FW: Daily digest, Thurs.10.5.18
  Roderick Smith

-----Original Message-----
From: Roderick Smith [mailto:rodsmith@werple.net.au]
Sent: Monday, 21 May 2018 7:29 PM
To: 'transportdownunder@yahoogroups.com'
Subject: Daily digest, Thurs.10.5.18

Attached:

180510Th Melbourne 'Age' - pedestrian trapped by tram.

180510Th Metro Twitter - delays.

180510Th Melbourne 'Herald Sun':
- letters.
- road vs rail spending.
- Metro changes.
- fox on a 57 tram.
- construction costs.
- Wed union rally.
- monorail.

Metro Twitter, Thurs.10.5.18
7.27 Craigieburn line: Minor delays (a fault at Glenroy, unannounced
earlier).
- 7.31 I love that your answer is to cancel another train after this. Well
done.
- 7.46 Minor?
7.29 Hurstbridge line: Minor delays (an overhead power fault near
Alphington).
- 8.43 again, less than useful information. Why didn't the above
notification also say the pedestrian overpass at Alphington is also closed?
- 8.56 we have staff on the ground assisting passengers.
- 8.57 I did but if I had known via your notification, I wouldn't have
walked up to the overpass and then back around at the crossing. I would have
come a different way and not missed my train.
10.04 Pakenham/Cranbourne lines: Minor delays (police attending to a
trespasser on rail lines near Dandenong).
- 10.14 delays extending.
- 10.18 clearing.
- 11.18 fresh minor delays (an equipment fault near Westall).
- 12.11 now major.
- 13.21 ongoing.
- 14.28 Buses will replace trains Oakleigh - Westall. The last through
services will be the 14.00 down Pakenham and the 13.37 up.
- 14.39 VLine services are delayed, but still operating.
- 14.40 So your services will proceeed through the section with caution?
- 14.44 So you have had an equipment fault for over 3 hours which you
haven't been able to fix and don't know when it will be fixed. You can't
make up how incompetent Metro are its truly ridiculous.
- 14.52 Ten buses are in operation, with an additional six enroute.
- 15.01 Your metro staff at Oakleigh we're an absolute disgrace. Got abused
for asking a simple question.
- 15.23 Not the first time they have had this fault either.
- 15.25 Any idea if they will be operating during peak times this afternoon?
- 15.44 Please let the customers know whether it will be fixed by the peak
hours? People need to know before they get stuck in delays caused by broken
equipment. It always a story on this line
- 15.44 Trains have resumed between Oakleigh and Westall, with minor delays.
- 16.05 Major Delays on citybound services; minor on outbound services.
- 16.17 Again an equipment fault near Westall.
- 16.40 Deja vu, equipment fault near Westall again.
- 16.47 Now minor delays (both directions).
- 17.26 Clearly Metro can't be trusted. By allowing extra time for travel do
you expect people to spend the whole day in these stupid trains. You are a
disgrace to public transport. PTV should know by now that these guys are
useless. Delays every day?
- 18.42 Minor delays.
13.07 Werribee/Williamstown lines: Minor delays (police attending to a
trespasser on rail lines near Yarraville).
- 13.19 clearing.
15.12 Frankston line: what's going on right now? Stuck near McKinnon.
Awesome driver as she's doing great at trying to keep us updated.
- 15.28 The 17.07 heading to Carrum just got to Cheltenham at 15.27.
- 15.29 Minor Delays (an equipment fault near Patterson). [as ever,
announced late in the hopes that the problem will vanish, and to make any
recovery look prompt].
- 15.44 Minor? We just stopped at Patterson with no further travel. That's
not minor, that's MAJOR.
- 15.44 Minor? My train has barely moved in 35 minutes, looks like I'll be
late to work.
- 15.45 What about the Frankston line that I'm currently stuck on? What a
joke of a service.
- 15.51 Major Delays (a train fault near Highett).
- 15.52 Is this related to the equiptment fault at Patterson? I think it's
the same train.
- 15.53 'Allow extra travel time'. What if you're one of the poor sods stuck
on a train with no choice about the extra travel time? Any compensation for
us? Pathetic service.
- 15.55 How about some customer service, metro. Your shoddy service is one
thing but no excuse for ignoring the questions of frustrated passengers.
- 15.55 I'm on train which just left FSS. Will we need to get off before
Highett?
- 15.55 Major Delays (an equipment fault near Patterson and a train fault
near Highett).
- 15.56 hope you're not delayed too much.
- 16.09 Appalling...sat on this train with announcements so low in volume we
can't hear them and no explanation of what has been going on. Had to use
Twitter and notify to work out what happened. Journey home has taken two
hours, I
left Southern Cross and got off at Mordialloc.
- 16.12 Again with half an hour. Metro is a joke.
