Re: Night Trams
Michael Walker (walker@hotkey.net.au)
Thu, 9 Apr 1998 00:17:09 +1000
>> What is wrong with running Night Trams all year on the more popular
>> routes anyway? (Like Sydney does with the more popular bus routes). If
>> You only have to see the last number 19 (North Coburg) tram for the
>> night. By the time it has reached Lonsdale Street (at least on Friday
>> and Saturday nights) it is a crush worse than any peak hour tram. That
>> says to me that there is a demand for the service.
>
>Demand for the service? Are you suggesting the PTC provide a service? Who
>do you think the trams are run for? Certainly not the passengers.
>
In fairness, there are a few operators vying for Melbourne's trams when they
are privatised that might genuinely take our system to a service. NBC when
they took over the Doncaster and North Fitzroy bus routes introduced later
buses on the Latrobe Uni and Bulleen bus routes. Whereas previously the last
buses were midnight, the last Latrobe Uni bus normally was 12.20-12.30am
from the city (which was useful when I missed the last Hurstbridge train and
my car was parked at Macleod - catch Latrobe Uni bus to Kingsbury Drive and
walk 15 minutes to Macleod station - and it was comparable to the time taken
by the train) and on Friday nights the last bus to Bulleen was I think
either 12.30am or 1.00am and the last Latrobe bus was 1.20am (I wonder if
this contravened Reservoir Bus Co's Nightrider contract with the Govt as the
NRider travelled along pretty much the 250 bus route to Latrobe 10 minutes
after the NBC bus before continuing to Eltham - and who will pay $5 when
they can use their existing Met ticket!). It has been said they are
interested in Yarra trams, I wonder what they would do to them?