maroondah’s greenhouse emissions.