Re: Questions about Geelong

[amorton@mudguard.ee.mu.oz.au (Anthony Morton)]

Bryan Cullis <spanky81@tpg.com.au> wrote:

>Just wondering, are there any "suburban" tickets for Geelong people who take
>the train up and down the city for their work?  Often when taking the train
>to Geelong for workshops, or home to Warrnambool (when I lived there),
>passengers would be getting on at Corio, Lara, North Shore, etc. and getting
>off at Geelong, etc.

I think GTS tickets are valid on trains between South Geelong and Lara as
well as on Geelong buses.  Continuation of this system will require vigilance
from the Geelong community to prevent the bus operators going their separate
ways (as they are now doing with timetables).

There are no 'suburban' train services within Geelong; given that demand for
travel within Geelong is unlikely to greatly exceed demand for travel between
Geelong and Melbourne, it makes sense to increase the frequency of Melbourne-
Geelong trains to accomplish this task.  Current PTUA policy (subject to
ongoing review) is for a half-hourly Geelong service stopping all stations
from Lara to Grovedale.  Track improvements at the Melbourne end should speed
the journey to 55 minutes even with the stopping-all-stations pattern.  If
necessary, additional express services would be provided in peak hours.
Warrnambool trains would run express to Geelong as at present.

The PTUA has an active branch in Geelong which is fine-tuning the policy and
putting pressure on the local politicians.  (Remember that the current MP
for Geelong won his seat by only a dozen or so votes.)

>And, (let the flame wars begin) how about Sprinters from Geelong to
>Ballarat?

Two-hourly Geelong-Ballarat rail service is part of the PTUA's forthcoming
country rail policy.  (A bit of trivia: Ballarat had rail service to Geelong
before it had a service to Melbourne.)

Cheers,
Tony M.

Public Transport Users Association           http://www.vicnet.net.au/ptua/