There’s intense interest in the new train timetable, which technically started today, but has its first actual changes tomorrow. The level of interest should be a reminder to politicians that public transport is still very much a live issue. It should (hopefully) bring some genuine benefits in helping to fix punctuality and overcrowding. There are ... [More]
Probably just as well for this onsert: …that this story landed on page 6, not on page 1: The full story text is here: Stations to lose peak services. And here’s a big version of the map. The document the article talks about is here: Passenger Impact Statement. To decode it, you’ll need to look ... [More]
Now there’s no excuse for not standing on the left of the escalators going into Parliament Station. Surely nobody could miss this new signage. Mind you, “exit promptly” doesn’t really apply when you’re on your way in. But full marks to Metro for addressing this problem here… now if they can get prominent signage into ... [More]
So, the new Metro timetables are out, and those of us with geeky tendencies have been poring over them. (As one journo commented, it must take a special kind of person to work on these things for months on end.) Here’s my summary: In the west Altona Loop trains originate at Laverton, meaning a lot ... [More]
Years ago there were “Stand on left / Walk on right” signs on the escalators at Melbourne’s underground stations. They disappeared about ten years ago. While regulars know the etiquette, newbies and occasional users don’t, which causes frustration for those in a rush, particularly outside peak hours when the escalators (for some reason) run at ... [More]
I suppose it’s inevitable that if you sell advertising space, sometimes you’ll be allowing advertising for your competitors. And advertising for cars is commonly found on public transport. But some of Nissan’s advertising around Flinders Street station goes a step further by directly criticising the public transport it is competing with, with slogans such as ... [More]
I ran this poll on an internal PTUA members’ email list. Let’s try it here. Here’s the context: Trains, particularly in peak hour, are packed. More trains are being purchased, but the decision has to be made about how to deploy them. (Even if it’s decided to upgrade infrastructure such as with the proposed new ... [More]
The Port Melbourne railway line closed in 1987, but this train wanted to go there. (Thanks to Terry who spotted it in time for me to snap a pic. It’s possible the sign is stuck, since it looks like the same carriage was snapped recently elsewhere.) In today’s Herald Sun: New Metro timetable as trains ... [More]
A few details have come out about the next lot of Metro train timetables, and there’s some big changes for some lines, as the process of completely re-writing them continues. Here is a summary based on some notes I saw the other day, and my initial thoughts. My assumption is these notes apply on weekdays ... [More]
Sick of how Metro’s running? Then build your own! (ABC News, 26/12/2010.)
They haven’t changed the seat design with the hidden word “Connex” in it — it’s not very obvious and probably a hassle to do. But even some of the electronic signs stubbornly revert to the former train operator’s name occasionally. These two were snapped in the last month or two, both on X’Trapolis trains. Perhaps ... [More]
Metro Trains CEO Andrew Lezala addressed the Melbourne Press Club today. I was amused to see they presented him with a framed print of a cartoon from the Herald Sun. Video of the event should be online later. Disclosure — I attended the lunch as a guest of Metro, to lobby on behalf of PTUA ... [More]