Re: Tram Accident Monday 11/09

["Daniel Bowen" <dbowen@custard.REMOVE.net.au>]

"Michael Walker" <wk@cgsc.vic.edu.au> wrote in message
8q3jb6$kom$1@nnrp1.deja.com">news:8q3jb6$kom$1@nnrp1.deja.com...
> Ventura run some late buses on some routes (700 and a few others) but I
> can't think of any other operator who runs late services any more. The

About the only suburban buses running after dark serve the universities, eg
Monash and LaTrobe.

> 410 (Footscray-Sunshine) used to have a good late night timetable in
> the 80s, as did 513 (Heidelberg-Glenroy only). When all the timetables
> got rejigged in the late 80s, although it seemd the policy was to make
> many outer suburban bus routes continue until around 7.30pm (to get
> people home) instead of the previous 6pm or 6.30pm, it seemed to be at
> the expense of the few later bus services and Sunday bus services.

The last major change to most private bus routes was late 1991 - is that
what you mean? I was living at my mum's house in Hampton at the time -
services around that area were slashed. In one case, Ludstone Street buses
(routes 638,639, now 708) on Saturdays to Hampton shopping centre were cut
from 5 an hour in the morning to 1 an hour. Saturday arvo cut from 3 an hour
to none!

Friday night buses to Southland all deleted - the last buses are around 6pm
weekdays. With last services so early and weekday peak frequencies chopped
in half to every 30 minutes, no wonder train commuters gave up on them.
Pathetic.

Tell the kids today that this happened under an ALP state government, and
they won't believe you...

> Another question: given Sunday train services used to run at the
> appalling 40 minute frequencies and were still quite popular, how have
> the 20 minute frequencies been received by the travelling public? Are
> the trains still doing a reasonable trade, or has it meant the trains
> run half empty? I am guessing and hoping the former, but would be
> interested in others anecdotal evidence.

I get the impression that they are at least, if not more crowded than the
"bad old days", which given there are more trains and trams running, would
seem to indicate a big increase in the overall number of passengers. It's
certainly made travel without a car around the inner city on Sundays more
bearable.


Daniel
--
Daniel Bowen, Melbourne, Australia
dbowen@custard.REMOVE.net.au
http://www.custard.net.au/bowen/daniel/