News & Discussion: Public Transport Contracts, Service & Policy

[bay transit]

Light City Buses new Bus Depot on Cormack Road Wingfield opens tomorrow morning with about 60 buses.Bowden Depot closed tonight.
This leaves LCB with 3 depots.

[Wayno]

Haven't been closely following this thread. Apologies if similar was already posted:

http://www.governmentnews.com.au/2013/0 ... MOFGUOJZZF

The South Australian government has extended the utility of its public transport smartcard to give bike-riding commuters in Adelaide access to new locked cages so they can securely stow their mounts at railway stations when connecting with trains.
The move is part of a $17 million car park and amenity upgrade that aims to better integrate public transport services with private transport modes to give commuters a bigger choice of journeys.
Being able to conveniently couple transport modes is a key factor in reducing congestion on roads and public transport because it widens the number of options available to commuters.
Secure bike parking facilities are a missing link in many transport plans because planners previously often overlooked the need to carry or stow bikes while catering for pedestrians and cars.
A major problem for cyclists is that newer or better quality bicycles that are left outside in the open are targeted by opportunistic thieves and vandals who pinch parts including wheels and seats.
Adelaide had previously used individually keyed bike lockers, a system that sometimes proved so secure that it was inaccessible.
Under Adelaide’s new secure bike cage scheme, cyclists wanting to access the new lock-ups will pay non-refundable $10 annual fee so that their Metrocard ticket can open the door.
Based on a contactless smartcard, the integrated transport ticket works in a similar way to electronic door passes that are commonly used to access offices and other secure areas.
“This government supports an integrated public transport system that provides a range of options to commuters,” South Australian Minister for Transport Service Chloë Fox said. “Having somewhere to secure and lock your bike provides commuters with an incentive to ride.”
The move has also put Adelaide’s smart transport ticketing ahead of larger cities like Melbourne and Sydney that have conspicuously struggled with similar implementations.
The South Australian government is also keen to know lots more about who is riding. Aside from the $10 access fee, cyclists will have to front photo ID and their Metrocard to pre-register with transport authorities.
While the SA Government has not said why it needs the identity of riders on file, it is likely that transport authorities will be able to use the data generated from the card terminals to map the frequency and destinations of commuters.
The photographic verification could also prove useful for cyclists who need to gain access to cages in the event they mislay their Metrocard but still want their bike back.
Ms Fox said the new smart cages will be deployed at Adelaide’s “most popular” stations including Gawler, Munno Parra, and Elizabeth train stations.
It will later be extended to interchanges for the O-Bahn – Adelaide’s unique guided busway network that runs conventional busses specially fitted guide-wheels over dedicated concrete tracks at speeds of up to 100 km/h.

[Nathan]

Good move. I'd like to see AdelaideMetro take further steps in being bike friendly though. Currently it's difficult to take your bike with you on public transport. Most modes ban them outright, while those times that you can, you need to purchase an additional single trip. When I was in the US, I noticed in both Portland & San Francisco that all the buses have racks on the front to carry two bikes (it just folds down, and it's quite quick and easy to load a bike on or take it off). In addition, the MAX (light rail) system in Portland has hooks to hang bikes vertically at the end of each car. These make it much easier for people to ride to the public transport stop, get close to their destination, and then complete the final part of their journey again on their bike.

[Brucetiki]

Funnily enough I now have more sympathy for the Victorian government and the idea of smart cards only as a transport ticket or at least having a ticket before you enter a public transport vehicle.

Nope, nobody likes the Victorian MyKi card-only system, it's just designed to rip off visitors and forced locals to use a system they do not like. To compare, in Adelaide it's $5 for 2 hours, in Sydney it's $5 to go 26km from Town Hall to Parramatta, and in Melbourne a tourist has to pay $12 ($6 for the Card, and $6 for the fare) to do a short trip of 15km from Box Hill to Spencer St. Even minus the cost of the card the $6 fare is still more expensive than Sydney and Adelaide. Will be a shame if Sydney's Opal system ends up following the expensive Melbourne card-only failure.

Is this the same Sydney train system that charges $22 for their equivalent of a daytrip, or $3.70 for each trip within the City Circle?

I've used Myki whenever I've been in Melbourne for the past couple of years, and I find it's great. For zone 1 fares (which would be sufficient for the majority of tourists) are reasonably priced at $7 for a weekday day fare and $3.50 for weekend day fares (and that's for both zones 1 and 2). I don't get all the hate for Myki.

[SouthAussie94]

Quick question about MetroCard fares and the 2 hour window.

If I first validate my card before 3pm, I'll obviously only be charged the off-peak rate. However if I then get on another service after 3pm but still within 2 hours of my first validation, will I be charged a new fare at the peak rate, or will it still be covered from my first validation and not charged again?

