Three years ago in 2014 I attempted to summarise level crossing removals, based on the old 2008 ALCAM list, which is (still) the last public safety evaluation of level crossings in Victoria. Things have moved on a lot since then. Labor was voted in with a policy of grade separating 50 level crossings in 8 ... [More]
It’s amazing to think that had circumstances been different, the western world might have developed its road transport around electric engines rather than fossil fuels. That’s one of the key points made by “A Most Deliberate Swindle“, by Mick Hamer – the tale of the London Electrobus company, which pioneered the use of electric buses ... [More]
Here’s yet another of my blog posts of photos from ten years ago: September 2007. Around this time there was a somewhat sarcastic Metlink fare evasion campaign, which pointed out that fare evaders’ trips were subsidised by everybody else, and that fare evaders should therefore offer to buy dinner or mow the lawn of a ... [More]
One thing you notice on many of the world’s big metro systems is that people don’t check the timetable… because there is no timetable to check. Or if there is one, nobody bothers. It’s becoming the same way around some parts of Melbourne. Trams — most people use TramTracker displays at stops or on their ... [More]
It’s no huge surprise that the State Government has announced incumbent operators MTM and KDR will continue to operate Metro Trains and Yarra Trams respectively. The current contracts started in 2009, and expire in late-2017. These new contracts will run through to 2024, with an option for another 3 years to 2027. Despite an RTBU ... [More]
My holiday blog is currently up to Brussels. In this (lengthy) post I’ve looked at the many types of rail transport in Belgium, and I try and ponder lessons for Melbourne. Belgian use of rail ranges from trams — street-based and on separate alignments as in Melbourne, but also underground “pre-metro” routes — the Metro, ... [More]
Just posted on the holiday blog: Brussels — where I meet my new baby cousin in a tram museum (of course!)👶🚋 The state government are running a competition for naming the new stations to be built as part of the metro rail tunnel. It’s a good idea to get suggestions. Some of the working names ... [More]
I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that fewer people use paper train timetables than used to. The proliferation of departure information via the official web sites, Google Maps and the official Journey Planner, as well as the official app (with its real time information) and many other apps, means people ... [More]
Last day of August, so here is the latest in my series of posts of ten year old photos. (If you only want to see Transport-related posts, you can use this link, and/or subscribe to get them via email.) I think this might have been my first sighting of one of these plastic things on ... [More]
Bentleigh state MP Nick Staikos has released a map of a proposed new bus route, from Moorabbin via Bentleigh and Hughesdale to Chadstone: Releasing a proposed new bus route for discussion. What do you think of this #Moorabbin #HamptonEast #Bentleigh #EastBentleigh #McKinnon? pic.twitter.com/tf2w2wIM6a — Nick Staikos MP (@NStaikos) August 27, 2017 As I see them, ... [More]
I’m continuing to post my backdated holiday blogs. If you haven’t seen it, the latest one includes a hopefully amusing epic bus ride from Penzance to Lands End. After yesterday’s comparison at Bentleigh, here’s one showing far more change: Laverton on the Werribee line. There’s been a tremendous amount of residential growth along this line, ... [More]
Thoughts with the friends, family and colleagues of Fiona Richardson, who sadly passed away yesterday. She got stuff done in her Prevention of Family Violence portfolio – it was impressive to see. I met her a few times when she was shadow public transport minister. I’m sure she would have shaken things up in public ... [More]
Ten years ago today: trying out Twitter — Daniel Bowen (@danielbowen) August 20, 2007 Yep, ten years ago today I joined Twitter. As you can see, my second Tweet was just as compelling: is thinking about another cup of tea — Daniel Bowen (@danielbowen) August 20, 2007 This was all pre-smartphone (at least for me) ... [More]
My blog posts from our Britain and Belgium trip continue, but it wouldn’t be one of my holidays if I didn’t geek out on transport-related stuff. So here’s a post on the vagaries of rail fares in Britain… or at least, what you need to know as a tourist. Buying rail tickets at home in ... [More]
Here’s what I think about the Same Sex Marriage postal survey: I’m voting yes. The reality is that not everyone is attracted to the opposite sex. Who are we to deny them getting married if they want to? Despite how some others paint it, it doesn’t harm anybody else, and certainly doesn’t harm heterosexual marriages. ... [More]
I wanted to reflect on something from our recent visit to Cardiff. Some of central Cardiff is pedestrianised, which is great. Many other areas have nice wide footpaths. It would be near-perfect for walking… if at most intersections the traffic lights weren’t designed to be so pedestrian hostile. It’s as if the traffic engineers either ... [More]