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Subject: Wed.2.2.22 daily digest

Tues.1.2: 13.50 down diesel, IEV? through Surrey Hills;  back 14.01.

Roderick

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<www.thetramcafe.com/our-story> [Dublin]

Wed.2.2.22 Metro Twitter
Aircraft: No ramp access to platforms until late 2021 (pedestrian-underpass works), delayed to March 2022.
Flinders St: still with a lane closed for tunnel works?
Buses replace trains Westall - Pakenham/Cranbourne until the last train of Thu 3 Feb (works).
To prepare for major works to remove three Pakenham level crossings and build two new stations at Pakenham and East Pakenham we've:
- Building construction built temporary site offices
- installed safety fencing along the rail line
- continued underground investigations to relocate service infrastructure
The 2.5km rail bridge, 2km rail line extension and 2 new stations will improve safety, reduce road congestion & allow more trains, more often.
Pakenham will be level crossing free in 2023-24 with stations & community open space set to open in 2024.
16.55 Left lane blocked eastbound in Racecourse Road, North Melbourne at CityLink (a truck hitting the bridge). Merge carefully using the right lane and slow down past the scene.
- 17.00 Upfield line: Major delays (a motor vehicle striking Racecourse Rd rail bridge). Consider foute 19 trams along Sydney Rd or route 58 tram-replacement buses.  Trains may terminate/originate at intermediate stations.
17.36 Werribee line: Major delays (an equipment fault near Hoppers Crossing). Trains may terminate/originate at Laverton.
- 17.55 clearing.
18.07 Sunbury line: Major delays (an equipment fault near Diggers Rest). Trains may terminate/originate at Sydenham Watergardens.
- 18.48 clearing.
Buses replace trains North Melbourne - Upfield from 20.35 until the last train (maintenance works).
Glen Waverley line: Buses replace trains Parliament - Darling from 20.40 until the last train (maintenance works).
Sunbury/Craigieburn/Upfield lines: All trains direct to/from Flinders St from 21.00 until the last train (maintenance works).  From loop stations, take a Flinders St train from pfm 1.
Lilydale/Belgrave lines: Buses replace trains Parliament - Burnley from 21.00 until the last train (maintenance works).
Pakenham/Cranbourne lines: All trains will terminate/originate at Caulfield from 21.00 until the last train (works). Change to/from Frankston trains.

