Re: New form of rail transportation

["Peter Parker" <parkerp@alphalink.com.au>]

Peter Berrett <pberrett@optushome.com.au> wrote in message
YH3P5.10589$Xx3.45072@news1.eburwd1.vic.optushome.com.au">news:YH3P5.10589$Xx3.45072@news1.eburwd1.vic.optushome.com.au...

>
> Has anyone tried such a scheme anywhere in the world as a solution to
urban
> public transport problems? The principal advantage as I see is that the
> rails would run in the airspace over roads so there is no need to purchase
> land. Stations would be built in the air and subruban lines could follow
the
> airspace above existing roads.

Interesting.... But it looks like an expensive solution looking for a
problem.

In relation to Springvale Rd, a frequent (7 1/2 minute) bus service with
traffic light priority would be much cheaper and attract higher patronage.
Main stops could be at Princes Hwy, Wellington Rd, FTG Rd, Waverley Rd,
GlenWaverley Stn, Highbury Rd, Burwood Hwy, Canterbury Rd.   The 7.5 min
would mesh in with the normal 15min train headway on all three lines served.

Only people travelling direct from Springvale to Nunawading (relatively few)
would benefit from the faster travel times of the overhead railway.  However
a frequent bus service would serve the much greater number making trips
along the route, especially if fed with frequent east-west feeder buses and
an extended Burwood Hwy tram. If total trip times are taken into account for
all who use public transport in the area, frequent buses with bus priority
would speed more people's travel than an overhead rail line with few stops
en-route.

The cost of the bus option would be quite modest, and much less than either
an overhead railway or the Government's ill-conceived and wasteful
"Smart-Bus" scheme whose only benefit will be to tell waiting passengers
that it's 119 minutes until the next bus (if waiting on a Saturday
afternoon)!

Overhead railways are fun to think about, but the cost-benefits of one along
Springvale Rd are dubious, compared to a more modest system based on
existing rail lines and a radically overhauled bus system.  Much more can be
achieved for much less by considering other low-cost improvements to the
transport system, such as timed transfers, bus priority, frequency
improvements, straighter routes and better interchanges (not only between
bus and train, but also between bus and bus).

Peter


Let's do a simple cost-benefit analysis and compare it to a bus running
every 7 1/2 minutes down Springvale Rd with traffic light priority (so buses
would not face red lights en-route) I think