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A major upgrade for public transport

Which one will you vote for: the profit plan? Or the people plan, a visionary new public transport plan that costs less than Eddington’s tunnel proposals?

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The Victorian Greens have released a discussion paper and website proposing a major upgrade of Melbourne’s public transport system. The $14 billion blueprint allows Melburnians to go anywhere by public transport with high-frequency train, tram and bus services covering 101 major centres. This plan has huge benefits for the residents and businesses of Melbourne.

Trains

The Greens are proposing to create an inner city ‘metro’ that would allow faster transport within the near city areas, not just to the CBD grid. New stations will be available to city commuters in Fitzroy, Carlton, Parkville, Southbank and St Kilda Rd. These serve the fastest growing parts of the inner city, not just the CBD grid.

The People Plan includes new train stations for Melbourne - Parkville, Carlton, Exhibition, and Domain - and new services from Footscray to North Melbourne, extending the Upfield Line to Parkville, a new Doncaster to Parkville service, a service from Parkville to Melbourne Central, and a new service from South Yarra to Spencer St.

Trams

The Greens propose running most trams at five-minute frequency all day (7am to 7pm). It means people won’t be stranded or tempted to drive after a night out, shift workers can rely on public transport and weekend frequencies will often be just as good as on weekdays.

The People Plan includes new tram services from Docklands to Port Melbourne, Southbank to Moorabbin, Richmond to Southbank, North Melbourne to Richmond, North Melbourne to Brunswick, and Footscray to Docklands.

Buses

Melbourne needs a high frequency bus network to complete the provision of an integrated public transport network. The Greens are proposing to upgrade 448 km of bus routes to high frequency. These buses would run every 10 minutes from 6am to Midnight and every 20 minutes from Midnight to 6am, seven days a week. They would provide an additional 30.2 million km of bus service each year connecting train stations and Activity Centres.

  1. Reuben van Bemmel

    1

    Good work. However, I would be seriously concerned if this was more than an interim document. A rigorous, scientifically-accurate and detailed analysis and study needs to take place for each project.

    Other than that, I’ve discussed this at length on my blog: http://reubenville.blogspot.com/2008/10/greens-transport-plan.html

    Oct 11th, 2008

  2. Rohan Leppert

    2

    Hi Reuben, and thanks for your comment.

    The People Plan is a discussion paper, and a vision of what a city with sustainable public transport *could* look like.

    The beauty of the plan is that it would be driven by Melbourne residents: we envisage a system that bases itself more on a Vancouver model of planning and governance, a system that is publicly planned, owned and run, with input from local governments and their residents.

    If Melbourne ever found itself in a position where its residents have developed such a sustainable transport plan, the likelihood of the plan being exactly like our discussion paper People Plan is slim. But in terms of a vision for a public transport friendly city, hopefully the People Plan is a good starting point for a long and fruitful discussion that Melbourne needs to have. The Greens won’t be advocating for public transport infrastructure that fails ‘rigorous and scientifically-accurate analysis’.

    Cheers,

    Rohan Leppert

    Oct 13th, 2008

  3. Reuben van Bemmel

    3

    Yes that’s all very well and good, but it should be made clear that it’s only an interim plan without strong analysis. I’ve noticed many commentators have remarked that it is very exiguous…possibly because they’re Labor people too jealous that they don’t have a cogent plan.

    Oct 13th, 2008

  4. Alister Air

    4

    Hi Reuben,

    The discussion paper is labelled as such. I’ve read through your comments, and it seems to me that you’re broadly supportive, with issues (the Tarneit rail line, the Carlton-Kew tram, rural Victoria, and straightening bus lines). The People Plan aims to be a transport solution for Melbourne - rural transport policy is important, but is more likely to be dealt with by a separate policy.

    I have also noted that there are a few comments criticising the plan without going into much of an alternative. I know, though, that all the comments are being read.

    Oct 13th, 2008

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