Re: Melbourne Trams

[David Langley <del@ancc.com.au>]

Michael Walker wrote:

> Amen brother, Sydney and Brisbane got rid of their trams and look what
> happened there. The trams should be looked after and extended and recognised
> for their role
> in the transport task. Indeed, despite being slower than trains, they carry
> about as many people as Melbourne's suburban rail network and despite having
> much less route kms than the private bus network, carry far far more
> passengers.

It has long been recognised that trams play a very important part in moving
passengers relatively short distances compared to rail. Just look where a tram
goes past a major shopping centre. People use them. Of course there are always
the lazy people who will drive even extremely short distances and will probably
argue that they have to get all their groceries home somehow. Well they could
always have them home delivered, most supermarkets deliver free of charge.

If the trams were extended beyond their present termini to shopping centres and
schools, we would find a new lot of passengers how would find the relative
convenience of the tram attractive.

Places like Knox (mooted sometime ago), beyond Bundoora RMIT to South Morang
thus serving the shopping areas out that way plus providing a cheap transport
system for those who do not have a car or don't wish to drive.

There are plenty of examples, I'm sure we could all name some. Box Hill might
become a reality oneday with the Mont Albert tram extended. If that is not to
feed into the station as much as anything else, I'll go he.

David Langley.

Long Live the Melbourne Tram. World-wide famous icon.
We should put those so called experts into a museum and see how they like it.
Stuffed and mounted for all to see.