Article: Transport mouthpiece to step down

[somebody]

Transport mouthpiece to step down

Date
    September 17, 2012 - 11:26AM

Adam Carey

Daniel Bowen will step down from his role at the Public Transport Users Association.

After almost 10 years in the role, Melbourne's chief complainer about public transport has finally had enough.

Daniel Bowen is stepping down as president of the Public Transport Users Association, a volunteer role that has made him the city's most visible advocate for the millions who ride the city's trains, trams and buses.

He does so in the belief that the standard of public transport in Melbourne is better today than it was when he took on the role, in no small part due to the pressure the association has applied to the state's politicians and transport operators.

"We've had some significant wins," he says. "All-night services on New Years Eve, more services moving Melbourne towards our 'every 10 minutes to everywhere' vision, and recognition from politicians of both sides of the importance of public transport."
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But there's still room for improvement, he cautions.

"Politicians of all flavours would do well to remember that the last election swung on public transport issues," Mr Bowen says. "Some progress has been made, but the people of Melbourne and Victoria want to see more action on providing fast, frequent, reliable, co-ordinated public transport."

Mr Bowen was indoctrinated from an early age in the benefits of public transport. He grew up in East St Kilda in a carless family, with two parents who never learnt to drive. Unlike his mother and father, he does drive, but only because a lack of decent public transport sometimes compels him to.

"I live in Bentleigh, where public transport is great for trips into the city, but if you want to go elsewhere it's just buses and the buses are mostly useless," he says.

Ending Melbourne's two-tiered public transport system is one of the greatest remaining challenges for the city's politicians and planners, he says. The inner-city is rich in public transport, but for those who live in the outer suburbs, away from railway lines, public transport has little to offer.

"If you're in a suburb that's only got buses and a bus that runs every 30 to 60 minutes, with nothing after 9pm, that's not the sort of transport most people would use willingly," Mr Bowen says.

"Smart Buses have gone some way to rectifying this, they're reasonably frequent and so their patronage is through the roof."

The association has about 1000 members, but an active core of just a dozen. A new president will be elected next month. Mr Bowen says Melburnians love to complain when a late or overcrowded train lets them down, but too few do anything about it.

"People love to rant and complain about public transport, but if you want to change things, get involved," he says.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/transport-mouthpiece-to-step-down-20120917-261bu.html#ixzz26gkr8bJZ

[ozbob]

Twitter

Daniel Bowen ‏@danielbowen

Blog: I am standing down as @PTUA president on October 11th http://j.mp/RY4PlK

[somebody]

I take it no interest in standing for something so far away?

[ozbob]

Not me thanks ...

Daniel has done an outstanding job over the years in my opinion.  I have met up with Daniel a few times over the past years, once in Melbourne and briefly in Brisbane when he was last here.  The PTUA does some great work, they have a formal structure which suited the times when formed.  I was interested to note that they have around 1000 members, with a core group of a dozen or so that really drive things.

The advantage we have is that using the web primarily we get a very wide readership and this in turn generates a reasonable amount of feedback. There is a succession plan in place I understand for when Daniel retires as their President, so they will continue.  Melbourne has a stronger public transport culture than Brisbane.  Around 73% of all trips to and from CBD there are by public transport.

I think they could reach more if they set up a forum.  The web is everywhere these days, so accessible.  This might come.  The PTUA does use twitter, Daniel is also very active on twitter and has an excellent blog.

Sydney doesn't seem to have a strong advocacy group for public transport that I am aware of.  Another opportunity for motivated folks in that City.  Not sure about Adelaide, Perth and Hobart.

[somebody]

I think they could reach more if they set up a forum.  The web is everywhere these days, so accessible.  This might come.  The PTUA does use twitter, Daniel is also very active on twitter and has an excellent blog.

Must agree with this one.

Ecotransit in Sydney have a forum, but it is only accessible to paid up members.  Makes it not very useful.

[#Metro]

Sydney doesn't seem to have a strong advocacy group for public transport that I am aware of.  Another opportunity for motivated folks in that City.  Not sure about Adelaide, Perth and Hobart

We could go National, just like QR

RAILBOT NATIONAL (insert funky logo) 

[SurfRail]

Sydney doesn't seem to have a strong advocacy group for public transport that I am aware of.  Another opportunity for motivated folks in that City.  Not sure about Adelaide, Perth and Hobart

We could go National, just like QR

RAILBOT NATIONAL (insert funky logo) 

But only for 2 years, then we would rebrand to dissociate ourselves from Queensland. 

[HappyTrainGuy]

QRN was back from something like 2003-2004 when  it was split into freight, passenger and network ops. Even before that they were already operating nationally.

[somebody]

The Urbanist has made some comments about the PTUA which I am inclined to agree with: http://blogs.crikey.com.au/theurbanist/2012/09/18/what-next-for-the-ptua/

[ozbob]

From the Herald Sun click here!

Public Transport Users Association announces Tony Morton as new president

Public Transport Users Association announces Tony Morton as new president
TONY Morton has been appointed Melbourne's new chief public transport campaigner.

Mr Morton, 41 was elected the president of the Public Transport Users Association at the organisation's annual general meeting tonight.

He ran unopposed for the role and replaced outgoing president Daniel Bowen, who held the position for nine years.

Mr Morton said his predecessor had left big shoes to fill and the PTUA would continue to take the fight to government for transport policy.

''It was the people who promised change that were elected and the people who didn't who were defeated,'' Mr Morton, has served on the committee since 1996 and as secretary since 1994, said.

''No one was promising an expansion of roads, the PTUA will continue to remind everyone of this.''
Digital Pass - $5 weekend papers

Mr Bowen said his successor was a great campaigner.