@leisure's Submission

There's some great stats in this one. Read it here (pdf 860kb)

Rail tunnel vision praised, road link less popular

Over 1,500 submissions received. Well done everybody!

A $7 BILLION plan to tunnel from Footscray to Caulfield to build a new "metro style" underground rail line has won overwhelming endorsement from councils, transport groups and social welfare bodies.

But support for a proposed $9 billion road tunnel stretching from Footscray to Clifton Hill has received a mixed response in submissions to the Government's review of Sir Rod Eddington's $20 billion transport plan for Melbourne.

CityLink operator Transurban said the road tunnel should be built as a tollway - but even then it could only be built with additional Government funding.

And new tolls should be placed on existing freeways, Transurban said, as a way of managing congestion. The Government should also consider introducing "hot" lanes - tolled lanes on existing roads - on the Eastern Freeway and the Metropolitan Ring Road. And the Government should consider extending the contracts for both Transurban and ConnectEast to toll CityLink and East Link, Transurban said, as a way of raising money to build new road and public transport projects.

The Government received more than 1500 submissions to the Eddington report - many from local residents who are furious at the proposed road tunnel, and from residents concerned their houses might be compulsorily acquired as a result.

The Government was expecting to receive fewer than 500 submissions to Sir Rod's report, and has been overwhelmed by the response. Sir Rod told The Age yesterday he stood behind all his proposals, and did not believe concerns about climate change had diminished the argument for building the $9 billion road tunnel.

"There is a nonsense that says trains are good, cars are bad - none of that work has any supporting data on carbon footprint," he said. A lightly loaded train had a significant carbon footprint, he said.

Many of the submissions demanded the Government map out a long-term transport vision for Melbourne.

Train operator Connex, in its submission, backed the Footscray-to-Caulfield rail tunnel, and Sir Rod's $1.5 billion Werribee-to-Deer Park rail line.

"In our view, the level of congestion on the current metropolitan train system is unsatisfactory," Connex's submission said. New rail connections would "more than double the capacity" of lines serving 80% of Melbourne's growth areas, Connex argued.

Federal member Kelvin Thomson and state MP Carlo Carli made a joint submission, calling for the rail tunnel to be built, but not the road tunnel.

The Metropolitan Transport Forum, a coalition of 20 Melbourne councils, slammed the Eddington road tunnel proposal, saying it had a benefit-cost ratio of "considerably less than one … meaning it should not proceed".

And the Victorian Council of Social Service backed the rail tunnel proposal, but opposed "any increase in public transport tickets" to fund the project.

The Property Council supported both the road and rail tunnels, and also said the Government must look at linking the Metropolitan Ring Road to EastLink and the Eastern Freeway.

Premier John Brumby said the Government had reached no decision yet on any of Sir Rod's recommendations, and that it would respond with a wider transport plan for Melbourne by the end of the year.

Opposition Leader Ted Baillieu said he supported the east-west road tunnel proposal, but added it was appalling that Melbourne had no overall transport strategy, despite Labor having been in power since 1999.

Read the original article here - http://www.theage.com.au/national/rail-tunnel-vision-praised-road-link-less-popular-20080715-3fku.html?page=-1

And now everyone... breathe!

At least for a little while, we can relax (marginally).

THANKYOU EVERYONE who sent in a submission.
We know the numbers will be quite large, as there are a number of community and sporting groups who, alone, have submitted over 100 each. We can only hope that they get the message.

But can we 'only hope'? I think not. Did you send your submission to any of the key politicians as well? If not, there is a list of the key emails here, so you might want to send it along to them as well.

According to this article in The Age

Two years on Bracks is gone and the transport plan is in tatters. Brumby is so concerned that he is meeting twice weekly with the six-member transport sub-committee of cabinet. The committee includes Roads Minister Tim Pallas, Public Transport Minister Lynne Kosky, Treasurer John Lenders, Planning Minister Justin Madden and Regional and Rural Development Minister Jacinta Allan.

So they're a good group to focus your attentions upon.

Now that the (cough, cough) 'Public Consultation'* has ended, they can spend the next 5 months spinning as much as they want. Theirs is not an easy sell either, but there's a lot of people who reach for their carkeys without even contemplating alternatives.

And their real spin hasn't even started yet...


*Oh, and I think a few suggestions about how to conduct 'Public Consultation' could also be the subject of a few emails, but I might post about that a little later on. The offer to send in an email, and a single online forum advertised only one week out from the event, does not constitute public consultation.

ACT NOW - It's your last chance

If you haven't sent your email in yet, you've only got TODAY!

Follow the instructions on the right-hand side of this page, before it's too late.

New rail tunnel may be privatised

A PROPOSED $7 billion rail tunnel from Footscray to Caulfield could be privatised under funding options being considered by the Brumby Government and being backed by Metlink, the body that promotes Melbourne's public transport operations.