- 16.14 The only thing Metro is good at is being late or being cancelled.
- 16.15 There are no bloody announcements! No trains for half an hour.
- 16.24 And there are delays caused by police near Caulfield as well, so
three issues adding up.
- 16.27 Oh look 16.19 to Carrum cancelled...again Farce Kift your game
Metro.
- 16.46 cleared yet?
- 16.50 Stock standard Thursday afternoon then.
- 17.05 It has been an hour since you have updated the Frankston line on
here AND your website. Can you give us an update please?
- 17.14 Live updates are more like catchup.
- 17.14 Major Delays still.
- 17.15 Glen Huntly station no sign showing anything & no announcements,
what's going on?
- 17.41 No announcements from driver? Are there still delays?
- 17.53 Drizzle and this is how your service hold up.
- 17.56 Minor Delays.
- 18.32 How wonderful that the lucky people going to Carrum for the buses
have to go on the Stopping All Stations train, while those going to
Mordialloc have an Express train.
- 22.13 Thanks, I got home ok.
17.22 Sunbury line: Minor Delays (an ill passenger requiring medical
assistance at Sunshine).
- 17.34 still minor delays.
- 17.49 When you cancel a Watergardens service, as has just happened, why
don't you run the following Sunbury as an all stations? Then there would be
such a big gap for the stations that are expressed past?
17.51 Burnley group: Trains will run direct from Flinders Street to
Richmond, because of an ill passenger requiring medical assistance at
Melbourne Central. Passengers at City Loop stations
please board a train on platform 2 and change at Richmond. Passengers at
Southern Cross station please board a train on platform 11 and change at
Flinders Street.
- 18.09 And prepare extra time for them to cancel your service once it hits
Ringwood, because it's not as if they don't cancel enough services.
- 18.11 Any update? No one's getting on trains from platform 2.
- 18.15 Loop running resuming, with minor delays.
- 18.20 Big thankyou to the fucking incompetent team at Flinders Street for
mixing up their trains to Belgrave/Glen Waverley fucking whatever. As if the
constant delays aren't enough. Well done.
- Loop running has resumed, with major delays.
- 18.51 Oh dear. Another long night for you. I managed to get on the wrong
train tonight. Merrily towards Glen Waverley instead of Belgrave/Lilydale.
Now back on my way in the right direction.
- 8.19 (11.5) When will metro trains fix their system so that VLine trains
are not constantly held up by the metro network. Getting worse.

Melbourne Express, Thursday, May 10, 2018
7.42 There are delays of up to 15 minutes on the Hurstbridge line because of
an overhead power fault.
Fortunately, the replacement buses won't have to be brought in this time.
They'd be the last thing Hurstbridge line passengers would want to be
reminded of after the past few weeks of upgrades.
A replacement bus. Should I be putting a trigger warning before this image
for Hurstbridge line passengers? Photo: Joe Armao/
7.34 The 7.49 Cranbourne to Flinders Street Station train will start from
Westall at 8.16 because of a train fault. The next train departs at 8.03.
Dean Pearson (left) said: ""I just don't know what it's going to take to put
some more focus on the south-eastern suburbs."
Are you missing an ATM? Police found one on the back of a ute in Werribee
this morning and have put out an appeal in the hopes of reuniting it with
its owner.
Woman almost hit by a tram. A tourist has had a lucky escape on a night out
in Melbourne after she fell onto the tram tracks while she was trying to
take a photo. Police say the 36-year-old was trying to take a photo next to
the track on Victoria Parade in Abbotsford at about 22.20 when she saw the
tram approach and tried to move out of the way. She then tripped and hit
her head. The front of the tram stopped over the woman, who was lying on the
tracks, however she was not hit by the vehicle. She was taken to hospital
with minor injuries.
<www.theage.com.au/melbourne-news/melbourne-express-thursday-may-10-2018-201
80510-p4zede.html>

New suburb could heighten risk of flooding on light rail route 10 May 2018.
A new suburb planned for Canberra's north could heighten the risk of
flooding along a section of Canberra's light rail route that was inundated
during a one-in-100-year weather event earlier this year.
The ACT government has signed a $126,000 contract with Australian
engineering firm SMEC to investigate the risk of flooding on Flemington and
Morriset Roads.
Recent work on the Canberra light rail at Flemington Road. Photo: Rohan
Thomson
Both roads already are prone to flooding and development in the new
Gungahlin suburb of Kenny could worsen the situation, the contract signed
last month states.
"Flemington and Morriset Roads are key transport routes. Flemington Road for
general traffic as well as the light rail, Morriset Road specifically as a
heavy vehicle access to the Federal Highway and for some traffic," the
documents
read.
The storm water drain near Dickson oval was overflowing after heavy rain in
February. Photo: Scott Hannaford
"The ACT government wishes to identify the capital works required to ensure
that light rail service requirements are met on Flemington Road in the
future as Kenny development occurs. It follows that if light rail service
level
requirements are met then other transport types will be protected."
