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Sent: Wednesday, 5 December 2018, 12:27
Subject: Mon.3.12.18 daily digest.

Roderick.
Mon.3.12 Metro Twitter
Pakenham/Cranbourne lines: Further changes to your service apply until last train, Sun 23 Dec.
- 5.08 When do the buses start running from Pakenham to Westall?  There were none this morning.
16.32 Minor delays (Ferguson St level crossing damaged by a truck in North Williamstown).
17.57 Sunbury line: Minor delays (police near Sydenham Watergardens). Trains may be held.
- 18.17 clearing.
19.13 Belgrave/Lilydale lines: Minor delays after police attended to a trespasser in the Ringwood area.

Melbourne Express, Monday, December 3, 2018
It's been a long and arduous year for commuters on the Cranbourne, Pakenham and Gippsland lines. They're back on the buses this week until Christmas.
So passengers persisting with public transport during the next Pakenham/Cranbourne construction blitz will get free travel on the replacement buses until December 23.  Metropolitan tokens or VLine tickets will be issued for free onward travel across zones one and two. If you normally buy a weekly or monthly pass, hold off. Passengers with an active myki pass will be able to claim a refund.
Attack on power profits.
<www.theage.com.au/melbourne-news/melbourne-express-monday-december-3-2018-20181203-p50jrq.html>

Historic Black Rock tram depot to be incorporated into luxury development.
Bayside Leader August 25, 2018
SANDRINGHAM’S town centre will be transformed if plans go ahead for the historic Black Rock tram depot to be incorporated into a new luxury residential development.
The depot, opposite Sandringham Station, operated from 1906 to 1959 and is considered to be of “state significance”.
However, the 3,320 sqm site will almost certainly be transformed into a residential block consisting of 30 apartments and five “luxury” townhouses.
The block will be split into three separate buildings (two four storeys and one three storey) and will include residential, basement and visitor parking, private lifts, pedestrian walkways, open space communal gardens, a BBQ, a gym and a pool.
The design also incorporates “sky gardens” — a series of elevated terraces with “generous, integrated” planting boxes which will allow the building to be covered entirely with plants.
Councillors gave the project a green light to proceed to next step which is to seek permission to rezone the site from a public transport zone to a “future moderate residential growth area”.
Elevated planter boxes or “sky gardens” are in the plans.
A partial demolition of the heritage overlay protected depot was also given the all clear by council officers who considered the proposed project had achieved an “excellent heritage outcome”.
The depot’s roof will go but the side walls will be retained and refurbished.
The application was lodged by Tract Consultants on behalf of Real Estate Concepts which bought the land from VicTrack.
Tract Consultants representative Daniel Herrman said the development would “certainly make use of an under-utilised site”.
An artist’s impression of the Black Rock tram depot redevelopment.
“It delivers through a highly resolved design outcome,” he said.
Southern Ward councillor Clarke Martin called it a concept and plan that “will enhance the area” while Bayside Mayor Laurie Evans labelled the project it as a “major change” and transformational”.
The council is accepting submissions on the proposed rezoning until October 14.
CALLS TO CLEAN UP SANDRINGHAM SLUDGE.
BLACK ROCK NAME CHANGE DELAYS VITAL CANCER TREATMENT.
BEACH PARKING PERMITS SOLD ONLINE.
<www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/inner-south/historic-black-rock-tram-depot-to-be-incorporated-into-luxury-development/news-story/94448342cddbc45f5345ceea9f35ddf7>

Heritage-listed Coburg and Moreland railway stations to stay.
Moreland Leader November 30, 2018.
Moreland train station will be preserved. Picture: George Salpigtidis.
Heritage-listed Coburg and Moreland railway stations will be preserved through the planning of the level crossing removals on the Upfield line.
The Level Crossing Removal Authority has committed to incorporating the heritage of the line into its designs for the sky rail between Bell St and Moreland Rd.
Construction on both of the brick stations began in the 1880s.
A Moreland Council heritage statement of significance described the grouping of four stations — including Jewell and Brunswick — in the same Victorian Gothic style as unique to the area.
Historian and former urban planner Marilyn Moore said locals feared the historical context of the line would be lost under the sky rail plan.
“I believe that the Upfield railway line is unique and special in Melbourne,” she said.
“There is a lack of details about the options, it is rather obvious that both stations and railway infrastructure will be greatly impacted by the overheard option.”
Any adjustment to the heritage-listed sites would require a permit from Heritage Victoria.
video: What is Train Surfing?
LXRA chief executive Kevin Devlin said the authority would consult widely on the historic infrastructure.
“We are looking forward to incorporating heritage elements into the project’s design,” he said.
“We will work with Heritage Victoria, Moreland City Council and other key stakeholders to preserve and respect the history of these buildings and assets.”
UPFIELD LINE SHORT SHUNTING ON THE WAY DOWN DESPITE COMPLAINTS
UPFIELD LEVEL CROSSING REMOVAL TO MAKE WAY FOR SKYRAIL
COMMUTERS CALL FOR REMOVAL OF REYNARD ST LEVEL CROSSING
SYDNEY BUYERS SNAP UP MACEDON RANGES LIFESTYLE PROPERTY
WINGATE COMMUNITY CENTRE FOOD SERVICE COULD SHUT
<www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/north-west/heritagelisted-coburg-and-moreland-railway-stations-to-stay/news-story/695077e7aefc024f6bb465f231701b80>

