Tag: meeting our transport challenges

Media Release: Report vindicates public transport campaign

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MEDIA RELEASE – Wednesday, 30 May 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION

Report vindicates public transport campaign

The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has called on the Government to present a new vision for Melbourne’s public transport network amid an independent report citing concern over urban sustainability.

“The report commissioned by the independent Commissioner for Environmental Sustainability has exposed the Government’s failure to satisfactorily address Melbourne’s public transport needs,” said PTUA Vice-President Alex Makin. “It has been made quite clear that Meeting Our Transport Challenges is sorely underwhelming.”

The State Government’s Transport Strategy, dubbed Meeting Our Transport Challenges, was released in May 2006 and resulted in community disgust over the postponement of new train and tram extensions and the failure to radically improve the bus network.

“For someone who is internal to Government to paint such an honest and bleak picture clearly demonstrates how the Government has lost the plot,” said Mr. Makin. “The Government’s plan provides nothing more than overcrowded trains, slow trams and infrequent buses. Petrol prices are continuing to increase and the Minister must present a new vision for Melbourne’s public transport system.”

The PTUA has renewed calls for the Government to commence works on the Rowville rail line and the Knox tram extension and to ensure that public transport services are provided simultaneously with urban growth and urban renewal.

“The Commissioner’s report has vindicated the PTUA’s concerns over the State Government’s poor handling of public transport. We call on Minister Kosky to start afresh and work on a new vision separated from the failings, cost blowouts and broken promises of her predecessor,” concluded Mr. Makin.

ALL MEDIA ENQUIRIES: ALEX MAKIN ON 0409 136 213

– ENDS –

MAV Transport and Infrastructure Advisory Group – May 2007 meeting

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This month’s Transport and Infrastructure Group included presentations from the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) who discussed the Federal Government’s AusLink program and Meredith Sussex, the Coordinator General of Infrastructure, who spoke about her role within the Department of Infrastructure.

The Melbourne 2030 review process, which is expected to formally include community input in the latter half of the year will be the key testament as to how seriously the government views the need to integrate land-use planning and transport. While Melbourne 2030 and the Government’s Meeting Our Transport Challenges both claimed to provide such integration, reality has demonstrated that this is still sorely lacking.

2007/08 State Budget interview with ABC 774

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This morning I was discussing the State Budget with Red Symons on ABC 774. From a public transport perspective the state budget was an improvement over previous budgets. The purchase of ten additional six carriage trains was a measure the PTUA was calling for and it is pleasing that this will proceed.

The additional trains, which are expected in 2009, will alleviate the chronic overcrowding that is occurring on Melbourne’s train network. Bus improvements are also progressing including the long awaited Stud Road SmartBus which is now expected in 2008.

Unfortunately, despite rising patronage, the State Budget was generally underwhelming with very little provided above the lacklustre projects identified in Meeting Our Transport Challenges, released in May last year. The newly appointed Minister for Public Transport, Lynne Kosky, has so far failed to provide a new vision for the public transport portfolio meaning that most of Melbourne is still without frequent, reliable and readily available public transport.

The Minister now has twelve months to prepare a new vision for Melbourne’s public transport system and to reverse the neglect the portfolio suffered under her predecessor.

The Age: Labor's train plan 'on the wrong track'

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One of the key tenets of Meeting Our Transport Challenges (MOTC), the State Government’s plan for Melbourne’s public transport system, was the construction of a third track between Caulfield and Dandenong. This project alone is expected to cost up to one billion dollars and will take a decade to complete delaying many other public transport projects.

Unfortunately the State Government has failed to examine simpler methods, such as a streamlined timetable and more efficient operations, which could be implemented in as little as six to twelve months.

Melbourne University transport expert Paul Mees said 11,000 people travelled to the city in the morning peak each weekday and the current number of services meant an average of 524 commuters were carried on each train. Dr Mees, who has prepared his own timetable with a more regular pattern of service, argues that if services were spread out across the peak, every passenger using the line would have a seat. It would also allow room for new suburban and V/Line services.