A Transport Canberra spokeswoman said while there are parts of the light
rail route known to flood, the project was designed to "achieve sustainable
flood immunity" for the tracks, platforms and adjacent roadways.
She also said trunk drainage had been upgraded along the route to stop
flooding on private property, and improvements made to the Flemington Road
ponds near Mitchell to better protect against flooding from Sullivans Creek.
"This is consistent with key project requirements for responding to existing
potential flooding by completing flood assessment of the design to ensure
the light rail is protected from flooding and flood levels are not increased
along the corridor," she said.
However this work could be compromised by the development of new suburbs.
The first residents have already begun to move into Throsby, which will one
day have 1000 homes.
Kenny will be built to the east of Harrison, and is expected to have 200
homes.
It's about 1.5-2 kilometres away from where the light rail will run along
Flemington Road and Sullivans Creek cuts right through the middle.
The suburb is not listed on the government's indicative land release program
for the next four years.
However the contract notes the development of the greenfield site could lead
to larger peak flows downstream, faster flood peaks and problems with
erosion.
The Transport Canberra spokeswoman said any new development must ensure that
there is no increase in flooding impacts Flemington Road and light rail.
The Kenny catchment is known to be a high infiltration area during rain,
especially in the valley.
Generally, the solution is to replace the catchment storage that's been lost
to development by building a new basin, but particular restrictions apply in
the case of Kenny.
To develop Kenny and the neighbouring suburb of Throsby in the first place,
the ACT government had to identify future conservation areas, which have
significantly reduced the developable area.
Basins had previously been proposed upstream of Morriset Road in the Kenny
area however these basins are in currently protected areas.
The areas are home to critically endangered woodland and the striped legless
lizard.
It's understood these areas will be avoided in any proposed basins put
forward.
Much of the Sullivans Creek catchment is now urbanised, leading to increased
runoff.
A hydro-geological report of the catchment says it typically receives
600-750mm of rain per year, and concrete channels and constructed wetlands
are used to manage drainage.
However the creek broke its banks in February this year after heavy rain,
leading to flash flooding, damage and disruption across Canberra's inner
north.
Some parts of the city were hit by more than 60mm in just a few hours, and
hundreds of people called emergency services for help.
At the time Canberra Metro said the southern sections of the route, from
Flemington Road towards the city, were flooded and required an assessment
before construction could resume.
A month earlier, the ACT Auditor-General Dr Maxine Cooper had released a
report saying there was a risk the stormwater infrastructure in many of
Canberra's established areas could not cope with high rainfall, because it
hadn't been
updated to accommodate urban infill or new estates next to old areas.
She said this put the territory government at risk of compensation claims
from residents affected by flooding in areas where the stormwater system was
overwhelmed.
Dr Cooper said to prevent flooding, a review should be done of stormwater
assets in all established suburbs.
The Canberra Liberals' urban services spokeswoman, Nicole Lawder, said at
the time while maintaining storm water assets was "not as flashy as light
rail and shiny laptops", it was a "vital taxpayer-funded service the
government has
neglected".
However a spokeswoman for City Services Minister Meegan Fitzharris said it
was a "freak" rain event and the Liberals were "simply overreaching".
The stormwater system is the ACT government's largest asset to maintain
after public housing, and the territory inherits $195 million more from
developers every year.
Tenders just closed for a private contractor to inspect stormwater assets in
new estates and infill developments on behalf of the territory.
<www.canberratimes.com.au/national/act/new-suburb-could-heighten-risk-of-flo
oding-on-light-rail-route-20180503-p4zd24.html>
* It isn't just the new areas that are a problem - most of Canberra as it
was in the early 1980s has received no improvem...
Probe after Gorgon releases millions of tonnes of greenhouse gas 10 May
2018.
Talking points
..Gorgon, about 140km west of Karratha, off the state's northern coast, is
one of Australia's biggest resources projects and one of the largest in the
world, costing $55 billion and employing about 10,000 people to build the
giant
processing facility at Barrow Island.
..Chevron Australia also leads the development of the Wheatstone natural gas
project, manages its equal one-sixth interest in the North West Shelf
Venture operates Australia's largest onshore oilfield on Barrow Island; and
is a
significant investor in exploration.
The Gorgon Gas project off WA's north-west coast has released millions of
tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere instead of injecting it
underground as environmental approvals required, because of technical
problems with its gas injection system.
The conditions stated that Chevron had to "implement all practicable means"
to reinject all carbon dioxide removed during gas processing into deep
aquifers below the island.
The Chevron-operated Gorgon Project. off WA's coast.
The minimum requirement was 80 percent, calculated on a five-year rolling
average. If the amount fell significantly below 80 per cent Chevron had to
report this and take steps to "offset" these emissions.
