Members of the Coalition for People’s Transport today called on Premier John Brumby to follow Queensland’s lead and establish an inquiry into “Peak Oil” to determine how rapidly rising oil prices will impact Victoria and how we should adapt.

The call comes from Environment Victoria (EV), the Victorian Council of Social Service (VCOSS), the Melbourne Transport Forum (MTF), the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA), the Institute for Sensible Transport, the Cycling Promotion Fund, Travellers Aid and the Eastern Transport Coalition.
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Manningham public transport users have missed out on free Earlybird travel to be rolled out across the metropolitan train network at a cost of $10 million pa. From 31 March train users arriving at their destination before 7am will be able to travel one-way for free.
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The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has called for a complete rewrite of Sunday bus timetables in Melbourne’s east, to be carried out immediately. Under this plan, Sunday bus services would operate during the daytime on the same timetable as Saturdays.
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Melbourne’s tram route 96, from East Brunswick through the city to St Kilda, has been declared one of the top ten tram rides in the world, according to National Geographic[1].

National Geographic’s new book “Journeys of a Lifetime: 500 of the World’s Greatest Trips”, published late last year, highlighted tram routes from cities around the world, including Hong Kong, Amsterdam, San Francisco and Toronto. Seattle’s waterfront service, run by old Melbourne trams, also made the list.

Tram 96 connects many of Melbourne’s icons, including the Melbourne Museum, Exhibition Buildings, Carlton Gardens, State Parliament House, the Bourke Street Mall and Luna Park, taking about 50 minutes to cover to 14 kilometre trip.

Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) president Daniel Bowen said it was pleasing to see Melbourne’s trams ranking with the world’s best. Read the rest of this article »

Over 90,000 new households will be locked into crippling car dependence unless state and federal governments urgently expand Melbourne’s rail network, the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) warned today.

“Families on Melbourne’s urban fringe have few transport options and are locked into owning and running at least one car per adult,” said PTUA President Daniel Bowen. “This puts major strain on household finances and can quickly gobble up any savings from cheaper housing.”
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