A consistent stopping pattern consisting of two train configurations, one express and one non-express pattern, as opposed to the current confusing mixture of numerous stopping patterns, would assist both passengers and rail schedulers through allowing a consistent and reliable level of service.

Public Transport Users Association vice-president Alex Makin applauded the idea of a simplified timetable. He said many commuters found the mix of express, part express or stopping-all-station services confusing. A repetitive timetable would allow the network to recover quickly if trains were late.

It is entirely unreasonable to expect Melbourne’s public transport users to wait up to ten years for a dramatic improvement in services, when far simpler options such as a reconfigured timetable could be considered in a much shorter timeframe and deliver greater benefits.

ABC 774: Discussing Melbourne rail woes

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This evening I was invited to discuss the discuss the ongoing dramas and inconvenience suffered by Melbourne’s rail passengers on ABC’s Radio 774.

The interview, which included a number of talkback callers, focused on the endless excuses used by Connex to defend its ever diminishing performance in operating Mekbourne’s rail network. While it is correct that the Kennett Government initially privatised Melbourne’s rail system, the Bracks Government chose to re-privatise the system in 2004 and in doing so removed a number of checks and balances that existed within the initial contracts.

In fact, when M>Train abandoned Melbourne’s rail network in 2004, the former Minister for Transport Peter Batchelor, stated publicly that the government was not going to consider inviting new tenders, or return Melbourne’s rail network back to government control. As a result Connex succeeded in diminishing reporting and accountability requirements and the State Government is now in a situation where the subsidy for Connex increases every year without any corresponding service improvements.

The State Government knew there was both a looming train and driver shortage when it entered into the new contracts in 2004. Connex was offered lower reporting standards so that the State Government could avoid taking responsibility for a problem it created. Despite annual subsidiary to Connex the State Government is now taking on responsibilities that were previously the domain of the private operators. In 2004 the State Government refused a request by M>Train to fund additional driver training programs, citing that it was the responsibility of the operator to fund its own driver programs. Despite this, the State Government through its Meeting Our Transport Challenges document, is now funding additional driver training programs and purchasing additional trains, which will be delivered almost a decade after the government knew about impending train shortages.

The issue of the fare boycott was also discussed and while Melbourne’s public transport users should voice their disgust over the latest rail debacles, this must be directed towards the State Government which holds ultimate responsibility for the rail network. Public transport users would achieve better results contacting their local MP, the Premier and the Public Transport Minister rather than attempting a fare boycott.

It is clear that the State Government must take responsibility for its poor handling of Melbourne’s rail network rather than simply trying to hide Connex as it lurches from one blunder through to another.

MAV Melbourne 2030 Councillor Reference Group: Discussing the Melbourne 2030 audit process

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The Melbourne 2030 Councillor Reference provides a forum for councillors to discuss issues in relation to Melbourne 2030 and urban planning. Today’s meeting focused on Melbourne 2030 and the five-year review process with Halvard Dalheim, from the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) discussing the audit process of the strategy.

The audit, which is due to be completed by the end of 2007, will focus on the implementation of Melbourne 2030 and will compare reality with the aspirations of Melbourne 2030. In an encouraging sign, it was mentioned that policy gaps would be examined which should hopefully identify the lack of integration between transport and planning.

While it is often claimed that Melbourne 2030 provides a ‘whole of government approach’ reality has shown this to be untrue. The Department of Treasury and Finance has continually refused to sign off on the goals expressed in Melbourne 2030 and issues such as transport still fail to be viewed in a holistic manner.

The Government’s recently released Transport and Liveability Statement, known as Meeting Our Transport Challenges is a classic example of the ongoing disconnect between transport and planning. While Melbourne 2030 expressly includes the goal of increasing public transport modal share to 20% by 2020, the Government’s long-term transport statement fails to acknowledge this goal or even allow benchmarking against it.

