News & Discussion: Trams

[Patrick_27]

There will come a time where they should reconsider free travel between West Terrace and the Entertainment Centre. It might only be three stops but making that section free seems like a cop out to justify the fare evasion that took place in this section before it was free and inspectors were being rolled out.

[Nathan]

There will come a time where they should reconsider free travel between West Terrace and the Entertainment Centre. It might only be three stops but making that section free seems like a cop out to justify the fare evasion that took place in this section before it was free and inspectors were being rolled out.

It was free from day one, nothing to do with fare evasion.

[Torrens_5022]

That article was misleading the tram is free in Glenelg from stop 15 to 17 and between the Entertainment Centre and South Tce, if someone wanted a free trip most of the time all they need to do is have a Metrocard on them and only touch on when they see an inspector, it's not like in Melbourne where the PTO's issue you a fine if you take longer then 3 seconds to touch on when you board the tram, I've read some crazy stories about Melbourne PTO's, luckily I heard the gov't told them to cut the shit and their heavy handed tactics have slowed down.

[Brucetiki]

That article was misleading the tram is free in Glenelg from stop 15 to 17 and between the Entertainment Centre and South Tce, if someone wanted a free trip most of the time all they need to do is have a Metrocard on them and only touch on when they see an inspector, it's not like in Melbourne where the PTO's issue you a fine if you take longer then 3 seconds to touch on when you board the tram, I've read some crazy stories about Melbourne PTO's, luckily I heard the gov't told them to cut the shit and their heavy handed tactics have slowed down.

Only took a few appearances on 7:30 for the PSO's to be embarrassed into cleaning up their act.

They also had the 'Penalty Fare', where if you got caught without a ticket, you could pay $75 straight away and essentially not get booked for fare evasion. That really just encouraged fare evasion IMO.

[monotonehell]

How can you possibly evade fares if the section between South Terrace and the Entertainment Centre is free?

The inspectors get on at South Tce and ping anyone without a valid fare before Greenhill Road. They've been doing this for months. You should see the panic to validate when they get on. It's hilarious.

[Patrick_27]

There will come a time where they should reconsider free travel between West Terrace and the Entertainment Centre. It might only be three stops but making that section free seems like a cop out to justify the fare evasion that took place in this section before it was free and inspectors were being rolled out.

It was free from day one, nothing to do with fare evasion.

No it wasn't? I specifically remember the parking/ticket deal they were offering between the Entertainment Centre and the CBD when the line first opened.

[Norman]

There will come a time where they should reconsider free travel between West Terrace and the Entertainment Centre. It might only be three stops but making that section free seems like a cop out to justify the fare evasion that took place in this section before it was free and inspectors were being rolled out.

It was free from day one, nothing to do with fare evasion.

No it wasn't? I specifically remember the parking/ticket deal they were offering between the Entertainment Centre and the CBD when the line first opened.

It was originally advertised as a free service for 6 months, and was made permanent by Mike Rann a few months later. The original charge for the car park was $2.

Here is the quote from the Adelaide Metro website:

You can park at the new Entertainment Centre Park‘n’Ride from 6 am to 6.30 pm Monday to Friday for just $2 and ride the new tramline extension to and from the City FREE*!
*6 months limited offer

PLENTY OF CHOICES
Between 6 am and 6.30 pm weekdays there are over 120 tram services leaving or arriving at the Entertainment Centre stop.

PARKING AT THE ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE
The Entertainment Centre Park‘n’Ride is a pay and display location offering 700 car parks. There are vending machines located at convenient locations around the car park, issuing tickets that you display on top of the dashboard on the passenger’s side.

PARK‘N’RIDE CLOSES AT 6.30 PM
The Entertainment Centre Park‘n’Ride closes at 6.30 pm. All vehicles parking on the $2 a day offer must vacate the car park by that time. Penalties apply for late stayers.

FREE* TRAVEL EXTENDED ON TRAMS TO THE ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE
So you can discover how easy and convenient the new Adelaide Metro tramline is we’ve extended the free travel zone from the South Terrace tram stop to the Entertainment Centre for a limited 6 month period.
*6 months limited offer

Source: http://web.archive.org/web/201004042344 ... nride.html

[[Shuz]]

Absolutely short sighted decision trams can't turn right! Government must ACT IMMEDIATELY. Our infrastructure is lagging due to neglect. I will fix this and make SA GREAT AGAIN!

