Re: $550m to speed up Vic rail services

[Chris Gordon <cmgord@VICSIG.alphalink.com.au>]

> > Ballarat, Bacchus Marsh, Melton, North Melbourne, Spencer Street.
> > Bendigo, Castlemaine, Kyenton, Woodend, Sunbury, North Melbourne,
> > Spencer Street.
> > Traralgon, Morwell, Moe, Warragul, Flinders Street, Spencer Street.
> > South Geelong, Geelong, Nth Geelong, North Melbourne, Spencer Street.
> 
> It doesn't say that.
> It indicates these are the ones with the highest patronage, but goes on
> to say (buried on page 4,681) that the feasibility studies were done
> based on the trains not stopping anywhere at all enroute to ballarat
> and bendigo, stopping only at dandenong enroute to traralgon, and at
> n/m and n/g enroute to geelong.

Point taken (I am not up to page 681 yet).
 
> So the current plans do not have the trains stopping anywhere. This
> needs to be reconsidered.

Yes, I think the above list is a good one for the fast trains and then
the local trains can fill in the other stations.
 
> > Also the report says these fast trains will supplement the existing
> > services.
> 
> Yes, but the benefit of the fast trains need to extend to as many
> people as possible.

It is a very tricky balance.

Just like I want to catch an express train from Ringwood that stops at
Box Hill, Camberwell and Richmond and city (inc city loop) but at the
same time the existing service levels need to be maintained to the
intermediate stations or improved.

All very hard thing to balance.
 
> > But I would be more worried about saving the double line to Bendigo,
> if
> > that goes single then the time savings would be next to none, single
> > line and crossing loops don't work after the line has been double for
> > 130+ years.  (Just look what happened to the Adelaide Hills, every day
> > the first train up the hills runs late because of the wet tracks and
> > then every other train for the rest of the day is late).
> 
> Yes quite right, we will be opposing this.

Good, can you let us know how we can put submitions in please?  The next
12 months is important to get it right or it is stuffed for ever.
 
> For the record, the PTUA's position is:
> * Frequency is at least as important as speed. Hourly or half-hourly
> frequencies to most places are to be preferred. Hours of operation are
> also important

Yes, somewhere in the report is says 100% increase in service (ie double
the number of trains) will get a 60% increase in passengers.  So I
totally agree, double the service (or better).

> * Broadly support attempts to reduce travel time, provided cost is not
> so prohibitive as to leave no money for other things. Generally happy
> with present plans for infrastructure with notable exception of single
> vs double track (as below)

Yes, wasting money is not what we need, and yes a lot of the work in the
suburban area will help both the country trains (all country trains not
just the fast one, the local ones too) and suburban trains in the metro
area.

> * Buses in regional centres and to smaller towns need fixing
> * Line to Ballarat should be duplicated at least as far as Melton,
> preferably all the way with the exception of the bridge over the
> reservoir

At least to Bacchus Marsh (with single line over the Melton Weir)
because all local trains should go to Bacchus Marsh (make that Zone 3 as
well).

> * Line to Bendigo must under no circumstances be single-tracked

It is worth spending the extra money to keep this line double track.  It
has bee double track for 130+ years why change it now?

> * Trains should stop at the major centres, with precise stopping
> patterns subject to further consultation with local communities. Local
> stopping trains are required in addition to the faster expresses.

See above.

> * reopening lines to Ararat, Maryborough, and improved services to
> Warrnambool, Swan Hill, etc, should be considered as part and parcel of
> the upgrade

I understand the Ararat and Mildura studies will be in before the end of
the year.
 
> Vaughan



-- 

C.

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