[[Shuz]]

You won't get charged again. The two hour window is just that, all transfers covered within two hours of the first validation. .

[Ben]

Makes our $1.2B look a bit ingignificant.

Vic unveils $30 billion rail plan
From:
AAP March 27, 2013

VICTORIA'S public transport managing body says a $30 billion plan to upgrade Melbourne's metro rail network is the most comprehensive in more than 40 years.
The blueprint, revealed on Wednesday, is set to move an extra 50,000 people during peak times within 10 years and an extra 130,000 within 20 years, Public Transport Victoria (PTV) says.

With the city's train usage tipped to double by 2031, the need for more rail projects, including new stations, modern signalling and track extensions, expansions and duplications is significant, PTV's CEO Ian Dobbs said.

The Melbourne Metro rail tunnel, set to boost services on six existing corridors, and the under-construction Regional Rail Link are among the plan's core upgrades.
In unveiling the plan, Transport Minister Terry Mulder said almost all of its first four years of works have already been funded.

[Shahkar]

It is this sort of planning which keeps the other states to have such impressive infrastructure. Our plan is merely the tip of the iceberg most of which should have been done 20 years ago.

[claybro]

So four times our population, but 30 times our rail spend. This for a smaller land mass with far less in mining projects underway and planned. Something is seriously amis here.

[Will]

Makes our $1.2B look a bit ingignificant.

Vic unveils $30 billion rail plan
From:
AAP March 27, 2013

VICTORIA'S public transport managing body says a $30 billion plan to upgrade Melbourne's metro rail network is the most comprehensive in more than 40 years.
The blueprint, revealed on Wednesday, is set to move an extra 50,000 people during peak times within 10 years and an extra 130,000 within 20 years, Public Transport Victoria (PTV) says.

With the city's train usage tipped to double by 2031, the need for more rail projects, including new stations, modern signalling and track extensions, expansions and duplications is significant, PTV's CEO Ian Dobbs said.

The Melbourne Metro rail tunnel, set to boost services on six existing corridors, and the under-construction Regional Rail Link are among the plan's core upgrades.
In unveiling the plan, Transport Minister Terry Mulder said almost all of its first four years of works have already been funded.

We have to consider the timeframe of such a spend. If this money will be spent over a 20 year timeframe it is less impressive.

[claybro]

We have to consider the timeframe of such a spend. If this money will be spent over a 20 year timeframe it is less impressive

Ok so given our population and smaller tax base would be the equivalent of us planning to spend say $5 billion over 20 years. That would buy us.
1. Full electrification within 3 years, including upgrades to all suburban stations.
2. Completion of light rail to West Lakes/Semaphore/ Port Adelaide within 5 years.
3. An underground city loop with 2 new stations within 12 years..
4. All new trains/ trams. in the 20 years.


I would say if we were being promised that and watched it unfold over 20 years we would be absolutuely extatic.

[PeFe]

I am just wondering whether anybody knows of further Metrocard uses outside of bus/train/train/tram transport? So far the SA government has indicated that it will used as a payment method for carparking at transit nodes (Modbury and other 0-Bahn stations) and as an access key to new bike storeage lockers at train stations. Very smart moves in my mind. What else can the government use it for?

[metro]

The state govt is combining the metrocard and bicycle cages at some stations. Sounds good, but then I read the article..

http://dpti.sa.gov.au/newconnections/article?item=253

So to use the bicycle storage, you first have to go into the city to one of the only two info centres in the entire metro area, then you have to register (probably have to fill in a long and complicated form with all your personal details), provide photo ID and PAY $10. You'll probably also be restricted to using only one station's bicycle cage and no others, and that's if you're lucky enough to be able to get a space in that very small 16 space cage. and the aim is to encourage people to ride their bikes to their nearest train station?? good luck with that Adelaide Metro.

[claybro]

So to use the bicycle storage, you first have to go into the city to one of the only two info centres in the entire metro area, then you have to register (probably have to fill in a long and complicated form with all your personal details), provide photo ID and PAY $10. You'll probably also be restricted to using only one station's bicycle cage and no others, and that's if you're lucky enough to be able to get a space in that very small 16 space cage. and the aim is to encourage people to ride their bikes to their nearest train station?? good luck with that Adelaide Metro.

Surely in 2013 this could be done online?

[Norman]

So to use the bicycle storage, you first have to go into the city to one of the only two info centres in the entire metro area, then you have to register (probably have to fill in a long and complicated form with all your personal details), provide photo ID and PAY $10. You'll probably also be restricted to using only one station's bicycle cage and no others, and that's if you're lucky enough to be able to get a space in that very small 16 space cage. and the aim is to encourage people to ride their bikes to their nearest train station?? good luck with that Adelaide Metro.

Surely in 2013 this could be done online?

You can't provide photo ID unless you scan your ID and email it to them (which can pose all kinds of security risks).