----- Forwarded Message -----
From: Roderick Smith rnveditor@...>
To: Tdu Transportdownunder transportdownunder@...>
Sent: Tuesday, 18 September 2018, 21:08
Subject: Sat.15.9.18 daily digest.

Attached.
180915Sa Melbourne 'Herald Sun':- letters, road & rail.- energy, gas. with tdu.

180915Sa Metro Twitter:- Richmond 22.27 crowding (Angelique Yiannis).- Buckley St, Essendon.
Roderick.
Sat.15.9.18 Metro Twitter
Last weekend, workers broke through under Buckley St.  In just a couple of weeks, the new road underpass will be complete and open to traffic, with trains running on the rail line above [with no extra benefit for public transport].
- Labor and 'know it all' MP Danny Pearson refused to implement rail under road favoured by Moonee Valley Council.  Labor the "government" for 15 of last 19 years. Absolute power corrupts absolutely! [clearly a Liberal supporter.  Lib did nothing and Lab does wrong things; public transport never wins].
- So many lies by our know it all “representative”.
- Interestingly, traffic in the area and surrounds has reduced, with the exception of an increase in trucks for the site. Probably could have just closed the road.
- Depends on how much the traffic has increased in other areas less able to cope. The cars would have had to go somewhere as our public transport favors only city people
- The other two main e-w arterials do not feel any busier than previously, and the local roads also don’t have increased traffic.  I’d love to see traffic counts for before and during closure, as I believe that there are fewer trips being made.
- Save Buckley Street - Rail Under Road‏ [a doomed campaign].
-  If there were any traffic studies done (highly unlikely although they did pay people to count cars during school holidays once; these people mainly played with their phones) they were never released to the community.
- It'll no doubt make trips for medical appointments much faster and safer because of fewer intersections, fewer inattentive drivers and a more relaxed drive.
- I can’t wait to see this completed.
Pakenham/Cranbourne lines: Buses replace trains Caulfield - Dandenong until the last train of Sun 16 Sep (maintenance works).  Buses extend to replace trains Caulfield - Pakenham, from 0.00 Sun 16 Sep until the last train.
Buses replace trains Carrum - Frankston/Stony Point until 4.30, Sun 16 (level-crossing replacement and Frankston station work).
Sandringham line: All services altered to run direct Richmond - Flinders St all weekend (maintenance work).  Passengers for loop stations change at Richmond [into Caulfield trains]. Passengers from loop stations board a train to Richmond [Burnley group; anticlockwise on a Caulfield train may be faster when services drop to 30 min headways] and change.
6.54 Werribee line: Major delays (a track fault between Newport and Seaholme). Trains may be altered/held.
- 7.28 Minor delays clearing.  All outbound services will now run as per timetable between Newport and Laverton.
9.08 Belgrave/Lilydale lines: Services will depart from altered platforms Box Hill - Camberwell (maintenance work near Mont Albert).
11.59 Sandringham line: Citybound delays clearing after a fallen tree branch near rail lines at Ripponlea [not announced at the time of the fall].
12.09 Mernda line: Outbound delays (an ill passenger requiring an ambulance at Regent).
- 12.16 delays extending.
- 12.25 clearing.
13.15 Frankston line: Minor delays (a vandalised train at Highett).
- 13.27 clearing.  [This was at a time with 10 min headways.  I guess that everyone was evicted; the train left empty; people boarded the following train].
17.18 Craigieburn/Sunbury/Upfield Lines: Minor delays (police).
- 17.20 YT says that there is a delay in Sydney Rd and to use train.
- 17.30 now major.
21.56 Richmond: All entrances are open for returning football traffic.
- 22.02 Swan/Stewart St and Olympic Boulevard entrances have minimal traffic/crowding. Please use all entries.  Access to the Olympic Boulevard entrance is via the footbridge over rail lines towards Hisense Arena.  [As ever, management convenience beats passenger convenience].
- 22.14 & 22.25 Current waiting times for entry into the station are 9-10 minutes.
- 22.36 Minimal crowding at all entrances.
- I don't think this is a true account, definitely not my daughter's experience catching a train on the Frankston line.
- 22.49 Are you serious - who’s giving you these updates - it’s a wonder there was no stampede.  It’s not good enough, just a joke.
- 23.46 Why are you so disorganised?  There was only one working Myki gate at the Swan St entry.  The “Werribee special” from Richmond went one stop and terminated at Flinders St.  The info on the announcements contradicted info on the trains.  You just find new ways to be very ordinary.