Brisbane rail project brings door-to-door public transport a step closer. Christopher Niesche Jan 17, 2022
In the near future, commuters will travel around cities on smart public transport systems, which adjust their timetables to accommodate real-time passenger demand to offer a seamless door-to-door journey.
It’s a key component of a smart city, where lower environmental impacts accompany improved transport connections.
Hitachi sparks bright future for QLD commuters. Hitachi
Hitachi Rail is taking the first step to realising that vision with its work on south-east Queensland’s Cross River Rail project.
The leading railway systems innovator is installing a smart signalling system that will allow trains to run more frequently as the region’s population grows. This is important because frequency of services is central to driving widespread adoption of public transport.
“At Hitachi Rail, we’re promoting mobility-as-a-service with rail. This is where you move large numbers of people quickly, safely and reliably using an intelligent train control system,” says Roslyn Stuart, head of sales and projects at Hitachi Rail Australia.
Traditional metropolitan train systems have in the past had to run trains at certain intervals, as a safety measure to ensure the gaps were large enough to avoid any risk of collision.
Roslyn Stuart, head of sales and projects at Hitachi Rail Australia. Hitachi
But trains on a smart signalling system communicate with a central rail management centre. “Using an intelligent train control system, the rail management centre will know the speed and location of each train at any given time,” Stuart says.
“This means that two trains will never come close to each other.”
Smart signalling systems like the one being implemented in south-east Queensland will operate on an IT platform that allows further innovation as the needs of rail operators and customers evolve in the future.
Widely used throughout the world, the platform provides the opportunity for trains to travel at exactly the right speed to achieve maximum network efficiency.
“Our ability to finely calibrate rail operations in this way enhances the sustainability of the rail system itself while better meeting the needs of passengers,” Stuart says.
Ultimately, real-time information about a city’s transit system and passenger movements will facilitate mobility-as-a-service. This would allow customers in the future to book a door-to-door journey in a single app that would plan the optimum route.
For instance, someone might travel first by bus to the rail station, then by train and finally via a brief rideshare trip to their final destination. The mobility-as-a-service would work out the best times and connections for the travellers and charge them for the journey in the same seamless way that Uber does.
The smart transport system could also help people move around the city more seamlessly by detecting the movements of large volumes of passengers and ensuring there are connecting bus or rail services on hand, Stuart says. Hitachi Rail is currently trialling something similar in Genoa in northern Italy.
“We believe we’ll have a modal shift towards rail and mobility-as-a-service here in Australia. With the recently held COP26 and the world’s government and corporate institutions all starting to lean towards a net zero economy, it’s predicted that customers will also expect greener solutions in the future,” Stuart says.
Geoffrey Clifton, senior lecturer in transport and logistics management at the University of Sydney Business School, says real-time information is central to a smart transport system because it allows passengers to assess available travel options.
“This feeds into more informed decision making on the day, which means people making better choices, and operators being able to respond,” he says.
Next, transport operators will need the ability to respond to the information and adjust their services.
Real-time data is key to smart transport. Getty Images
“Traditionally, the ability of transport operators to respond to peaks and troughs in demand has been very limited. The ability to make real-time decisions has been restricted because timetables are set months or years in advance,” Clifton says.
“Whereas, once you get that information, you can start to put this into the decision cycle, but you need to have the ability to implement them and that means being able to respond quickly.”
Ironically, Clifton says the coronavirus lockdowns and the rise of flexible working have likely sped up the adoption of smart transport, despite initially reducing travel, because it has broken many people’s transport habits, such as catching the train to work at the same time every day.
“More of the trips are going to be on an ad-hoc basis where you’ll go to a hot desk, somewhere close to you, you’ll go to an on-demand office to have a meeting with clients,” he says. “And all of that requires people to do something they’ve not done before, which is where your mobility-as-a-service apps can help them get where they want to be quickly.”
<www.afr.com/companies/infrastructure/brisbane-rail-project-brings-door-to-door-public-transport-a-step-closer-20220114-p59obz>

