Re: Questions about Geelong

["Michael Wierzbinski" <wizzer1865@NOSPAMoptusnet.com.au>]

"Anthony Morton" <amorton@mudguard.ee.mu.oz.au> wrote in message
9aj6nj$rgm$1@mulga.cs.mu.OZ.AU">news:9aj6nj$rgm$1@mulga.cs.mu.OZ.AU...
> 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.)

Only because rail line wasn't yet built
>
> Cheers,
> Tony M.
>
> Public Transport Users Association           http://www.vicnet.net.au/ptua/
>