The Barrow Island operation had still not yet injected any carbon dioxide
underground, West Australian Environment Minister Stephen Dawson confirmed
in Parliament on Tuesday in response to a question from Greens MP Robin
Chapple.
He could not confirm the total carbon dioxide that had instead been released
into the atmosphere.
He had asked the WA Environmental Protection Authority to inquire, and
clarify the start date of the injection system.
Gas has been flowing from Barrow Island for around 18 months - since
December 2016.
Chevron estimated in 2015 that the plant would produce more than 5 million
tonnes of carbon dioxide annually.
But Chevron has advised government regulators that problems with the $2.5
billion injection system meant carbon dioxide would not be reinjected any
earlier than the December quarter of 2018.
A spokeswoman said Chevron welcomed the Minister's request to "clarify" the
start date on the environmental conditions but did not respond to a question
on how much carbon dioxide had been released.
"Our focus is on the safe commissioning and start-up of the Carbon Dioxide
Injection Project and achieving a high percentage of injection over the
40-year life of the Gorgon Project," she said
"We have been keeping the relevant government agencies informed as to the
progress of the commissioning of the Gorgon Carbon Dioxide Injection
Project."
The gas export hub at Barrow Island, of northern Western Australia.
"Not one tonne of reservoir CO2 removed in gas processing has been injected
underground. Industry members are not expecting improvement on this any time
soon," Mr Chapple said.
When Chevron on April 15 announced the planned $5.1 billion expansion of the
Gorgon project Premier Mark McGowan dismissed environmental concerns.
"It's offshore and in very deep water. When we put Gorgon on Barrow we put
in place the tightest regulations in the world," he said.
<www.watoday.com.au/national/western-australia/probe-after-gorgon-releases-m
illions-of-tonnes-of-greenhouse-gas-20180510-p4zeis.html>

New research finds truck and train drivers more likely to make injury claims
than other professions
Transport Reporter, Herald Sun May 10, 2018.
video: Budget 2018: Roads, rail and infrastructure.
TRAIN and truck drivers are far more likely to receive compensation than
other workers, with new figures -revealing alarmingly high rates of injury
claims in the transport industry.
The research, released in a study today by Monash University, analysed more
than 3.5 million compensation claims made in Australia over a decade.
The data reveals that transport staff were sent home far more often than
other professions - and the rate of payouts to rail drivers was five times
higher than for all fields outside of transport.
Truck drivers also recorded greater numbers of claims, about 2.5 times more
per person than most careers.
Professor Alex Collie, of Monash's insurance work and health group, said the
data painted an alarming -picture of life on the road and on the rails.
"There are all sorts of risk factors for health and it is also an industry
that employs a hell of a lot of people. Truck driving is the number one male
occupation. There are more men driving trucks than any other job in
Australia.
"It is a big group of people with a significant group of risks to their
health."
Truck and train drivers are four more times likely to require time off for
injuries or illness than any other workers. Pictured is Lana Perry, Linfox
Fuel Tanker Driver. Picture: Mark Stewart
Prof Collie outlined a range of health concerns -encountered by drivers.
"Truck drivers were far more likely of having a muscular-skeletal disorder,
while train drivers had a really high risk of mental health conditions," he
said. "One thing we do know is that time pressure and scheduling pressure
can also have a pretty big impact on people's lives.
"When they are injured, some of these workers sometimes also take longer off
work," he added.
"Truck drivers had a -median time away from work of about 3.5 weeks,
compared to just under two weeks for people in other jobs.
"It all adds up in terms of lost productivity."
After working for Linfox for nearly seven years, truck driver Lana Perry
said she was all too aware of the safety risks that come with the job.
"I've got young kids and I can't afford not to come home to them," she said.
"One of the reasons I chose to work for Linfox is -because they have the
best -record on safety.
"Sleep is a big factor to take into account with truck drivers' health, so
people can look after themselves with a good diet and rest."
HEROES SAVE TRUCKIE IN FIERY WEST GATE RESCUE.
GARBAGE TRUCK DRIVERS CAUGHT ON DRUGS.
COMMUTER REACHES OUT TO METRO DRIVER.
<www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/new-research-finds-truck-and-train-drive
rs-more-likely-to-make-injury-claims-than-other-professions/news-story/c048a
e2b20d6f2cb158eb32a24164297>

Transport, internet speeds top priorities in Committee for Melbourne survey
Thurs.10.5.18.
video: Labor to support local train works.
An integrated transport plan including an airport rail link is Melbourne's
top priority, according to a survey of the city's movers and shakers.
Faster internet speeds and support to turn Melbourne into a "30-minute city"
were also considered crucial by members of the influential Committee for
Melbourne.
