Melbourne frequencies (was Double deckers)

[Vaughan Williams <ender2000@my-deja.com>]

I have often wondered whether the lower frequencies in the north and
west are for political reasons or patronage reasons.

Either they offer better service on Frankenstein, Dandenong & Ringwood
lines because they pass through a lot of marginal seats, or because the
patronage is better (triggering the chicken-and-egg argument about
which came first, the poor service or the low patronage).

>From when I lived in the outer west just beyond the Zone 2 boundary I
also found it very unfair that zone 3 existed on the east and south but
not the north and west. To add insult to injury you had to pay the fare
from Sunbury or Bacchus Marsh to the city twice if you already had a
metro ticket.

Now that Gisborne and Seymour are vital marginal seats it could be
interesting to see if theres any change.

I live on the Epping line which doesn't get any expresses and only gets
20mins off peak (and takes a long time due to the closely spaced
stations and indirect route) - no wonder people tend to prefer the
Bundoora tram outside peak hour and patronage isn't very high for the
southern end of the line.

Vaughan

> Southern and eastern Melbourne lines are now pretty much standardised
at 15
> minute frequencies off-peak. Other lines 20 minutes. All lines 20 mins
> Saturdays and Sunday afternoons. 30 mins Sunday mornings, 40 mins
Sunday
> nights. Peak varies from about every 4 mins (Ringwood) to 10
(Sandringham),
> with the worst being Upfield (20 mins) and the outer south eastern
reaches,
> past Dandenong.
>
> Daniel
> --
> Daniel Bowen, Melbourne, Australia
> dbowen at custard dot net dot au
>
>


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