Lilydale level crossing: Traffic woes continue at Maroondah Highway site Kimberley Seedy January 31, 2022 Lilydale & Yarra Valley Leader
The removal of the Lilydale level crossing hasn’t eased congestion in the area, with motorists pleading for another solution.
video: Traffic banking up along Maroondah Highway. Traffic is still banking up along Maroondah Highway despite the level crossing removal.
Motorists and traders in a outer eastern Melbourne suburb are dreading the return of students to school, fearing it will make congestion at a level crossing removal site even worse.
The new Mooroolbark and Lilydale stations opened to passengers last November, following the removal of the Manchester Rd and Maroondah Highway level crossings, with the state government promising the projects would ease congestion and improve safety.
But motorists are still facing long delays at the Lilydale site – and many would like to see the road duplicated, and made into two lanes each way, to ease congestion.
More than 150 people had their say on the project on Lilydale & Yarra Valley’s Facebook page, with the majority saying the removal of the crossing had actually made traffic worse.
Many called for Maroondah Highway to be converted into two lanes both ways through Main St, to stop cars banking up as they formed one lane approaching the new traffic lights.
“I know the trees aren’t meant to be removed but they need to be to make double lanes,” Beccy Stekelenburg said, while Daniel Renkema described the situation as “Absolutely hopeless”.
“It’s even slower then before and more stopping,” he said.
“It’s the major arterial road to the east, that has been a single lane arterial road in both directions for a hundred years,” Derek Dalton said.
“So they spend millions of dollars getting rid of the old railway line. So that’s done, great move, but we’re still left with one single lane highway in each direction.”
Marie Rulz said the new traffic lights meant cars now stopped every 10 minutes, not every hour or so.
Jackie Fantastic Boehmer said: “Whoever designed (the level crossing removal) could not live around here,” she said.
Scottie Bennett said the only positive was the speed/red light camera had been removed from Main St.
“The whole SkyRail project has made traffic flow worse, increased traffic is now banked up on Victoria Rd as people are using the back way to avoid Main St,” he said.
Valme Jacobs said improvements were needed with the school term now underway.
“During the school term I think they need to put a lollipop lady on duty because every time one student gets to the crossing they press the button. Only two cars were going through the intersection.”
“Accidents waiting happen – when schools go back will be worse,” Drene Mills said.
Commuters at the new Lilydale station. Picture: Level Crossing Removal Project
A Level Crossing Removal Project spokesperson said: “Removing the dangerous Maroondah Highway level crossing has made the roads safer for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians travelling through the intersection and accessing the newly built Lilydale station and bus interchange.”
A 40km/h speed limit remains in place while Level Crossing Removal project crews continue finishing works on the Lilydale station bus interchange, carparking in the station precinct and landscaping works.
While works are continuing, signalling on side streets turning into the Maroondah Highway intersection has been adjusted to reduce congestion building up on the highway.
“40-kilometre speed limits will remain in place while crews finish works, and traffic engineers will monitor traffic levels and adjust traffic signals as required before the road is fully reopened in mid-2022,” the spokesperson said.
In better news for commuters, a new multi-level carpark at Mooroolbark station will open months ahead of schedule.
The 900-space, four-level carpark will open in autumn, doubling the station’s parking capacity.
And landscaping and station precinct works will soon ramp up at the two crossing sites, with more than 60,000 trees, shrubs and grasses to be planted.
Finishing works on signalling and track tamping will also be completed next month with buses replacing trains between Lilydale and Ringwood from Monday, February 14 to Wednesday. February 16.
The Lilydale line will be level crossing free by 2025, with the state government announcing the crossings at Mont Albert Rd Mont Albert and Union Rd Surrey Hills had been fast-tracked for removal and would both be gone for good by next year.
<www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/outer-east/lilydale-level-crossing-traffic-woes-continue-at-maroondah-highway-site/news-story/e212f28913e43f2f1fe474492d3deeff>
* The level crossing programme was always about roads.  So you remove the level crossing and you attract more roads to travel along the now 'freed' road - hence more cars along the road.  If you don't do anything for a reasonable distance along the road itself, the additional vehicles will result in congestion - it's not rocket science, but tell that to the Arts Graduate Andrews.
* They will have exactly the same problem at Mont Albert. They are removing the station forcing passengers to cross Mont Albert road at a crossing in dribs and drabs instead of all at once in the train.  LXRP seem to have learned one thing though, they have gleefully cut down every tree in sight. They claim to have retained 80%, but that’s because they include every tree within 1km in their count. 
* Another well planned development from you know who.
* An absolute joke, a waste of time and money had they done something about a by pass road for Lilydale like they have been talking about for 50 years it wold have been a far better use of money and not had this ugly monstrosity in what was a once beautiful town.
* Time to chop down the trees and widen Maroondah Hwy in Lilydale. It is currently worse than before the overpass was opened.
* Must be made 2  lanes both ways. If the trees have to stay then reduce a service rd to accommodate the 2 lanes each way.  Great that the trains don't cause a delay just the traffic build up does now. 
* Not only is the traffic flow far worse, the loss of car spaces in a already overused car park at Lilydale station as a result of the work, will make create even more headaches for locals as people return to more normal work practices.

