-----Original Message-----
From: Roderick Smith [mailto:rodsmith@werple.net.au]
Sent: Thursday, 20 April 2017 9:58 AM
To: 'transportdownunder@yahoogroups.com'
Subject: snippets, Sun.9.4.17

Roderick.

170409Su Melbourne 'Herald Sun' - 'dangerous' cbd areas.

Sun.9.4 Metro Twitter.
Isambard Kingdom Brunel was born on this day in 1806. His designs
transformed public transport and modern engineering. [I attended a display
at Museum of Industrial Art, London, UK. It described six of his major
works: Royal Saltash Bridge, Wapping Tunnel, PS Great Western, a
transportable military hospital for Crimea, and two others].

$36 a night rider: Cost of Melbourne's transport trial grows.
Sunday Herald Sun April 8, 2017.
..Idle trains a weak link in 24-hour transport TAXPAYERS are forking out
almost $36 for every person who rides on Melbourne's all-night weekend
transport during its first year on the tracks.
The cost is enough to ferry 1.7 million people from St Kilda to the MCG
return, prompting transport experts to call for changes in the remaining
months of the trial.
Public Transport Users Association spokesman Daniel Bowen said the
government had been "very quiet'' on feedback and the network would have to
change.
"Some of the night bus services they are running do not have a lot of users
and $36 per passenger is obviously not viable,'' Mr Bowen said.
"It is good that they are trialling it but it is clear some parts are
successful and some parts need revision.
"Hopefully, they have been working in the background to revise it to keep it
running after June."
The latest costings follow revelations that trains were left idling at
stations for more than 30 minutes waiting to make a return trip.
All up, more than two million people had jumped aboard since January 2016.
But, despite the issues, the government has ruled out tweaking timetables
before the trial ends in June.
"The Night Network is making a real difference for thousands of people every
weekend," Public Transport Minister Jacinta Allan said.
"It's helping people enjoy the world's most liveable city for longer, and
getting those who work late for a living home safer and sooner every
weekend."
PTV figures released to the Sunday Herald Sun revealed 32,400 Victorians are
now jumping on board the service every week, and almost one-quarter are
workers.
Night trains remained the most popular, recording 57 per cent of myki
touch-ons, while trams shuttled 38 per cent of passengers.
Night regional coaches carried only 170 passengers each weekend.
The trial was originally set up for $50 million with an added cost of $34
million for extra all-hours security and PSOs.
In August Premier Daniel Andrews extended the trial with an added $25
million in funds.
It is widely expected the government will con-tinue the service after the
June deadline but is likely to overhaul parts of the network.
<www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/36-a-night-rider-cost-of-melbournes-tran
sport-trial-grows/news-story/1002b201249775fb8734bf19a27c0b78>
* PTV was determined to sabotage the scheme, with supremely shoddy
timetabling, and replacing existing 30 min headways with 60 min headways.
Running the trains to key nodes for bus connections on 30 min headways would
give better service for no more resources, and would attract more patronage.
* Yet another example of the breathtaking incompetence of this Andrews Labor
Government. A disaster at every turn for Victoria.
* Get rid of the train portion of it. That is where the real expense comes
in- 1 train driver per additional train, 2 extra PSOs per station, Station
Staff, Ticket Inspectors etc. etc.
* Wonderful and we in in rural northern Victoria, [that's the area above
Seymour on a map], cannot even be graced with just one train a day.
* Government feelgood policies know no limit with taxpayer money!
* Well us Folks who live in country and Bush pay , pay pay anyway for
Roads and tunnels and skyrails and the whole city Transport system and we
get buggar all nothing anyway .. not even a bit of new Tar on our roads No
Transport what so ever ,not even a rickety old city rejected Bus , No
thing , with out a car its hell and I still pay the same levels of Tax as
I did when I lived in the city , so be happy city folks you get it all any
way , lock, stock & barrel and total benefit of mine and all other bush
folks Taxation ..you get the lot .
* I actually think it is an excellent idea, it doesn't matter how stupid it
is, people will go out and get drunk, and I would rather have them on public
transport than in a vehicle. I also think the service is excellent for the
workers. They otherwise would not have an option but a vehicle, and hefty
car parking fees. Something that day city workers do not have to worry
about.
What we did back when, is not relevant at all, what is happening today has
to be catered for.
Having said that, you just cannot throw good money after bad, that is just a
typical political response. Ah not our money, don't worry about it.
Why not do what they do overseas, 3 or 4 strategically placed waiting areas,
that are safe and warm, and cut the amount of buses to the areas that are
not being utilized as often. All of the city train stations have an area
within them where this could happen.
And what is with the huge buses, wouldn't a smaller shuttle-bus be far
better for night? I realise that the driver would cost the same, but surely
the running costs of the vehicle itself could be drastically cut. The
night-rider buses look impressive, but that again is just the politicians
saying hey, look what we have done.
* The picture says a thousand words. The absolute need for the overcrowded
tram? No?
Keeping it running is what is costing! The taxpayers!
But fun, and the misery that comes with it must be accommodated, Just ask
the hospitals.
No control in behaviour. And no control on Andrews to waste our money!
Fact!
* It is not healthy loading up on alcohol then going to the city at 11 pm.
Partying all night then being wiped out and in bed all of Sunday.
We went out early and usually got home around 1pm.
* There shouldn't be public transport all night long. It encourages
unhealthy/life destroying behaviours.
* Taxpayers paying out millions so that a few drunks can get drunker. Great
way to waste more of our money Dan.
What about making the after midnight tickets the $50 it was estimated to
cost originally and see if they still want it.
* If these stats are taken by how many people tap on and off., it would be
curious to know how many are travelling without using a Myki. Are inspectors
checking tickets....I doubt it.
* Who would have thought that LABOR has come up with another failed policy?
* It is only costing the taxpayer's $36 per passenger, a real bargain! But
Labor had to give their union mates extra money for putting Labor into
power.
* "The Night Network is making a real difference for thousands of people
every weekend," Public Transport Minister Jacinta Allan said.. Thanks
Jacinta but it still costs $36.00 per passenger. You politicians just don't
get it, if it's not viable in the current form change it.
* Can someone calculate then how much per fare subsidises vandalism/graffiti
and fare evasion?

April 9 2017 Melbourne's electricity and gas facing greater Chinese control
.. with tdu.
<www.theage.com.au/victoria/melbournes-electricity-and-gas-facing-greater-ch
inese-control-20170409-gvh84k.html>