Article: Public transport patronage grows 13.2 per cent in a year

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Public transport patronage grows 13.2 per cent in a year

Public transport patronage grows 13.2 per cent in a year
Article from: Herald Sun

Sarah Wotherspoon

June 04, 2009 11:22am

MORE Melburnians than ever are using public transport, with patronage across trains, trams and buses up 13.2 per cent on last year.
Trams had the highest rate of passenger growth with usage up 15 per cent to 178 million trips a year. March patronage figures also show bus usage up 14 per cent, and train usage up 11 per cent to 214 million trips.

Public Transport Minister Lynne Kosky said the bus network now carried more than 100 million passengers a year, the highest level since the 1970s.

?More people than ever before are using Melbourne?s public transport network and that is why we have projects worth $1 billion already just completed or underway plus more than $6 billion funded through the State and Federal budgets,? she said.

Ms Kosky said the increase in bus passengers reflected the government's $1 billion investment to improve local bus services.

?The massive investment has also created more than 400 full time jobs and provided a boost for the bus industry creating more opportunities for local suppliers and businesses,'' she said.

The figures come just a week after Connex announced 53 new train services would be added on certain lines from July.

Werribee line services were boosted with trains to run every 10 minutes during the day.

Services will also be improved on the Frankston, Pakenham and Williamstown lines.

Ms Kosky said further improvements to Melbourne?s public transport network would include 50 new low floor trams, more buses along the Eastern Freeway and track works on the Werribee, Craigieburn and Dandenong lines.

Opposition spokesman for public transport Terry Mulder said the "weekday squeeze" was lasting longer on many of Melbourne's train lines.

"Minister Kosky accepts a figure of 5000 trains being delayed six minutes or more every month as 'normal'," he said.

"Between 15 and 20 per cent of trains on the Cranbourne, Frankston and Pakenham lines run at least six minutes late most months. The number of tardy trains is worst during weekday peak hours."

Mr Mulder said Premier John Brumby and Ms Kosky knew patronage on Melbourne's trains began to rise substantially in 2004.

"Tired and stressed train passengers are paying more, getting less and going slower," he said.

"John Brumby and Lynne Kosky's obsession with the bungled myki smartcard tickets has led to a cost blowout of at least $856 million.

"This blowout could have purchased about 25 new six-carriage trains including maintenance contracts.

"Instead Labor has poured it down the myki monster's bottomless money pit while pensioners get overcharged when they use myki on buses in places like Ballarat, Bendigo and Geelong."