The Government has also refused to rule out fare increases to help pay for the tunnel.

The tunnel was among the key proposals in Sir Rod Eddington's report earlier this year on east-west transport options for Melbourne.

As the Government considers its response to the Eddington report, it has emerged that Metlink's submission to the inquiry included private finance options for rail projects.

Metlink's chief executive, Bernie Carolan, said the Footscray-Caulfield rail tunnel would be an attractive private financing opportunity because it was a "stand-alone" line and not an add-on to an existing line.

"This sort of rail tunnel proposition lends itself to it (private financing) more than most public transport initiatives simply because it is stand-alone," he told The Age.

Rail lines in Sydney and Brisbane have already been built using private finance.

Metlink, a strong advocate of the rail tunnel proposal, would prefer public funding for the project, but would support private finance to ensure it is built.

The operation of Melbourne's train and tram system was privatised by the Kennett government in 1999, but the state has retained the ownership of the tracks and trains...

Read the rest at http://www.theage.com.au/national/new-rail-tunnel-may-be-privatised-20080714-3f43.html

Melbourne's trams are a hostile place

This is a city that fines visitors who don't know how to buy tickets.

APPARENTLY, it makes economic sense to bring back tram conductors to Melbourne's trams (The Age, 13/7). Excuse my bluntness, but der, Fred. And, ah, what about all the other factors that make something a good idea? Such as safety, functionality, enjoyment?

An instinctual, helpful human presence as opposed to a robot is always going to make good economic sense. Problems of obesity, consumer debt and depression are rising at the same speed as our technological advancement, and it seems the same narrow view has created the problems with our city's tram system.

Removing the conductors had a sinister effect on the cultural feel of Melbourne. Instead of conductors, we now have inspectors. What does this say? It seems that as a city, we would rather fine you for being wrong than help you to be right. If the machines don't work, or you can't read English, or you don't have enough coins — bad luck. Questions about where to go? Fend for yourself. Find a willing stranger (thankfully, there are a few), but we will not pay anyone to help you. Instead, we will spend that money on making you work harder.

Seneca wrote that the safety of society depends on respect and reciprocal devotion. The conductors on our trams were a beautiful symbol of this respect. Like flicking through a city's paper or witnessing exchanges in a busy street, sitting on a tram in conductor days left you in no doubt you were in Melbourne. Whether they were making comments on something political, giving a shout to shopkeepers on their daily rounds or offering an arm up the step to old Marg with her gammy leg, conductors were the eyes and ears of our city. And keeping a city safe and cheery is always going to make good economic sense.

The travels of my everyday life in Melbourne's inner-city depend on trams. To go to the city, I catch the 86 down Smith Street; to see my sister, the 1 or the 15 down Lygon; a coffee at Mario's is the 112.

I've seen new arrivals in our state — including other Australians — beg strangers for the right change and I've seen recent immigrants ask for a translation of how the hell to use the ticket machine and seen them look with fear and confusion at the arrival of inspectors flashing badges to "arrest" someone for not knowing. It all makes me wonder about the conversation at which it was decided to replace a walking, talking, friendly face with a machine.

Can a machine give directions? Help you up the stairs if you have lots of bags, a pram, a disability? Can a machine welcome you to the city? Bring those travelling on the tram into a feeling of camaraderie over a situation that just occurred on the corner of Collins and Spring with a street performer on stilts?

Aside from these romantic examples, can a machine stop the drunk guys sitting next to me from swearing loudly and throwing a football down the tram aisle or, worse, cans of Coke at each other, splashing me in the process?

I no longer get dressed up if I know I'm going to catch a tram. I need back-up sneakers in case I need to make a last-minute dash from a weirdo.

Conductors were like gentle stand-by guardians. But it's not just the romance of tram conductors that makes sense. From an economic viewpoint, the ability to travel safely and easily on trams is vital to those who want to live comfortably on lower incomes in our city.

Think of parents catching trams with shopping and babies in tow. It requires a huge level of trust and the kindness of strangers just to manage the steps, purchase a ticket and find a seat when you have a baby, or small children and shopping bags to control. And so often they have to clear the seat of rubbish first, too.

Compared with other cities in Australia, the variety and availability of amenities in Melbourne is plentiful: our coffee is fantastic, our food is cheap, there is a rich and thriving arts scene catering for all interests (button art, anyone?), and educational facilities and free libraries dot the city. But Melbourne's trams have always been the binding cord, the reason artists I know choose to live without a car in Zone 1.

Making the trams friendlier, easier, and yes, obviously, saving money in the process by hiring conductors instead of inspectors, will perhaps revive the city. And I'll be able to go into town in my finest again, without my back-up sneakers.

Read the original article here - http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/melbournes-trams-are-a-hostile-place-20080714-3f1o.html?page=-1