The committee has more than 120 members across the private and public
sectors including BHP Billiton, Commonwealth Bank, Transurban, RACV,
Melbourne Football Club, Melbourne Health, media organisations and
universities.
An artist's impression of a proposed Melbourne Airport rail link.
It asked members to rate the city's top priorities so the results could be
used to lobby political parties in the run-up to the November state
election.
An integrated transport plan was considered a high priority by 95 per cent
of respondents, followed by globally competitive internet speeds for the
future economy (74 per cent) and a mass transit airport rail link (70 per
cent).
Committee for Melbourne members want a '30-minute city' to ease congestion.
Almost two-thirds said a high priority was Melbourne moving towards a
"30-minute city", a situation in which people can access most of their
required services and activities within a 30-minute travel time.
Given lower priority was extending the free tram zone to the arts and
culture precinct and the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Committee CEO Martine Letts said additional comments made by members
reinforced priorities like the importance of integrated transport, including
less reliance on cars.
"They were concerned about the environment, carbon neutrality, efficient
waste disposal and putting more emphasis on housing affordability and
looking after the vulnerable," she said.
Committee for Melbourne chief executive Martine Letts.
Other comments included cutting immigration to ease pressure on
infrastructure; creating a "socially inclusive" city; and developing a
master plan for Federation Square East.
On Thursday night, the committee announced co-winners for its 2018 Melbourne
Achiever Award.
They were businesswoman and philanthropist Naomi Milgrom and Melbourne and
Olympic Parks which runs the sports and entertainment precinct.
TURNBULL PLEDGES $5 BILLION FOR MELBOURNE AIRPORT RAIL LINK.
COMMITTEE FOR MELBOURNE RAISES IDEA OF MEGA CITY COUNCIL.
LORD MAYORAL CANDIDATE SALLY CAPP CALLS FOR 'HIGHLINE PARK'.
<www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/transport-internet-speeds-top-priorities
-in-committee-for-melbourne-survey/news-story/e4abcbf1891aa4e048f465fe9417b0
f7>

Ever wondered why we need airport rail? Catch Skybus in peak hour 10 May
2018.
video: There are no rules around what compensation airlines have to offer.
You could easily argue that Skybus is the best bus service anywhere in
Victoria.
It's frequent, every 10 minutes from 6am to midnight. And it keeps going
overnight; it's the only public transport in the state that runs 24/7.
The new fleet of bright-red double-deck buses are clean and spacious, and
the staff are friendly.
And yet if you need to know why Melbourne needs an airport rail link, try
catching Skybus in peak hour. The service is often crowded, and the buses
get delayed in the notorious Tullamarine traffic.
If you need to know why Melbourne needs an airport rail link, try catching
Skybus in peak hour.
It's also expensive - the trip costs four times a regular public transport
fare. While that's cheaper than a taxi, the advantage disappears if you're
not travelling alone.
Despite the faults, it's busy. The big buses will often depart leaving a
queue of people who wait for the next one. But there's the paradox: just 7
per cent of passengers travel to Melbourne Airport by Skybus.
While on paper it's a high-quality public transport service, it's simply
inadequate as the main connection to such a busy airport.
And it's not just passengers. There are at least 24,000 workers in the
airport precinct, making it one of the busiest employment centres in
Melbourne. A staggering 96 per cent of them drive to work. No wonder the
traffic is bad.
Theoretically, Skybus could be a lot faster and more reliable by providing
it with dedicated bus lanes. But state governments of both stripes have been
sadly reluctant to give road space over to buses and trams, no matter what
the gains in efficiency, and there's next to no enforcement of the lanes
that do exist - just ask any Hoddle Street bus user.
Likewise, Skybus could be cheaper, but with demand already swamping the
service, in the short term this would cause even more crowding problems.
Simply put, buses aren't the mode of choice to serve a destination as large
as a major airport.
This is why airport rail is important. A single train can move as many
people as six or more buses, along a route that doesn't get clogged up with
single-occupant cars.
Of course if it was that easy, it would have already happened.
Leaving aside the monorail proposal, whose only proponent appears to be a
company that constructs monorails, four heavy rail options have been
shortlisted: via Sunshine, via Broadmeadows, and two options through the
middle.
It will be expensive. Given the cost, what will make it successful? The
recently opened Southland railway station may point the way.
Like the airport, Southland is out in the suburbs, with huge car parks, lots
of visitors and workers, and constant traffic congestion. Which is why
public transport is an important option.
Unless you work there, you probably don't go to Southland every day, yet the
new station is almost always busy despite being only months old.
It's on a rail line which serves other destinations, meaning frequent
service is easily justified. The frequent service means it's easy to
interchange if you're not on the same line. The train is also as fast or
faster than driving
along parallel roads.
The train to Southland serves both staff and customers going to the shopping
centre, with a standard fare which is integrated into the broader public
transport ticket system, and affordable.
