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Tuesday May 22, 2012

What we're talking about

Commuters face transport price rise

Posted by: Peter Maher | 5 January, 2011 - 4:38 PM
train

The cost of using public transport will go up again in March this year by around 3% and it again ignites the debate as to whether we are getting what we deserve with public transport.

Important to understand what public transport is meant to do for its owners and shareholders who are you and me.

Transporting punters without access to other means of transport is the first principal and then providing and enticing an alternative transport medium for punters who own cars is the second requirement.

By getting more punters out of their cars and onto trains saves both the environment and also the cost of constructing and maintaining new highways and freeways to carry those who continue to drive their cars to work.

Pretty easy to understand really and you would think not all that difficult to implement.

The problem it seems is not with the philosophy but more with the implementation.

Very difficult to entice people onto trains if there are no trains to catch and it is not as cost efficient or convenient as driving your car from door to door.

We have been renowned for having close to the highest cost for public transport in the world and that does not translate into the best public transport network going around let me tell you.

Someone who knows much more about trains than me is Dr Paul Mees aka Dr Train of RMIT University.

PLAY AUDIO: The future of transport in Melbourne

Blog comments Your Say

  • It's called privatisation or so they say. Metro is the fall guy just like Connex was before them. They are mere puppets whose strings are pulled by the master of puppets, the Victorian government (formally known as the Labor party). Time will tell.

    Gul Thursday 6 January, 2011 - 7:45 PM

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