Article: Smelly shame in our city's heart

[ozbob]

From the Herald Sun click here!

Smelly shame in our city's heart

Smelly shame in our city's heart

    * Shelley Hadfield
    * From: Herald Sun
    * December 13, 2010 12:00AM

DIRTY, smelly, wet, dark, crowded, dangerous. That is how visitors to the city centre have summed up the Elizabeth St underpass at Flinders St Station.

And they say the eyesore needs an overhaul now.

The subway runs under the rail lines between Elizabeth St and the Southbank pedestrian bridge.

On an internet forum, one rail buff recently described it as a "rancid hellhole".

The walls are stained, there are broken, chipped and missing tiles and the subway is regularly enveloped in a stench.

What should be done to fix the Flinders St underpass? Share your ideas in the comments box below

New Transport Minister Terry Mulder joined the chorus condemning the underpass, which is a gateway to Southbank for visitors to the city.

"I have visited it on regular occasion and it's grubby and it's presentation is appalling," Mr Mulder said.

He said he was prepared to look into the issue.

"I would like to see it cleaned up because it does not present a good image for Melbourne."

Daniel Bowen, of the Public Transport Users Association, said the dank subway was in need of a revamp, especially with growing numbers of people using it.

"It does seem to leak water on rainy days and gets very crowded, not just with passengers, but with people walking from Southbank.

"It would make sense to give it a facelift," Mr Bowen said.

"It's not the most pleasant place to walk through. It's damp and it looks a little bit neglected."

Mr Bowen said the subway could do with more natural light, as well as being opened up at both ends to make it feel safer.

"It's indicative of the sort of state Flinders St Station is in. It's our busiest station, but issues like these are in clear need of improvement."

In the longer term, expanding the subway might need to be investigated, Mr Bowen said.

The underpass is currently divided by a fence. He said a new pathway might even be an option.

"It makes sense to look at what can be done about improving conditions and expanding capacity."

He said the Degraves St subway also needed work.

The Herald Sun spoke to people using the subway last week, many of whom described it as disgusting and grubby.

Sydneysider Janice Cox said she had recently remarked that subways she had been through in Japan were much cleaner, but catered to 10 times the number.

Blackburn's Ian Saunders said it needed beautifying: "It's tired, it's dated, it smells."

A Tourism Victoria spokesperson said the pedestrian underpass was an important gateway to the Yarra Precinct - Melbourne's cultural hub.

The Department of Transport said it was doing a detailed study looking into options for improved drainage, lighting and aesthetics in the underpass.

Mr Mulder was expected to be briefed soon on the study and any options for improvement works. He said any renovations had to be sympathetic to the building and its heritage features.

He explained that before the Melbourne Commonwealth Games in 2006 the tiles in the subway were deep-cleaned, taking them back to near-new condition.

Subsequent discolouration to the wall tiles was believed to be due to water seepage through the tracks and bridge deck.

[ozbob]

Reminds of the IndrooPOO subway and the saga ...  

--> http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=1473.msg8412#msg8412

Oxley ain't much better ...


What is it with subways?  It seems by only getting some media exposure does anyone bother to do anything ...

Good luck PTUA!

[#Metro]

Rail: Back on Track spokesman Robert Dow said it was ridiculous the rundown old subway remained because the two levels of government could not work together.

"On behalf of thousands of commuters, we just think it is unacceptable," Mr Dow said. "It appears to be a problem between QR and Brisbane City Council. It really should be cleaned up. It's awful, it's unhygienic and it's embarrassing."

Once again it turned into a political football with both levels of government engaging in a "he did, she did" blame game that nobody is interested in. The sooner that all responsibility is clearly and unquestionably vested in the minister for (public?) transport and the lines of responsibility become black and white, the better.

This is not the first time nonsense games and blame shifting over organisational boundaries have caused chaos. All PT must come under the responsibility of TL.

[ozbob]

From the Herald Sun click here!

Clean-up ordered for Flinders St Station

Clean-up ordered for Flinders St Station

    * Shelley Hadfield
    * From: Herald Sun
    * January 01, 2011 12:00AM

THE Elizabeth St subway at Flinders St Station is set for a New Year's spruce-up.

Contractors will pressure-clean the grotty tiled walls in the underpass.

It is the first time in almost five years that the subway has been pressure-cleaned.

And Melbourne's rail operator, Metro, has ordered new light fittings, which are expected to be installed by the end of January.

The spruce-up is the result of a Herald Sun call to fix the dirty and dank subway.

Last month, visitors to the underpass told the Herald Sun it was smelly, filthy, wet and crowded.

Public Transport Users Association spokesman Daniel Bowen said the new work was a start.

"They're going to need to continue to maintain it if it's going to remain in a presentable condition," he said.

The issue of overcrowding and lack of space would still need to be addressed.

"It's a bigger job than just putting in new lights and cleaning it once -- there are issues that they need to deal with. Let's hope they keep improving it," he said.

Public Transport Minister Terry Mulder asked Metro what it could do quickly to improve the subway.

"The subway is used by thousands of Melburnians and visitors a week walking between the CBD and Southbank. Metro's quick action is commendable," he said.