There will soon be thousands more seats available on Brisbane's trains 2 December 2018. [the comments go with the article posted earlier].
* When will Queensland Rail look at moving to solar power for the trains? 32 year contract is a long time in technology.
* One step forward after 5 steps backwards. Better than nothing, but still a long way to go.
* Just in time for the school holidays! Bravo.
* QR should relinquish the timetable aim for 15mins or better Mon-Fri and design a timetable of 20mins or better 7 days a week. This will result in faster cross town trips due to reduced waiting times. Potential uptake of public transport off peak due to improved services. Covers special events held the whole week through with out the need of adding special services. Some lines would have a metro style turn up and Go every 10 mins as a result eg Darra via Toowong to the City, where it needed.
* Rail Fail continues. Not that media seem care save the occassional republishing of a press release.
* Just in time for school holidays where the peak trains are less than half full.
* Qld Rail is again discriminating against the lower socio economic lines. Note how the Gold Coast got the brand new trains first, followed by the richer areas like Shorncliffe, Dooomben, Northgate, Cleveland. I think I've seen one ngr service running on the Ipswich - Caboolture corridor. That was probably a mistake because I haven't seen it since. This blatant elitism should stop.
<www.brisbanetimes.com.au/politics/queensland/there-will-soon-be-thousands-more-seats-available-on-brisbane-s-trains-20181202-p50jol.html>

Victoria Park train station shut down after man dies of head injuries 2 December 2018
A man has died after he was found unconscious at the Victoria Park train station with serious head injuries on Sunday afternoon.
Forensic officers were at the station on Sunday afternoon. Credit:9 News Perth/Jacquelin Robson.
The "police incident" temporarily shut down the train station, Transperth said, but trains resumed running normally by midnight.
Paramedics and police were called to the station about 3.30pm after a man had entered the station and collapsed. They found a man in his 50s unconscious on the platform and bleeding from his head.
He was rushed to Royal Perth Hospital under priority but died a short time after.
A police spokesman would only confirm that a man had died but did not reveal how the man sustained the injuries.
Nine News Perth understands there had been a fight in the car park of the station between two men and a woman.
Detectives were at the scene and a crime scene was established.
Police would like to speak to anyone who was in the vicinity of the Victoria Park Train Station between 14.30 and 15.30 yesterday, or who saw the man prior to him collapsing.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or report the information online.
<www.watoday.com.au/national/western-australia/victoria-park-train-station-shut-down-after-man-dies-of-head-injuries-20181202-p50jrj.html>

