Big 'Transport Announcement' in Vic for tomorrow (Sunday)

[tranzitjim]

Was listening to 3AW this morning, 'the transport minister' himself said, that there is going to be a big announcement tomorrow, and is to be related to public transport.

He did not say anything else.


One could guess it may be any of the following?
...The Melbourne Metro Tunnel could have its funding announced
...The first E class tram hits the rails in Melbourne
....Further information about the Melbourne Metropolitan Bus Franchise, like what the new owners plan on doing with it
....MyKi on VLline services, may start shortly
....A fourth Grade separation project is to be given the go ahead.
....A PTV study/report to be released on the trams, just like the one they had on Metro trains a while ago.

What could you say it may be?

[paulgersche]

He's resigned, maybe?????

[runawaybus]

One could hope and wish. As there has hardly been any PT developments since the Libs got in three years ago.

[system improver]

...One could guess it may be any of the following?
...The Melbourne Metro Tunnel could have its funding announced
...The first E class tram hits the rails in Melbourne
....Further information about the Melbourne Metropolitan Bus Franchise, like what the new owners plan on doing with it
....MyKi on VLline services, may start shortly
....A fourth Grade separation project is to be given the go ahead.
....A PTV study/report to be released on the trams, just like the one they had on Metro trains a while ago.

What could you say it may be?

They are replacing two sleepers on the Hurstbridge line?

[scott]

They are putting more money into it in the upcoming budget?

[Peter1805]

Tranzitjizm to be named new head of PTV, with his plan to put a Smartbus on every major road in Melbourne winning him the nod?

[Newcastle Flyer]

Building a rail line to Doncaster?? Oh wait, this is not the joke thread!

[Peter1805]

Maybe Transdev have suddenly come to the realization that they in fact have no idea about how to run the Melbourne bus franchise and have declined to accept the tender.

[howlerbus]

Maybe Transdev have suddenly come to the realization that they in fact have no idea about how to run the Melbourne bus franchise and have declined to accept the tender.

One can only hope

[Alex on the Bus]

I suspect it will either be the unveiling of the first completed E-class tram or announcing the launch of myki on V/Line - items that are already underway (and thus don't require further funding above what's already committed) but for which no firm launch dates had been previously announced.

[Peter1805]

Could be the start of topping up on buses, I guess..

[Thebusofdoom]

Could it be this? http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/liberals- ... 6635271450

[Craig]

hmmm...one would hope Southland Station would be part of this package, especially for the $100 million price tag, although it's noticably absent from the article.

As for additional myki readers, extra exits were built over a year ago, but like at many stations across the network they remain covered by temporary fencing waiting for the myki readers to be installed.

Presumably X'trapolis sets will continue onto Werribee / Williamstown / Laverton on weekdays (as per current timetable) -have the speed restrictions over 90km/h (due to braking issues at high speeds) been lifted?

I would also question the statement that X'trapolis sets provide the most comfortable commute in Melbourne...not looking forward to the lack of seats and bouncy suspension compared to the Siemens.

Kind Regards


Craig

[Mitch]

Funding for a link to Melbourne Airport maybe? Or did I read somewhere that the government said that the Melbourne Metro would have to come first?

Thanks,
Mitchul [;

[system improver]

...As for additional myki readers, extra exits were built over a year ago, but like at many stations across the network they remain covered by temporary fencing waiting for the myki readers to be installed..

That's correct. The extra readers were announced in 2009 as part of the additional $121 million "extra functionality" contract. While the contract did not split the individual items, the extra funding was to go for more readers (basically doubling the initial number at stations), more equipment for the extra buses that had come into the system that weren't included in the original tender (about 200) and more software development (e.g. elimination of zone 2 for trams). This brought the total for myki to $498m + $121m = $619 million, with $50 million per year operating costs ($500 million over ten years). After ten years, the amount spent will be $1,119 million. Of course, the media still run around saying that myki HAS cost $1.5 billion, which is just rubbish. On the extra readers, it doesn't matter how many there are if the things don't work. The failure rate seems very high.

On the "announcement", it is more a propaganda piece than any actual program. The timetable improvements on the Frankston line are due to the Metro contract, awarded by the previous government. The ten minute between peak frequency actually began prior to the last state election, but for some reason, Labor forget to tell anybody. As it turns out, ten minutes is nice but results in 70% empty trains. Meanwhile, over on the the Dandenong line, with a 15 minute frequency, the trains are standing room only all day. Of course, lines like Sunbury only have a 20 minute frequency and those trains are pretty packed too. I suppose no improvement will be made until RRL is completed, but that won't be until 2016.

