Re: Melbourne Knox tramway extension [was Hybrid road/rail transit?

[David McLoughlin <davemclNOSPAM@iprolink.co.nz>]

Aidan Stanger wrote:
> 
> David McLoughlin <davemclNOSPAM@iprolink.co.nz> wrote:

> > Melbourne has around 100 modern articulated trams on order (divided
> > between two companies) and continues to extend its tram lines, with
> > several extensions under way or in planning even now.
> >
> Yes, I saw the web page. However I do wonder how much the Knox extension
> will be used. The tram already takes ages to East Burwood 

But very few people would take the tram all the way from East Burwood to
the city. The line was extended from the old Warrigal Road terminus to
Middleborough Rd in 1978 to serve cross-suburban traffic to and from all
the schools, colleges and various institutions on the extension. It was
extended again, to Blackburn Rd, in 1993 for the same reason. And the
extension to Knox, about 5km more, will also cater for such traffic as
there are a lot of traffi-generating spots along the way.

Every time I have ridden the East Burwood line to the end, there have
been lots of passengers using the outer part of the line -- the line
even uses articulated trams.


- from the
> City it's much quicker catching the train to Box Hill and the bus from
> there. Is there much demand for suburb to suburb journeys?

A lot of Melbourne's tram lines cater for suburb-to-suburb journeys,
even on routes which run to the CBD. There are also three routes which
are purely suburb-suburb.

The extension from Mont Albert to Box Hill, now in its final planning
stages, is not so people in Box Hill can catch the tram to the city
(they already have a much faster train) but so people in Kew and Balwyn
can get to and from the very large Box Hill shopping centre/employment
generator  and so people from Box Hill, and from stations farther east
on the train line, can take the tram to Balwyn and Kew.

David McLoughlin
Auckland New Zealand