Re: [Melb, Aust] More public transport upgrades

[brownst@alphalink.com.au (Chris Brown)]

On Wed, 22 Mar 2000 18:38:48 +1200, David McLoughlin
<davemcl@AXE*THISiprolink.co.nz> wrote:

>Michael Kurkowski wrote:
>> 
>> "Upgrades aim to transport bus and train travel"
>> http://www.theage.com.au/news/20000322/A22418-2000Mar21.html
>
>> Things are looking up...
>
>Do you think so?
>
>Read the fine print of the article:
>
>> The Government will spend $10million over four years
>> on transport services across Melbourne. The project
>> is part of Linking Victoria, a $1.5billion scheme to
>> improve the state's roads, ports and public transport
>> system
>
>$10 million for public transport out of $1.5 BILLION on roads and maybe
>ports does not look a great improvement to me.  It's not even 1 per cent
>of the road budget.

The $10 million is not even remotely all the funding which is supposed
to go to public transport.  The rail upgrades to Geelong, Bendigo, etc
are part of 'Linking Victoria', as is the subsidy which the government
is offering to the builder of the airport line.  Having said that,
however, funding is still biased somewhat heavily towards road
construction.

The government has also said that they will electrify the line to
Cragieburn and East Cranbourne, extend Epping line to South Morang,
and look into restoring passenger services to a few country locations,
and building a rail line to Rowville.  It is rather unlikely, however,
that any of these will happen any time soon.

>It must be a new record though, an $800,000 bus stop.

No, a total of $1.1 million was spent upgrading the bus terminal at
Croydon, and it is still a useless facility with insufficient shelter.


Regards,
Chris Brown