And where's the $13 million Southland Station? Exactly where we always knew it would be - nowhere in sight.

[BroadGauge]

With X'Trapolis train sets replacing other train sets running to the likes of Lilydale, Belgrave and Frankston - serving much of the feral heart lands of outer eastern & south-east Melbourne, it has a benefit for those of us commuting on the rest of the network that doesn't use these trains by possibly reducing the number of vandalised and/or filthy train sets finding their way onto our lines by half.

That's why I think this announcement makes sense.

[Newcastle Flyer]

I would say Craig has got it one. Why?
(Edit: Craig was correct)

Now surely this doesn't have anything to do with marginal seats now, does it??

The new spending will help the Coalition woo voters in a swag of marginal seats in south-east Melbourne, where grumpy commuters helped dump four Labor MPs at the 2010 state election.

Nuh, sure "isn't" about marginal seats - insert pigs are flying picture again!

[Peter1805]

With X'Trapolis train sets replacing other train sets running to the likes of Lilydale, Belgrave and Frankston - serving much of the feral heart lands of outer eastern & south-east Melbourne, it has a benefit for those of us commuting on the rest of the network that doesn't use these trains by possibly reducing the number of vandalised and/or filthy train sets finding their way onto our lines by half.

That's why I think this announcement makes sense.

Yes, I'm sure that was the reasoning behind the decision, as opposed to trying to retain seats along the Frankston line, that they should not have won in the first place...

And yes, why no announcement about what is happening to the election promise about Southland Station??

[BroadGauge]

Yes, I'm sure that was the reasoning behind the decision, as opposed to trying to retain seats along the Frankston line, that they should not have won in the first place...

Where was I saying that was the reason? It's just a benefit. Why is it that they "shouldn't" have won those seats in the first place?

But it is still unfortunately this whole announcement/project is mostly a useless waste of money to pander to marginal seats. Will Stage 2 be the introduction of valet parking and personal butlers at Frankston line stations??

[Mike M]

Clearly yesterdays announcement was a none too subtle attempt at pork barrelling some of the governments most marginal seats but do they seriously think that introducing X'trapolis trains on the Frankston line will be a vote winner? These trains have around 70 less seats per 6 car set than Comeng & Siemens trains which means even more standees packed in during peak hours. That should go down well with the commuters.

I would rather have seen a large proportion of the expenditure announced yesterday put towards the mythical Southlands station, which I noted that our transport minister said yesterday that the government was still committed to. No doubt if the polls still look dodgy we can expect another election promise about it in November next year. After all we get one in most election campaigns from both parties even though nothing ever happens

[huyie]

As it turns out, ten minutes is nice but results in 70% empty trains. Meanwhile, over on the the Dandenong line, with a 15 minute frequency, the trains are standing room only all day.

Dandenong line will also get a 10 min frequency (Cranbourne and Pakenham sections will be on a 20 min frequency), with funding announced tomorrow in the State budget.

[burrumbus]

Strewth,are'nt we all a cynical bunch!!! I always thought politicians had the best intentions for the voters?????

[Alex on the Bus]

Strewth,are'nt we all a cynical bunch!!! I always thought politicians had the best intentions for the voters?????

There's making worthwhile promises which later get revised down, de-prioritised and finally dropped, and then there's announcing an insanely large amount of money for a meaningless gesture which appears to be based on the theory than no-one can vote against anyone who throws that much money at them.

And to make the decision sillier, PTV's Network Development Plan had no plan whatsoever to have Xtraps running on the Frankston line at any stage:
Stage 1 (Cross City group)
* 20 Comengs,
* 36 Siemens,
Stage 2 (Frankston Loop line)
* 30 Comengs,
Stage 3 (Frankston Loop line)
* 30 High-Capacity Metro trains
Stage 4 (Baxter - Craigieburn line):
* 59 High-Capacity Metro trains.
Not included in that plan is any mention of a train fleet beginning with "X" and ending in "trapolis". Seems like - not surprisingly - that their own authority's plan goes out the window when marginal seats are on the line.

[Peter1805]

Expect hefty public transport fare increases to be announced in the Budget tomorrow...

I could be wrong, but I would be surprised if so.

[dex]

Raising fares to cover costs of extra trains and extra stations. (Myki fare evasion)