Re: New Melbourne trams have fewer seats than the old ones but they're longer!

[Ian Jelf <ian@bluebadge.demon.co.uk>]

In article <399E3E04.3AFE@iprolink.co.nz>, David McLoughlin
<davemclNOSPAM@iprolink.co.nz> writes
>Daniel Bowen wrote:
>> 
>> "David McLoughlin" <davemclNOSPAM@iprolink.co.nz> wrote in message
>> 399E22D2.422A@iprolink.co.nz">news:399E22D2.422A@iprolink.co.nz...
>> > My point was that the Combinos are European trams designed and built in
>> > Europe for short-distant European tram trips (where most people are
>> > happy to stand for the short distances they travel) , not Melbourne
>> > trams designed and built in Melbourne for the longer average journeys
>> > where long-distance passengers expect to sit for their trip.
>> 
>> The routes might be longer... are there figures on how long the average
>> trips are? Sure, the 75 and 86 are long routes... but how many people travel
>> their entire length?
>
>
>Hardly any. But the average distance travelled by tram passengers in
>low-density Melbourne is much less than the average distance travelled
>in high-density European cities.
>
>For example, tram lines in say Zurich, Basel and Bern are maybe three or
>four kms long on average, but ones in Melbourne are 8 km long on
>average. 
>
>Transit passengers in sprawling, car-rich cities like Melbourne are much
>less inclined to stand in a tram for an 8-km ride than passngers in a
>compact city like Basel or Bern or Zurich where they have to stand for
>half the distance and time.

Although my knowledge is Melbourne is, er, "limited", sop far (!), I can
categorically say that David is absolutely right on this.   Even if
people don't habitually ride from - say - Burwood or Bundoora into the
city, distances on most European systems are generally considerably
shorter.

I wouldn't suggest that trams *have* to be built in Melbourne top suit
local conditions (Midland Metro has snazzy Italian trams and Strasbourg
has truly *beautiful* British ones, both of which suit local
conditions).   But I would certainly suggest that more attentions should
have been given to the specific characteristics of Melbourne in
selecting new trams.   After all, a change to seating arrangements is a
(relatively) minor affair.......
-- 
Ian Jelf        http://www.bluebadge.demon.co.uk
Birmingham, UK
        Registered "Blue Badge" Tourist Guide
        for the Heart of England and London