These are attributes we should be looking for in our airport rail link, and
public transport to the airport more generally: speed, frequency,
connectivity, and integrated affordable fares.
It should be a reasonably fast trip from the city, competitive with driving.
(With Melbourne's growing traffic congestion, this shouldn't be a huge
challenge for any competent rail planners.)
To maximise usage for travellers from all parts of Melbourne, good
connections with short waiting times between trains are vital. And given the
airport's significance to the rest of the state, good regional rail
connections are also
important.
Authorities must also ensure that all those airport workers, tens of
thousands of them, have viable public transport options. Many of them are
likely to live in the suburbs surrounding the airport.
This is why the airport train should be part of a suite of improvements,
with other upgrades including improvements to local buses, and an extension
of the Airport West tram.
Some cite the invention of wheeled luggage as a catalyst for more people
willing to use public transport to airports. Airport public transport needs
to be fast, frequent, affordable and reliable. If it is, then like public
transport
elsewhere in our growing city, people will use it.
Of course, the airport is not the only employment centre currently
disconnected from the mass transit network. Our city's continued economic
prosperity depends on good access from all directions to the biggest job
clusters - places like Chadstone, Monash University, Highpoint, Latrobe
University and the industrial centre of Dandenong South.
After decades of neglect, there are welcome signs of a renaissance in public
transport investment. Let's hope both sides of politics see the huge
economic, social and environmental benefits of continuing to expand the
train and tram
networks - not just to the airport, but right across our city.
Daniel Bowen is a former president of the Public Transport Users
Association.
<www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/ever-wondered-why-we-need-airport-rail-
catch-skybus-in-peak-hour-20180504-p4zdci.html>
* I have travelled on Skybus to and from the airport and never had a problem
.. Even with the roadworks going on that will make it easier again.
Fares to and from Brisbane via train were similar. Specific airport
transport everywhere I have been is more expensive than normal public
transport. Taxi's are much more expensive.
And where do you get a train driver who helps as many as possible with their
luggage. ???
Skybus IS a great service.
* 24,000 workers in airport precinct is justifiable to build a $5 billion
train line - I don't think so - how many people travel on the Frankston line
every day - 100,000 plus and most go to city or schools along the way - how
about
opening skybus up to competition - greyhound , Murrays etc - skybus has the
sweetest monopoly in the world - a whole major international airport to
supply passengers to/from all by themselves - a cash cow if ever I saw up -
and they
never put in for the $billion dollar Tulla upgrade either which they benefit
from enormously - open up the bus service to competition - 2-3 providers -
government subsidy which we cost $30 million a year at most - just saved $5
billion and $30 million wouldnt even be the interest bill needed to pay the
loan back - a train to the airport with numerous stops along the way is a
shocker - the bus is direct - in peak hours make it have a bus lane if you
have too - a train will be a white elephant unless it is fast and direct
* Skybus is a rip-off considering the distances involved and the vast number
of customers who use it. To make matters worse I notice they have started
closing their ticket kiosks if it's early in the morning - For the 2nd time
in a row following the hell that is the interstate PER-MEL redeye flight I
had to drag all my luggage and my sleep deprived body in the freezing wind
and rain at 5:30am from Terminal 1 to Terminal 3 just to get on a bus to the
CBD. To add insult to injury, in the time taken to walk the distance I
missed the next bus and had to wait even longer.
The icing on the cake is that this was $20 for the privilege yet my
subsequent 120km coach ride from Southern Cross only cost me $15.
* What we need is grade separated automated lightrail - see the Busan-Gimhae
Light Rail Transit in South Korea. Far easier to boost supply during peak
times, 24/7, no strikes, no 2 year lag time to train new drivers...
* If we built a new high speed rail link from the back of the aiport across
to a new station at calder park the airport could be connected to the
melbourne rail system for much less than $ 5 billion as it crosses over
empty land that
way. The remaining billions could be then spent on a high speed train
(250km/hr like china have thousands) from the city to sunbury improving the
daily commute for everyone on the watergardens line. Most airport passengers
don't got to the airport from the CBD.
* A rail line stopping at a myriad of other stations is useless. End of
story, period. Trying juggling suit cases and children on a crowded commuter
line. Airport rail needs to be limited stop, and limited I mean at most one
station.
Anyone using it from the burbs will already have schlepped on another train
to get to Southern Cross; therefore you don't want an airport train stopping
at 15 stations otherwise people will continue to drive.
* We often catch the 901 Smartbus from the airport. It goes via just about
everywhere in Melbourne before it gets to its end destination at Frankston.
With a terminal placed at the far reaches of the airport and clearly a
reluctant
afterthought. public transport from Tullamarine is, like graffiti, litter
and enclave crowding, a feature of the worlds most ''liveable'' city.
