Re: [Melb] Yarra Trams - first move...

["Rex Manning" <BenKinnear@rocketmail.com>]

i'll risk it.
i am a law student after all.

Axe looms over 50 tram stops
By transport reporter ANDREW PROBYN
17nov99

THE number of tram stops on 10 major routes will be slashed by a private
operator to reduce trip times.

As many as 50 stops on routes operated by Yarra Trams in the eastern and
northern suburbs will be axed or moved next year.

The cuts are crucial to its promise to cut journey times by up to three
minutes on one-hour trips.

Yarra Trams' new private operator plans to scrap some of the less popular
pick-up points and move others.

While most of its city stops are likely to stay, the closure of outer
suburban stops has worried pensioner and disabled groups.

A confidential review - seen by the Herald Sun - of Yarra Trams' existing
routes by Egis Consulting reveals the stops to be axed.

Route 86 to Bundoora will lose seven stops and have eight others will be
moved.

Route 48 to North Balwyn will lose seven tram stops and two will be moved.

And two stops in St Kilda's busy Acland St will be closed to make way for a
pedestrian-only cafe strip.

The Egis report reveals tram stops servicing fewer than 250 passengers a day
are at risk of being "deleted".

The Combined Pensioners' Association yesterday expressed concern at the
plan.

"A lot of elderly people can't walk great distances and they might be called
on to do so if (Yarra Trams) are not careful," Association state secretary
Joan Bidlo said.

"For one reason or other the elderly often don't have a car and they rely on
public transport - closing tram stops could be pretty traumatic."

The Action Resource Network, which represents people with severe physical
disability, said reducing the number of stops could further disadvantage its
members. Executive officer Mark Feigan said about 12per cent of public
transport users had some form of physical disability.

"We would be quite upset about anything that makes it more difficult to
access trams and we will be looking at options available to stop it from
occurring," Mr Feigan said.

"There are always trade-offs between convenience and efficiency, but a 5per
cent time-saving may not best serve their customers."

Yarra Trams chief executive Steve McDonald said the Egis report contained
only preliminary findings.

But Mr McDonald said it was inevitable some tram stops would be axed to
increase operational efficiency.

"Yarra Trams/ will be considering all of the requirements for the disabled
and the elderly in determining any tram stop rationalisation," he said.

Swanston Trams, which runs the other half of the metropolitan tram network,
said its own surveys had revealed "under-utilised" tram stops that might be
removed to provide more efficient service.

Transport Minister Peter Batchelor said it was too early for any wholesale
changes to the tram network.

Yarra Trams runs routes in Bundoora, St Kilda, Wattle Park, East Burwood,
Kew, West Preston, East Brunswick, Mont Albert, Camberwell, Richmond and
Port Melbourne.

It also runs the free City Circle and city services in Collins, Bourke,
Flinders and Clarendon streets.

MetroLink, a consortium headed by CityLink developer Transfield, was awarded
a 12-year contract to run Yarra Trams on June 18 and took over on August 29.



Steven Hurst <hurste@primus.com.au> wrote in message
azmY3.136$dp.5167@nsw.nnrp.telstra.net">news:azmY3.136$dp.5167@nsw.nnrp.telstra.net...
> news.com.au story -
> http://www.news.com.au/news_content/state_content/4336783.htm
>
> If someone else wants to risk copyright trouble and post it to the ng, you
> are more than welcome, but I don't know any good lawyers :)
>
> regards,
>
> Steven Hurst
> Melbourne, Australia
>
> FORD - Live It. www.ford.com.au
>
> My Railway Website...
> http://home.primus.com.au/hurste/rail
>
>