[PeFe]

Article from the ABC's Curious Adelaide series discussing the dismantling of the Adelaide tram network in the 1950's.

Curious Adelaide: Why was Adelaide's tram network ripped up in the 1950s?

At a time when public funds are being spent laying new tramlines in Adelaide's CBD, many a frustrated commuter has no doubt wondered why our city's once extensive tram network was scrapped in the first place.

One Curious Adelaidean asked us to track down the answer (pun intended).

"Why was Adelaide's tram network ripped up in the 1950s?"

The answer? It's complicated.

But a run-down system, poor financial management, and a perhaps misguided view about the future of our city all played a role.

The good ol' days

Adelaide's first tram network was highly profitable and an engineering feat to be proud of.

In 1909, horse-drawn trams gave way to electric and a fortune was spent creating an impressive network across the greater metropolitan area.


But the enviable web of public transport options didn't last long.

The Municipal Tramways Trust (MTT) introduced a 10-year plan to phase out trams in favour of buses by the mid 50s.

The public's affection for the network and dismay at its loss is evident in letters to the editor from the time.

"The MTT is making a big mistake in scrapping the trams," wrote A.J. Lines of Hyde Park to The Advertiser in 1954.

"As a quick, efficient means of transport, there is nothing to equal the trams.

"It would be a thousand pities to have them taken from us."

C. Steele of Tusmore seemed to have a window to the future.

"A tram which carries 100 people has 50 times more right to be on the road than a car which carries only two people."

Ultimately, the campaign to save the trams was in vain and in 1958 the closure of the Cheltenham tram service left the Glenelg tramway as the sole remaining track.

MTT struggled with financial woes

The Department of Planning Transport and Infrastructure told Curious Adelaide that after its initial glory days, the tram network simply became unviable.

"The emergence of trolley buses combined with rapid growth in private car ownership led to a decline in tram usage," the department said.

"Postponed maintenance of track infrastructure because of the Second World War, and the following shortage of materials resulted in the tracks being worn."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-12-01/w ... 0s/9205768

[Kasey771]

Imagine if GM Holden had pulled this?:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_M ... conspiracy

[GrowAdelaide]

There is a story circulating that they did do something like that - bought up all of the trams and lines and dismantled them so that people had to purchase cars....

[monotonehell]

There is a story circulating that they did do something like that - bought up all of the trams and lines and dismantled them so that people had to purchase cars....

In the USA this did happen - it is well documented.

In Adelaide, they didn't have to as the government at the time happily ripped up the tram lines in favour of cars. It was the ideology of the time.

[rubberman]

The ABC report covers most of the reasons.

One point of disagreement is that they mention financial mismanagement. There's nothing I've ever seen to give any credence to that.

It was just a combination of falling patronage, really old rolling stock and track that hadn't been able to be fully maintained during the war, Leyland giving good prices on buses. In addition, it's worth mentioning that because of the post-war housing boom, tram tracks would have had to be extended to new suburbs, meaning even more trams and track costs. Then there was the old Port Adelaide power station to be replaced, and old converter stations. It would have been a financial sinkhole.

It's also a fact that by the early 1970s, by moving to buses, the MTT was almost breaking even financially. That's a remarkable achievement.

The only point that might have been worth arguing is whether or not there were one or two economically viable lines they could have kept recycilg some of the better rail, trams and equipment. That might have been Henley to Kensington, or maybe Unley and/or Colonel Light Gardens. However, then as now, people prefer something shiny and new, rather than reworking old plant. It's actually a surprise they kept the Glenelg line. The deLeuw Cather report which condemned the trams certainly proposed scrapping the Glenelg line.

[OlympusAnt]

We needed a Sir Robert Risson to save them

[A-Town]

The only point that might have been worth arguing is whether or not there were one or two economically viable lines they could have kept recycilg some of the better rail, trams and equipment. That might have been Henley to Kensington, or maybe Unley and/or Colonel Light Gardens. However, then as now, people prefer something shiny and new, rather than reworking old plant. It's actually a surprise they kept the Glenelg line. The deLeuw Cather report which condemned the trams certainly proposed scrapping the Glenelg line.

So why was the Glenelg line kept? Was it the most economically viable line, or was it because it was seen as an important tourist link from the city to Adelaide's most popular beach?