-----Original Message-----
From: Roderick Smith [mailto:rodsmith@werple.net.au]
Sent: Monday, 6 August 2018 3:48 PM
To: 'transportdownunder@yahoogroups.com'
Subject: Sun.5.8.18 daily digest.

Attached.

180805Su Melbourne 'Herald Sun':
- letters (rail, energy).
- Frankston machines damaged.
- Frankston elevated.

180805Su Metro Twitter:
- Princes Bridge ~1890-1910.
- Flinders St ~early1950s.

Roderick.

Sun.5.8.18 Metro Twitter
Lots of bustitution notices.
Princes Bridge, Melbourne, looking north, 1900. The Water Tower Clock has
replaced the former Morgue at the site of today's Federation Square.
17.11 Sunbury line: Citybound delays (an equipment fault near Footscray).
18.57 Glen Waverley line: Major delays (police near Mount Waverley).
- 19.09 Delays extending. Alternative travel information [link given].
- 19.32 Clearing.
The Main Entrance under the Clocks to Flinders St will be closed from 9pm
until the last train tonight while restoration works take place on the Dome.
Please use the Federation Square, Princes Bridge or Elizabeth St entrances
during this time.

Herald Sun August 5, 2018.
UP to $100,000 worth of heavy machinery has been damaged in an attack at a
level crossing removal site in Melbourne's southeast.
About 10 vehicles, including excavators and scissor lifts, had hydraulic
hoses cut, windows smashed and radiators punctured at Frankston last month.
It's believed the vandalism rampage lasted no longer than 20 minutes.
A 40-year-old Seaford man was arrested on Friday but -released pending
inquiries.
Police initially suspected opposition to the new elevated rail line at the
crossing motivated the attack, but this has since been ruled out, along with
any contractor disputes.
Skyrail overpass in Frankston at Overton Rd. Picture: Jason Sammon
Sen-Constable Nicholas Jung, of Frankston CIU, told the Sunday Herald Sun:
"It's mindless damage for no particular reason. Whatever the person was
going there to achieve, they just achieved the damage that was caused.''
The vandal - likely armed with hand tools or a knife - struck near the new
Skye/Overton Rd overpass between 5.30pm on July 12 and 6.30am the next day.
The vehicles, which also had sand poured into their fuel tanks, were stored
in a fenced compound near the corner of Corlett St and Dandenong Rd East.
Sen-Constable Jung said workers who used the equipment could have been
seriously hurt or worse.
"The damage was pretty -obvious to a lot of people, but -because of the
amount of -machinery damaged they didn't know until they went into a lot of
their vehicles that the hydraulics had been cut or radiators punctured,'' he
said.
"There was the potential for someone to be hurt or something more serious to
have happened.
"These guys know their machinery so they knew something wasn't right when
they got there."
Police have appealed for anyone who saw anything suspicious in the area, or
who might be able to provide CCTV or dashcam footage, to come forward.
Frankston CIU can be contacted on 9784 5590, or Crime Stoppers via 1800 333
000.
MORE: OPINIONS DIVIDED AS MELBOURNE'S SKY RAIL TRAINS ROLL.
MELBOURNE'S WORST TRAIN LINES.
<www.heraldsun.com.au/news/law-order/police-appeal-for-information-on-skyrai
l-damage-in-frankston/news-story/9e830b87658c0986b87ee1f2fe8c5781>.
* Who cares? As if this was never going to happen. It's only going to get
worse. Soon to come, graffiti, Rubbish, syringes and bums hanging out. Will
be nothing like those lovely artist impressions of this wonderful green
family friendly space. Just keep voting Labor Victoria, we will soon be
like the lovely Socilaist place Venezuela.
* At the time of concept I did comment that the artist impression of the sky
rail was false, no graffiti, burned out stolen cars, gangs hanging out and
an endless stream of drug deals (this is Melbourne after all).
* Send the bill to Daniel Andrews.
* Send the bill to the political party brainwashing people that sky rail is
bad! Got nothing to do with Daniel Andrews. Hopefully CCTV will capture
those who tried to serious injure or kill the workers trying to make a
living!
* Very lax on punishment, don't see this type of thing happening in
Singapore or Japan. The reason is because the culture is different. People
take pride in their community and in each other. More unnecessary expense
for taxpayers. Harsher punishment is needed, even if we have to build more
jails.
* What a trash bag society we live in.
* Find them and send them to jail until they pay it off.
* you cannot really be fair dinkum mate , you would rather level xings .