Barr govt likely to axe Barton dogleg of stage two light rail 3 December 2018. 70 comments.
The Barr government is likely to abandon plans to take the second stage of light rail past Old Parliament House, instead opting for a "compromise" route via State Circle.
ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr made the announcement during a speech on Monday morning where he outlined the last two years in government and laid out his future priorities.
An artists's impression of the tram in front of Old Parliament House. Chief Minister Andrew Barr says this route will now likely be dumped in favour of State Circle.
It follows a report from the Joint Standing Committee on the National Capital and External Territories in October, which warned of time delays and cost blowouts in getting the project approved if the government chose to send light rail to Woden via Barton.
At the time, Transport Minister Meegan Fitzharris said the government would nevertheless pursue the route, saying they'd always known it would take a more complicated approval process to get the project over the line.
But on Monday, Mr Barr said he would not allow "perfect to be the enemy of good" in getting the Civic to Woden route approved, and that the light rail would likely instead go via State Circle.
A final decision will be made after next year's federal election when the make-up of the new Parliament becomes clear.
"The federal parliamentary committee has given a pretty clear indication of the fast-track to approvals and we'll focus on that as we move through the next stage of the project," Mr Barr said.
"Obviously at the moment the priority is getting stage one operational but I'm fairly certain not long after that the community's attention will focus very clear on the next stages for the project given we are in the dying days of this current [federal] Parliament, we need to be ready as we move into a new Parliament after next year's election to get the project through the approval phase.
"The bipartisan committee has given a pretty clear steer on that question particularly as it relates to State Circle so we'll focus on that particular part of the route where they've given some pretty clear guidance in regards to the next steps for us."
Mr Barr said the State Circle route represented a compromise between the two options voted on by the public earlier this year and would be the "path of least resistance" in getting the project fast-tracked.
He said it would shave minutes of the journey from Civic to Woden, although there were "risks" involved with the placement of stops.
Parliament House architect Harold Guida told the parliamentary committee earlier this year the government had told him in a briefing a stop on the circle would require a lift to carry people up to Federation Mall between old and new Parliament House.
The station could have been underground, Mr Guida said, with talk of building a “parallel tunnel” to the State Circle tunnel, with the lift appearing on Federation Mall on the side of the road, in the area taken up with small parking spots.
However an ACT government spokeswoman said the Barton route was still a live  -and preferred - option, based on extensive community consultation, technical analysis and discussions with a range of stakeholders, including the National Capital Authority.
Transport Canberra officials also told the committee earlier this year the government had chosen to take light rail through Parkes and Barton as it would pass more employment hubs and cultural institutions, meaning more people would use the system.
But Mr Barr said: "In the end there are inevitably compromises between the speed of the service and the amount of people you get a light rail stop close to."
The National Capital Authority confirmed the route would not require a change to the National Capital Plan although would still need a heritage impact assessment and consideration by the Department of Environment and Energy and the Parliament as well as meeting design quality, landscape, moral rights and safety requirements.
"The NCA will assess the new proposed route on the provision of the appropriate documentation," a spokeswoman said.
Woden Valley Community Council president Fiona Carrick welcomed the news, saying common sense had prevailed.
"While the Woden Valley Community Council does not have a position on whether light rail should be be built or not, should it we built we would prefer it to be a direct alignment. The direct alignment will provide better travel times than the dogleg will provide," Ms Carrick said.
Inner South Canberra Community Council chair Marea Fatseas said she could understand why the government came to that compromise, given the complexity of the Barton route and that she hoped to see a cost-benefit analysis for the route soon.
She also urged government to start work on an integrated transport and land use plan for the Civic to Woden corridor sooner rather than later to avoid the stage one scenario where the light rail project is almost complete but there is still no final City and Gateway Urban Design Framework.
"With the rapid densification of the inner south comes the need also for better public transport and active travel options," Ms Fatseas said.
ACT executive director for the Property Council of Australia Adina Cirson stands next to the State Circle, the "compromise" route for light rail stage two. Credit: Dion Georgopoulos
ACT Property Council executive director Adina Cirson, who lobbied for a Capital Circle alignment, said developers who'd invested heavily in Woden would also welcome the alignment.
"The Property Council believes stage two needs to be done as quickly as possible to provide certainty to developers in the Woden town centre, but also so a north-south public transport connection is in place as soon as possible," Ms Cirson said.
"While we understand the importance of connecting Barton, we don't believe compromising the fastest way to Woden is the best way of doing that."
Ms Cirson also said the new route set up the possibility of using the Parliamentary Triangle as an interchange point to build future public transport between the area and Kingston, Manuka and Canberra Airport.
But Public Transport Association of Canberra Damien Haas labelled the announcement as "disappointing", saying the long term benefits of light rail would have been better realised with light rail deviating through Barton.
"We understand that this compromise is necessary for the light rail to get to Woden - and eventually Tuggeranong - but the proposal to travel through Barton's national institutions and workplaces had incredible potential to reduce car dependency, ease parking pressures and provide direct access to many national institutions by tourists and Canberrans working there," Mr Haas said.
"We agree this is the path of least resistance in attaining Commonwealth approvals for construction to occur, and trust this compromise is matched in spirit with a speedy approvals process to enable a business case to be prepared. We would like to see construction started as soon as possible."
Related Article ACT govt urged to stick to main avenues on second stage of light rail.
<www.canberratimes.com.au/politics/act/barr-govt-likely-to-axe-barton-dogleg-of-stage-two-light-rail-20181203-p50jtb.html>

Pedestrian review recommends lower speed limits and slip lane removals 3 December 2018.
<www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/pedestrian-review-recommends-lower-speed-limits-and-slip-lane-removals-20181203-p50jyq.html>

'Six panels a minute': Two million Australian homes now have solar 3 December 2018. 13 comments.
<www.brisbanetimes.com.au/business/consumer-affairs/six-panels-a-minute-two-million-australian-homes-now-have-solar-20181203-p50jtn.html>