Massive public transport boost begins
A massive statewide public transport boost beginning today will provide almost 4,000 extra train, tram and bus services every week, bringing the total of new public transport services introduced by the Victorian Coalition Government to more than 10,000 extra each week.
Marking the introduction of the new services at Oakleigh Station today with Liberal candidate for Oakleigh Theo Zographos and Liberal Candidate for Mulgrave Robert Davies, Minister for Public Transport Terry Mulder said that the timetable changes would provide many more travel options for commuters and families.
“The Coalition is providing more train, tram and bus services to move more people, more often as part of our ongoing transformation of public transport across the state,” Mr Mulder said.
“As well, we are improving coordination between trains and buses to create a better, more integrated public transport network.
“We’ve added 10,000 more public transport connections a week to jobs, to schools, to families and many other destinations in less than four years, in contrast to the dark decade of public transport under Labor.
Mr Zographos said it was terrific news for Oakleigh commuters. “Commuters along the Dandenong corridor now have a completely new timetable, with 39 extra train services every weekday, meaning extra peak trains and more frequent trains during the day,” Mr Zographos said.
Mr Davies said the new timetable would help meet growing demand for public transport.
“Thousands of commuters from the Mulgrave area will benefit from the additional services,” Mr Davies said.
Mr Mulder said from today there are two extra services in the morning peak on the Dandenong corridor and two extra services in the evening peak benefiting Pakenham and Cranbourne line passengers.
“Services will run to a 10-minute frequency to and from Dandenong throughout the day, and to a 20-minute frequency beyond Dandenong to Cranbourne and Pakenham,” Mr Mulder said.
“The extra services for the Dandenong line will help respond to rapid population growth along the corridor from fast growing suburbs like Narre Warren and Pakenham.
“Services every 10 minutes during the day on the Dandenong line will match the Government’s introduction of a 10-minute frequency on the Frankston line.”
There will also be two extra morning weekday trains on the Frankston line.
“These extra services are part of our commitment to provide a public transport system where commuters can simply turn up and go, rather than using a timetable,” Mr Mulder said.
Mr Mulder said that tram timetables will be improved with 470 extra services per week, and a new Route Route 12 started today, increasing services to the fast growing Victoria Gardens area in Richmond.
“Timetable improvements for 130 local bus routes around the state will mean more than 3,260 extra bus trips per week across the state, better coordination with trains, boosted services in growing areas including more weekend services.
“Growth areas such as Bacchus Marsh and Cranbourne East will benefit from extra bus trips, while the bus network in Brimbank, Manningham and Port Phillip will have more direct routes, and there will be a range of improvements in suburbs and towns across the state.
“PTV will closely monitor the many changes to bus timetables and where necessary fine tune them over time to get the best possible outcomes for the great majority of passengers.”
Mr Mulder said Ballarat and Bendigo trains are now running on dedicated tracks between Southern Cross and Sunshine ending delays being held up by suburban trains and all V/Line train lines have revised timetables with some trains departing a few minutes earlier or later and some changed journey times.
The Regional Rail Link Project is on track to deliver more regional and metropolitan services in the first half of 2015, he said.
“We will continue to improve public transport in the state through projects like the $8.5-11 billion Melbourne Rail Link, the $2-2.5 billion Cranbourne/Pakenham Rail Corridor Project, the $115 million Bayside Rail Project and new and improved stations in regional Victoria.”
Mr Mulder said these congestion busting projects were on top of the Coalition Government’s affordable public transport initiative that from 1 January 2015 will cap travel in zone 1 + 2 at zone 1 prices, maintain the discounted fare for travel in zone 2 only and provide free tram travel in the CBD and Docklands.
Source: News Release Premier Denis Napthine, 27 July 2014