Everyone squeals about our rail system and as soon as someone tries to
improve it they squeal again . Malaysia , Japan , China all have skyrail and
it is a very good system. Get with the times!
* Police initially think it was opposition to the sky rail, but have ruled
it out. I would have thought until a person is charged and understand the
motive the police would not rule out anything.
* Each person should get a year's jail and be forced to pay back the total
amount damaged. Had enough of this rubbish.
* Disgruntled resident or investor perhaps. As I don't live near the sky
rail, I can say it has been a wonder on the pakenham line. I cannot however
speak the same for those residents that have this skyrail looking into their
properties.
* Freight trains can't use SkyRail, so the freight is unloaded onto trucks
before they get to Pakenham station. The trucks then transport the freight
by road to the wharfs.
Where did Daniel Andrews get the money from to pay for removal of level
crossing done by Labor, from the $9.5 Billion lease of the Port of
Melbourne.
At least with the level crossings removed by the LNP previous government eg.
Burke Road, near Gardiner Station, those costs were managed in the LNP
budget. Something to think about.
* are you saying that no freight trains will run through Carrum?
I find that hard to believe- in fact the engineers from LXRA told me they
would!
* that is simply not true. I am a train driver, freight runs over skyrail
every day. The Maryvale Paper train and a bulk quarry product train use it
daily, and if you were lucky you would have seen a double headed steam train
heading to Traralgon and return today!
* Gee the vandalism most predicted has come a bit early? Can't wait to have
a BBQ down there.
Might invite Dan and his family and then afterwards we can go for a peaceful
walk down a Franga Street?
* I'd love to see a new completely different policy toward punishment for
criminal damage. Offenders are sentenced to jail and community work, they
must complete community work at the minimum wage up to the value of the
damage, community work would largely be focused on graffiti removal, they
have the option to work as much as they like and are only released once
damage is paid for.
Also change the people supervising them to PSO's many supervisors today are
corrupt
* They should not be paid per hour but for each completed task, otherwise
they will achieve nothing just like the current community service orders.
* You would think a middle aged man would have more sense (assuming the
fellow referred to in the article did it).
* $100k's worth of damage? That's nothing compared to the the billions of
dollars' worth of damage Dan's inflicted on us all with his eyesore
Slyrails.
* don't forget the close to $1.5 BILLION he wasted on a contract that
'wasn't worth the paper it was printed on'. Dan's cavalier attitude with
OUR money being frittered away is adding up to billions+. But he's still
leading in the polls.
* So you think damaging machinery and equipment is perfectly ok?
* Yes, get rid of the trains and cars - bring back horses and buggies! Get
with the programme.
* Did I say that, John? No, I didn't - and no, I don't think it's OK. I
was merely pointing out the massive damage Dan has done to this state, and
it appears he isn't going to be taken to task for it by the voters.
* There are far better ways to remove level crossings, Greg - most of them
far more socially responsible than Slyrail eyesores.
* If vandalism is occurring in a secure site under sky rail, how will the
government stop it from happening in their open spaces?
* "Sorry your honour, I have an alcohol problem, I use drugs and I have
mental health issues." 'Righto, 150 hrs community service and all the best
with it all".
* 150 hours? Steady on - they didn't kill anyone!
* It's Frankston! What would you expect from Frankston? This is just the
norm.
* Poor old Frankston, should be a great seaside town but sadly to many
people keep destroying its name, police lock them up and the system puts
them back into Frankston.
* When caught seize all their assets including their house if they have one
to repay all the costs. If no assets garnish their wages till full cost
repaid in full. If no job make them do community work at $15- per hour till
repaid
* I guarantee such a person likely has no assets, agree that community work
should be completed up to the value of the damage.
* Frankston? Well surprise surprise no one ever saw this coming...Did they?

