This is a particularly Melbourne thing and very much down to the chronic
lack of investment in public transport there. There simply isn't enough
capacity for the existing and latent demand (capacity being a combination
of vehicle size, fleet size and service frequency). Moreover, they've
decided to downscale the size of the trams, a decision of epic stupidity,
but I've promised to stay out of that debate as much as possible!

Needless to say, free transit zones are widespread around the world,
including other Australian cities, and features such as encouraging parking
to move out to the peripheries rather than encouraging people to drive all
the way to their destination are seen as a good thing. Only in Melbourne
are they seen as a bad thing, which may be why you have people wanting to
drive to and park in centres.

Tony P
(Who has visited and lived in Melbourne over many years and still doesn't
understand how Victorians think. It's another country!)

On Tuesday, 26 July 2022 at 12:02:31 UTC+10 Mal Rowe wrote:

> Daniel Bowen has had an opinion piece published in today's Age newspaper.

>

> See:

>

>

> https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/why-the-free-tram-zone-needs-to-be-cancelled-20220724-p5b456.html

>

>

> I agree with all that he says and experience what he describes, but am

> not holding my breath for change - especially with an election coming up.

>

> Mal Rowe in a city that has a busy heart

>

>