* Not forgetting the 478/479 to/from Sunbury- under-patronised and under
promoted.
* $5 billion for a train. Ridiculous. Imagine how many smartphones the
government could buy for poor kids with that money. Just ride a bike
instead. Healthy and free!
* As a reasonably frequent traveller to airport by myself and with family,
from both the city and from Bendigo, I worry rail option is not financially
sensible. The bus is usually quite fast, and price is reasonable for 1. If
family
travelling, taxi better. Let's see detailed economic case before politicians
commit 10s of billions.
* I travel from Sydney Domestic station to Central every Monday, takes 8
minutes... plus 5 minutes from the gate to the station, when i worked in
Melbourne it was 10-15 minutes to the bus stop and on a good day 45 minutes
on a
horrendous skybus crowded with people stop/start the whole way in or out, on
a bad day it can be near 90 minutes. Melbourne does need a train to the
airport desperately but it needs to be high speed and express, the options
being
considered with multiple stops make a train link unusable, 10min max is
needed.
* Have traveled by train in Sydney and Brisbane to those airports. IT is
easy, about 20-30 minutes from the centre of each city. Absolutely stress
free. Can't wait for Melbournes. Probably be a 1 hr trip from the CBD via
Frankston...
* Less than 15% of all passengers use the Brisbane train and less than 17%
of all passengers use the Sydney train. Even if 20% of all passengers used a
Melbourne link costing $10 billion or more, it would be cheaper to pay for
their
taxi fare for the next 100 years. Electrification to Melton, duplication to
Ballarat and Bendigo, rectification to Traralgon and extensions of the
Frankston and Cranbourne lines could be achieved for the same cost at 10
times the
benefit.
* You do know Skybus have a peninsula service that takes in Frankston. ??
* In one word - technology.
Driverless cars are already appearing. Today - consider a fleet of
driverless cars converging (and diverging) from the airport. Connected, they
need only proceed metres apart. When a problem occurs the entire kilometres
of cars react as one. Cost - far less than buying the new trains, much less
building a railway.
For safety yes allocate a lane to them - or better still create a pair of
one-way lanes (there is no need for passing) where the railway is supposed
to go so there is no chance of an idiot trying to push into their lane. Each
lane can be run anywhere that there is spare land without worrying about
width or slope or even proximity.
However, once automation is a bit more advanced, we do away with the entire
concept of a "station" where passengers congregate. Instead we have a stream
of driverless cars picking up passengers from their homes and then
converging to be part of the endless convoy on its run to the airport.
Coming back they can fan out from the airport delivering passengers to their
homes. Computers can group like with like for efficiency (and lowering
costs). They are in effect an endless "train" - but with all passengers
seated.
* "Driverless cars are already appearing. Today - consider a fleet of
driverless cars converging (and diverging) from the airport. Connected, they
need only proceed metres apart. When a problem occurs the entire kilometres
of cars react as one. Cost - far less than buying the new trains, much less
building a railway."
- For this scenario, every car would need to be autonomous. Assuming an
average price of $40k, that's a cost of $184b for Victoria.
* In one word: space.
Driverless cars may take up less roadspace than cars with drivers (given as
you've pointed out, connectivity can reduce safe breaking distance, etc);
but they still will take up much more space than a bus or a train.
Ride-sharing would again make that somewhat more efficient, but only so
much. Empty cars running errands, returning to base, etc. would have the
counter effect.
Given the roads are already choked, and Melbourne is experiencing rapid
population growth; the space efficiency of autonomous cars vs. regular cars
will only go so far. We need mass transport solutions and that means more
rail.
* An airport rail link will suit how many people? Coming from the South East
I'd rather 5 billion dollars be spent on building another Airport out in the
South East. That way the traffic is divided in half as the people now have a
2nd Option or 3rd if you count that thing out at Avalon.
* Where? Somwhere in Cardinia Shire perhaps? There's land certainly. But how
would people get to it? The long skinny car park known as the Monash
Freeway?
I guess you could build a train to it...
* It should also continue on to Sunbury, that way Bendigo trains can avoid
suburban services between Sunbury and Sunshine, and connect Bendigo to the
airport as well
* I like your work, Daniel, but I would like to offer one counterpoint in
the matter of price. If the FAC has their way, they'll place a surcharge on
every train ticket to and/or from the airport, as they do in Sydney. As a
result, the trip from Mascot to the CBD is possibly one of the most
expensive short routes I've ever experienced. Let's not count on the train
being competitively priced.
* If nothing else skybus is a fine example of why buses - no matter how well
staffed and regular - simply cannot compete with trains for reliability or
capacity, particularly for long, oft-congested routes on major roads.
I'm not holding my breath, but let's hope we're finally about to make some
progress on this front.
* "... a suite of improvements, with other upgrades including improvements
to local buses, and an extension of the Airport West tram."