Time to consider the needs of people above the needs of cars 5 August 2018.
I recently led a "walkshop" - a walking workshop - that taught cardiac
rehabilitation experts how to assess the pedestrian-friendliness of
streetscapes, including design of footpaths (if any), street crossings and
roadways.
There is evidence that designing streetscapes for the safety and comfort of
pedestrians is strongly related to walking for transportation among all age
groups. The health experts who participated learned about some common
challenges faced by every resident, including their patients, who are
strongly encouraged to exercise to restore their health.
Some of the local attendees at the Australian Cardiovascular Health and
Rehabilitation Association conference that the experts attended told me
about current debates in Brisbane stimulated by recent pedestrian deaths,
which I am sorry to hear about.
Much of the discussion has been about pedestrians glued to their phones,
using headphones, and jaywalking. Although pedestrians need to be alert and
responsible, too much emphasis on pedestrian behaviour sounds like blaming
the victim.
This is not the only issue.
In many European countries, pedestrians are considered the highest-priority
traveller because they are most vulnerable. Streets are designed to protect
pedestrians, and laws assume the driver is at fault in a crash with a
pedestrian. So drivers are very vigilant about pedestrians.
This is in stark contrast to the approach in the USA and Australia where the
main goal of transportation is to move cars.
There is a historical reason for the American disregard for pedestrians,
which is where jaywalking was invented about 100 years ago. Before cars,
pedestrians owned the streets and could walk on them and cross wherever they
wanted. They just had to watch out for horses and trams, which move slowly.
As soon as cars started appearing on streets, they started killing
pedestrians. This created a lot of bad press for car companies. Their
solution was to invent the crime of jaywalking.
This gave the streets to cars and restricted access to pedestrians. In a
brilliant marketing move, they called pedestrians "jays", which meant
something like "ignorant hillbilly." Not only did jaywalking laws take
rights away from pedestrians, it also insulted them. Pedestrians have been
second-class citizens ever since in the US, with Australia being similar.
Given this history, it is not surprising that pedestrians are blamed for
their own deaths. The assumption is that cars have every right to drive fast
without any expectation of interference by pedestrians (or bicyclists).
I suggest that city officials take a look at the places where pedestrians
were hit. Were they crossing in mid-block because traffic lights were very
far apart? Do pedestrians wanting to cross the street have to wait a long
time for the signal to change? Are the speed limits such that cars going
that speed are very likely to kill anyone they hit? What about enforcement
of speed limits in these areas? Most crashes have multiple causes that
should be considered.
I understand the Queensland Government is committed to developing a strategy
to promote walking, and I congratulate the leaders for taking this step. I
hope it is a bold strategy that takes lessons from research and practice
around the world.
There are many examples of cities that have dramatically increased walking
and bicycling. It is not easy because it requires putting the needs of
people (walkers and cyclists) above the needs of cars most of the time. But
there are many payoffs for health, environmental sustainability and even
economic development.
Brisbane has done many great things for walking and bicycling, such as the
beautiful ped/bike bridges, the river trails and the Queen Street Mall. The
next step is to make every neighbourhood better for walking and bicycling,
because that will make Brisbane an even greater city.
Professor Jim Sallis is Professorial Fellow, Mary MacKillop Institute for
Health Research, Australian Catholic University; and Distinguished Professor
Emeritus, Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, University of
California San Diego.
https://sallis.ucsd.edu
<www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/time-to-consider-the-needs-of-
people-above-the-needs-of-cars-20180805-p4zvla.html>