Key reference groups for Melbourne 2030, including advisory groups hand picked by the State Government, have cited the poor integration between transport and land use planning as a key barrier to ensuring the holistic implementation of this framework for urban planning.

Melbourne 2030 will continue to flounder unless the State Government coordinates land use and planning and provides a fully funded implementation plan that extends much needed infrastructure to public transport poor suburbs. Unfortunately the recent move to split the Transport Portfolio into separate road and public transport ministerial positions provides little confidence that such integration will occur.

Through the Transport and Liveability Statement the State Government committed itself to creating the position of Coordinator General for Infrastructure “to improve whole of government coordination of transport and land use planning and policy.” (Source: Meeting Our Transport Challenges, 2006).

Unfortunately the Coordinator General has no reporting channels within the DSE (Planning) organisational chart and still needs to wade through the management structure of the DOI.

By contrast VicRoads maintains its unimpeded direct access to the Minister, the newly designated Roads and Ports Minister, Tim Pallas.

Lynne Kosky, as Minister for Public Transport is still new within the portfolio. It is yet to be seen whether she will address the shortcoming in Melbourne’s public transport planning and provision. It is also yet to be seen whether Justin Madden, the new Minister for Public Transport will rectify the lack of integration between transport and land use planning through the audit of Melbourne 2030.

The future of Melbourne depends on the actions of these two Ministers. Another seven years of rhetoric and inaction cannot be tolerated.

Final PTUA committee meeting for 2006

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The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has achieved a number of successes in 2006 such as ensuring that public transport was seen as a key state election issue. The final committee meeting for the year provided the opportunity to reflect on these accomplishments while ensuring that a sold foundation is established for 2007.

In particular residents of Melbourne’s eastern suburbs made their voices heard in the November State Election with the government losing six outer eastern seats. The tight contests in a number of seats, such as Kilsyth and Ferntree Gully, clearly demonstrated the importance of public transport as an election issue.

In fact the government may have been able to such these seats had promises, such as the Knox tram, the Rowville rail line and service improvements along the Belgrave and Lilydale lines, been honoured by the and not simply forgotten by the now former MPs.

The PTUA was pleased with the discussions held with a number of candidates and newly elected MPs and we will continue this dialogue to ensure that these new MPs honour their commitment to public transport issues.

Melbourne’s southeast is also finding its voice on public transport issues with regular meeting at Springvale for what is currently a south-eastern sub-branch. In 2007 steps must be taken to formalise a southeastern branch and ensure that these residents in these areas have the same opportunity as Melbourne’s east in demanding public transport improvements.

The work of branches must be commended as they directly contributed to the PTUA’s successful lobbying efforts in the lead up to the State Election. This momentum however must not stop as it needs to continue throughout the four years to ensure that more than just rhetoric is delivered.

Eastern Transport Coalition: Integrating Transport and Planning

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Tonight’s Eastern Transport Coalition meeting featured a presentation from Associate Professor of Environment of Planning, Michael Buxton of RMIT University.

Professor Buxton urged the Eastern Transport Coalition to view the Melbourne 2030 five year audit as an opportunity to push for truly integrated transport and land-use planning. Melbourne 2030, while containing sound theory, has been largely flawed in implementation due to the State Government failing to provide the necessary public transport and community infrastructure required to mitigate traffic congestion and improve environmental quality.

Furthermore Melbourne is vastly becoming home to very different cities, with a vibrant and diverse inner city area and sprawling middle and outer suburbs that lack necessary transport and community infrastructure.

Unfortunately the Government seems intent to continue its poor record of public transport projects with no rail or tram extensions being forecast for the next ten years. Furthermore while $7.2 billion was spent on major roads over the past seven years, just half on the $10.5 billion promised by the Government’s Transport and Liveability Statement (known as Meeting Our Transport Challenges) will actually be allocated towards public transport.

