Back to future: which way for Melbourne's transport?
Roderick Smith (rodsmith@werple.net.au)
5 Aug 1997 13:41:25 GMT
The government is considering the privatisation proposals prepared by a USA
consultant. "No USA city of this size has such an overprovision of urban
transit", the consultant stated. "A radical overhaul is required to bring
this into the 21st century as a set of profit-making entities, and not as a
system". The consultant's radically-innovative report proposes:
* Splitting the suburban rail system into two: one to be based at Spencer
St station, the other to be based at Flinders St station.
* Demolishing Flinders St Viaduct. "This will remove a century-old
eyesore, and will link the city to the Yarra and casino with vistas of
Enterprize Park. It will further enhance the views from the casino".
* The remaining portion of the underground loop would be sold to one of the
private tram operators, allowing tram lines to be removed from many
streets. These would then be upgraded to city-bypass routes, operated as
toll roads.
* To facilitate workshops transfers, and the operation of the few remaining
freights east, the consultant has identified a potential "belt line" route
from Royal Park to Merri, linking with a combination of existing routes and
new construction Clifton Hill - Fairfield - East Camberwell - Alamein -
East Malvern - Hughesdale, with a further link from there to a point half
way between Glen Huntly and Ormond.
* Although the basic theme of the report is to contract lightly-used
services, the consultant sees merit in two inner-urban rail extensions: a
line from North Fitzroy to Fitzroy would tap the immense market of this
now-trendy area, where so many former warehouses have been converted into
apartments; a line from Windsor to St Kilda would serve the Albert Park
Grand Prix site, ensuring that there would be competition for the
privatised tram operation to the area.
* The tram network should be split into smaller units, based in Footscray,
Essendon, Brunswick, Northcote, Hawthorn and Prahran/Malvern. The
consultant believes that business-oriented mega councils would invest in
such units, reducing the cost to state government.
* Again, lightly-used services should be closed down. However, in the
densely-trafficked inner suburbs, a high-tech radical transport system
should be built by private enterprise. LRVs would be propelled by
nonpolluting underground cables along Rathdown St (Carlton), Johnston St
(Fitzroy and Collingwood), and from the casino via City Rd and Bay St to
the recently-transformed Port Melbourne area.
* Transport officials have been delighted by the boldness of the proposals.
"This shows the same scale of vision as does Federation Square. By the
year 2001 Melbourne commuters will be proud of the fact that they have a
transport system designed for the future".
--
Roderick Smith