Look back at the 1966 Melways, and this was easily possible along Melrose
Drv (named "Lancefield Rd" back then).
However someone noticed this, and rapidly sold off the road reservation
along the south side of Melrose Drv between Mickleham Rd and where the new
Essendon training ground is, so it's now too narrow to run a tram up it.
* It is so strange that our government have not worked this out yet. To most
people it is a glaring shortcoming.
* Every State Government has looked at it and they have all decided to put
it off until it's economically viable. So on the one hand, yes, a lot of
people want it. On the other hand, not enough people will use it for it to
pay for
itself.
* Let's not complain about the "expensive" Sky Bus until you compare it to
an equivalent airport train - like Sydney - where you get on a "normal"
commuter train at the airport station with all the commuters and pay around
$14 for the pleasure - which I'm sure the normal commuters are not paying
anything like that.
That said the airport train gets you to Sydney CBD in around 15 minutes or
the time it takes to queue for a cab.
Bring on the train.
* Try the ''air train'' at Brisbane's airport. Just another old train, this
trip will only cost you $18.50 (no concession) for the few stops into town.
Four of us, (two couples) recently made this journey and it only cost $74 to
ride on a grubby old train. Next time its a taxi or hire car, still at
least Brisbane does have a train to the airport.
* if an airport rail line is built, the trips will cost $20 like Skybus (or
whatever it costs by then). Just look at Sydney and Brisbane. I am in favour
of airport rail lines, but people need to realise that it will almost
certainly not cost the same as a normal ticket. Several lines serving the
airport and connecting nearby suburbs would be the ideal.
* Try getting back to a suburb after a weekend away on a Sunday night.. its
an incredibly long miserable ride home They should have more frequent
weekend services rather than less... rail would be more comfortable.. and I
live in St
Kilda. Shouldn't be that hard.
* The Sydney train to airport works OK but it's cheaper to get a taxi if
travelling as a family or group .
I doubt any Melbourne airport rail will be a cheap option in the end.
* Why can't we have Skybus going from Major centres to the airport? ie
Greensborough, Doncaster, Monash and West of the city? Why does everyone
have to go into the city and then out?
* Catch the 901 from the airport to Greensborough, time wise it's about the
same as it takes to fly from Melbourne to Perth.
* The big myth is that a railway has to be as expensive as TfV proposes.
For the cost, Melbourne has to get something more useful than just an
airport express. The next myth is that the line can't support a two-tier
service. It
should be able to, but Victorian management is notorious for its inability
to cope. The next myth is that it will be cheaper than Skybus. The ripoff
airport will make sure that a train is just as ripoff. One need only look
at Sydney and Johannesburg: ordinary fares for all stations on the line,
except for the one serving the airport. Victorian planners are sure to pick
the worst world examples to emulate.
Lathams Rd in busy Carrum Downs industrial hub set for major upgrade
Frankston Standard Leader May 10, 2018
Business operators Dianne and John Newton are rapt busy Lathams Rd in the
Carrum Downs industrial hub will be upgraded. Picture: Valeriu Campan.
BUSINESS operators in the Carrum Downs industrial hub are jubilant after the
State Government announced a major upgrade of Lathams Rd.
Dianne Newton, who with husband John runs Newton's Furniture, said she was
rapt the works would go ahead.
"I am very excited about it. It's just terrific," she said.
"Years ago when we started (campaigning for) it I didn't think we had any
hope.
"The traffic is so busy now compared to what it was 10 years ago with all
the new factories."
The Newtons last December told the Leader how they were lucky to survive
after a truck slammed into the back of their car and sent it into the path
of oncoming traffic 14 years ago on Lathams Rd.
They and other business operators, along with advocacy group the Committee
for Greater Frankston, campaigned for Lathams Rd to be duplicated.
The government announced as part of the State Budget that it would duplicate
Lathams Rd from two to four lanes between Oliphant Way and
Dandenong-Frankston Rd, including a new bridge over Peninsula Link.
Committee for Greater Frankston chief executive Ginevra Hosking said the
announcement was "fantastic news" for the industrial estate, as well as the
wider community.
"Lathams Rd is the backbone of the precinct and its duplication will provide
a massive boost to productivity by reducing traffic congestion and
increasing access at peak times," she said.
Carrum state Labor MP Sonya Kilkenny, who has been praised by business
operators for backing their campaign, said the upgrade would improve travel
times, slash congestion and improve safety.
"Lathams Rd is such a vital road link for many people in the local
community," she said.
"This important upgrade will help people get to and from work and home and
provide better and safer access around the growing industrial areas," she
said.
<www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/south-east/lathams-rd-in-busy-carrum-downs-indu
strial-hub-set-for-major-upgrade/news-story/bcc9d7b3db0c776a6f3e0919f8dfae8a
>


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