Replacement buses for inner west trams leave students running late. Matt O'Sullivan February 2, 2022
Three public secondary schools whose students have relied on Sydney’s troubled inner west light rail line to get to their campuses are demanding the state government put on dedicated school buses until trams are fully reinstated.
Parents’ associations for Sydney Secondary College campuses for Leichhardt, Blackwattle Bay and Balmain warn that temporary buses put on since the line was suspended late last year due to cracked trams have led to “more crowded, less reliable, longer and less safe trips” for students.
Services on the inner west light rail between Central Station and Dulwich Hill have been suspended since late October.CREDIT:CHRISTOPHER PEARCE
In a letter to Transport Minister David Elliott, the parents’ associations say many students are missing buses and waiting long periods for subsequent services to get to school.
“Overcrowding is a problem on the buses and at the temporary bus stops, causing real health and safety concerns,” they wrote. “Students must compete with regular commuters for a limited number of morning and afternoon light rail replacement buses.”
The government previously said that services were expected to resume on the inner west line between Central Station and Lilyfield in late February, which the state’s transport agency said on Wednesday was still on track to achieve. Services are due to be extended to Dulwich Hill in the months afterwards.
Inner West Council’s Labor mayor Darcy Byrne said local schools had reported many children arriving late in the first week back since their holidays.
“I’ve been told by parents that it’s taking up to one-and-a-half hours for students to get from their homes in Dulwich Hill to their school in Glebe. This is a trip that previously took about 15 minutes,” he said.
The Balmain campus of Sydney Secondary College.CREDIT:JANIE BARRETT
Cr Byrne, who was recently reinstalled as mayor, said it had been obvious since trams had been suspended that dedicated buses for the schools were needed.
Transport for NSW said school students would not be turned away from any public transport, even if it meant physical distancing would not be possible, adding that replacement buses for the inner west line had not suffered overcrowding this week.
“Replacement bus services – routes 2L1, 3L1, and 4L1 – between Dulwich Hill and Central continue to replace light rail services on the L1 line for customers in the Inner West,” the agency said.
In their letter, the presidents of the parents’ associations said the solution to the delays and crowding faced by students was for the government to put on dedicated school buses until the light rail line was fully operational. “It would ease the strain on the light rail replacement bus service during heavy travel periods,” they said.
They estimate about 600 students a day use the light rail line when it operates.
Under the government’s plan, 67-metre tram sets that run on the $3.1 billion eastern suburbs light rail line will be used on the inner west line until all 12 cracked trams are repaired by October.
Labor transport spokeswoman Jo Haylen said families in Haberfield, Lewisham, Summer Hill and Dulwich Hill would not get tram services until at least October.
“They’ll have to wait for almost a year until they can use the light rail to get their kids to school,” she said. “The government cannot continue to leave inner west school students and their families without a reliable and COVID-safe transport service to and from school.”
Ms Haylen said the least the government could do was provide reliable and continuous school bus service along the entire inner west light rail line.
RELATED ARTICLE Messi Sahow runs Cafe Calibre in Arlington.  ‘How am I going to survive this?’: Heavy burden of suspended light rail
<www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/replacement-buses-for-inner-west-trams-leave-students-running-late-20220202-p59ta5.html>

Wed.2.2.22 Melbourne 'Herald Sun'. PLANNED OPERATION IN ST KILDA
DECLARATION OF DESIGNATED AREA UNDER SECTION 10D (1) OF THE CONTROL OF WEAPONS ACT 1990
Declaration of a designated area under s10D (1) of the Control of Weapons Act, 1990, incorporating all public places within the City of Port Phillip that is within the area bounded by and including, Dickens Street and the Port Phillip low tide mark, to the intersection of Dickens Street and Brighton Road, to the intersection of Brighton Road and Carlisle Street, to the intersection of Carlisle Street and St Kilda Road, to the intersection of St Kilda Road and Union Street, to the intersection of Union Street and Queens Road, to the intersection of Queens Road and Lakeside Drive, to the intersection of Lakeside Drive and Ross Gregory Drive, to the intersection of Ross Gregory Drive and Aughtie Drive, to the intersection Aughtie Drive and the public path located between the Lindsay Hassett Oval and Gary Smorgan Oval, direct line from this point to the intersection of Canterbury Road and Fraser Street, to the intersection of Fraser Street and Beaconsfield Parade, from the intersection of Fraser Street and Beaconfield Parade to the Port Phillip low tide mark, to Dickens Street and the Port Phillip low tide mark.For the removal of doubt this area includes Luna Park, St Kilda Pier, St Kilda Marina, St Kilda Botanical Gardens, Peanut Farm Reserve,
the St Kilda Foreshore Reserve and Catani Gardens. (Road has the same meaning as in section 3 of the Road Safety Act 1986.).
Refer to map: www.gazette.vic.gov.au (Gazette S45-22)
This declaration will operate on the 5th of February 2022 between 11.00 am and 10.59 pm during these times members of the police force are authorised to exercise the following powers... [as with earlier actions].