Melbourne 2030 and Meeting Our Transport Challenges have failed since they lack cross-sectoral integration between land use planning and transport. Furthermore the Department of Treasury and Finance (which controls the budget process) has refused to sign off on the goals of Melbourne 2030, including the goal of increasing public transport modal share to 20% by the year 2020.

As a classic example of the failure with Melbourne 2030, Ringwood, despite being designated a Transit City, is still without a firm commitment towards the desperately needed redevelopment of Ringwood Station.

The Eastern Transport Coalition, as a regional council grouping that includes almost one million residents, has a great opportunity to call for public transport improvements and a coordinated State Government approach on behalf of residents.

ABC 774 on public transport

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This afternoon Lindy Burns from ABC 774 interviewed me at an outside broadcast located at Southern Cross Station to discuss public transport issues in the lead up to the November state election.

Lindy stated that public transport and transport in general were major issues for the November State Election and highlighted the improvements that are required to ensure a frequent, reliable coordinated and readily available public transport system. As an example, in 1992 the frequency of trains were improved on the Sandringham line and overall coordination was increased. Due to these service improvements patronage increased by 38% demonstrating how crucial frequency improvements are to improving public transport modal share.

Unfortunately, over the last seven years the State Government has delivered nothing more than just tokenistic public transport improvements and nowhere is this more apparent than the bus network, which still fails to provide frequencies comparable to the train or tram network.

The $10.5 billion that was allocated over the next decade through the Transport and Liveability Statement (known as Meeting Our Transport Challenges) is more than enough to solve Melbourne’s transport woes but grossly misallocated. Rather than petty gestures priorities should have included rail network expansion in areas such as South Morang and Cranbourne East, both of which were promised rail extensions back in 1999. Instead the State Government is forcing the people of South Morang to now wait at least 10 to 15 years for their promised line and yet Whittlesea is fortunate compared to Cranbourne East, where the government has decided to neglect Melbourne’s fastest growing urban corridor by failing to plan or deliver the Cranbourne East rail extension.

While rail extensions are crucial for Melbourne’s growth areas, there is also a need to enhance the level of bus services to a standard comparable to the well-patronised tram network. Currently, most of Melbourne’s bus network is very confusing due to highly convoluted routes that are in a dire need of being overhauled.

The success of Perth, which has prioritised public transport projects, through doubling its rail network and providing frequent bus services, has allowed enhanced mobility and demonstrates just how far behind Melbourne is when it comes to international and national best practices.

With just over four weeks to the next State Election it is imperative that our political parties commit to securing the economic, social and environmental success of Melbourne by pledging to deliver real public transport improvements. After seven years of rhetoric Melbourne’s public transport system needs urgent action.

Maroondah Journal: Third track 'not on' says govt

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In 1999 the then Bracks Opposition pledged to construct a third track from Box Hill to Mitcham with the promise of delivering ‘flier trains’ to provide express services from Ringwood. This promise was again reiterated for the 2002 State Election but has subsequently been quickly forgotten by the State Government.

The Maroondah Journal has again investigated the broken promise over the third track to Ringwood:

Provision for a third rail line to Ringwood has been incorporated into major capital works in Ringwood and Box Hill, but the State Government says it is not a priority and will not commit to the project.

The much criticised Transport and Liveability Statement dubbed Meeting Our Transport Challenges confirmed that the Bracks Government has failed eastern suburban residents by omitting any rail improvements for the Ringwood and Belgrave/Lilydale lines for the next 25 years.

Public Transport Users Association spokesman Alex Makin said he held no hope for a third rail line being built in the next 25 years.

“The Transport and Liveability study omitted the third rail line in its entirety.”

There are more economical and easier means to provide regular express services from Ringwood without the need for the third rail line. The use of passing loops located at Mitcham, track improvements near Ringwood and upgraded signalling would provide the capacity for regular express services without the cost of the third track.

“If the Government did their job properly, they could get away without a third track.”

Unfortunately the Government appears intent to neglect the needs of outer eastern rail users while unnecessarily spending up to a billion dollars on triplication for the Dandenong line.