Melbourne Trams

[SurfRail]

The South Morang and Footscray Road extension ideas are just bizarre, but many of the others are sensible.  Extending the 16 around the corner to Kew is of dubious merit.  The Ivanhoe to Caulfield route would be a winner.

[ozbob]

Twitter

Nine News Melbourne ‏@9NewsMelb 9h

End of an era on Chapel Street today, with the iconic W-Class trams running on Route 78 for the final time. #9News



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Had many many rides in W trams along Chapel Street when I was boy and odd trip later.  Farewell!

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Commuter trams may return to Bendigo streets


http://images.theage.com.au/2014/08/05/5653927/1407230239054.jpg-620x349.jpg

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> New tram super stops prove a bridge to easier access

[ozbob]

Twitter

The Myki User ‏@themykiuser

Tram 6010 on test, La Trobe St. #eclass

[ozbob]

Twitter

Andrew Lund‏@andrew_lund

Tram number 6010. Fresh out the factory and just signed off for passenger service. #tramspotters

[minbrisbane]

Sent from my SM-N9007 using Tapatalk

[ozbob]

   tks  ' Johninmelbourne! '

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Tourists may prefer to foot it to the many attractions outside free tram zone

[ozbob]

3AW Melbourne ‏@3AW693

Weather: 23C and becoming sunny today after yesterday's gloom, as beautifully captured by @andrew_lund last night.

[ozbob]

3AW --> Less stops for quicker trams in CBD

[ozbob]

Twitter

@UrbanMelbourne A freight tram in 1962 - Melbourne historic photo of the day https://urbanmelbourne.info/forum/historic-photo-of-the-day?page=12#comment-9799 ...

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Melbourne should follow Sydney and remove its overhead tram wires, rail expert says

[ozbob]

Melbourne Festival Art Tram 3008 by Gabriella Possum Nungarrayi

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Tram route 96 freeway struggles as opposition mounts

[ozbob]

The Guardian --> Melbourne art trams add colour to the city's streets – slideshow

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Two tram stops to go on Collins Street for new super-stop

[Llib]

We need stop rationalisation although I believe this part of Collins St needs an extra stop near King St. Many places in the suburbs need stop rationalisation these areas should be the focus. 

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Tourism & Transport Forum calls for Melbourne's slow tram network to catch up with the times

[Llib]

Signalling is the most frustrating problem with getting trams moving on our network. Many times I see trams stopped at lights where the traffic is one turning car or a side street where only two cars cross. Additionally many superstops have been placed after the intersection which requires the tram to stop twice at the lights and then at the superstop.  Another issue with our tram network is the excessive number of stops which does not allow the tram to pick up speed.

Despite the speed of the tram system and other issues, it still carries 183 mil passengers per year so there is significant potential to increase this through minor network extensions, tram stop rationalisation and signalling improvements.   

[ozbob]

Twitter

Yarra Trams ‏@yarratrams 7m7 minutes ago

The #FreeTramZone is now active in Melbourne. Look for signage at stop or find out more at http://ptv.vic.gov.au 



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Free Tram Zone Map
http://ptv.vic.gov.au/1-january-2015-fare-changes/

[#Metro]

Hmmm... it looks good but what does it actually do?

Firstly, there is major overcrowding on Melbourne trams. They are packed like compressed sardines, particularly during peak hour. This is going to make it even worse, particularly in the inner areas where demand is highest. This will create a cost, increased waiting time for service as a full service is effectively equal to a cancelled service for a passenger who cannot board.

Secondly, inner city trips are already dominated by public transport, cycling and walking. So I suspect it will just transfer pax from these modes rather than cars, which are already low in the CBD area.

Thirdly, it heaps benefits on people who already pay to travel in this zone anyway. Loss of revenue

Fourthly, 'benefits for tourists' argument is weak. People don't fly around the world at great expense to just to take free tram trips, and the same effect could be achieved by handing $50 to anyone disembarking from an international flight at Melbourne Airport. Why favour particular businesses??

As most trams exit the area, I also wonder if fare evasion is going to explode. We shall see.

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Free Trams please CBD say tourists, visitors

[ozbob]

Twitter

The myki User. ‏@themykiuser 2 minutes ago

New tram 6016 testing up Swanston St

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Free ride may lead to serious overcrowding, says transport group

[#Metro]

Combined with a major zones reform to let commuters travel more cheaply, it will cost taxpayers about $400 million over four years.

$400 million dollars.  That runs Brisbane's buses for a year. That's forgone trains, trams, buses etc that could have been bought for that, all to give travel to people who are going to pay anyway and are well positioned to do so.

A Public Transport Victoria spokesman said the free tram zone had been in place for almost two weeks and there had not been any overcrowding on trams or at stops.

^ Yes, but if they are looking for a problem, they are looking in the wrong location - there IS crowding on the train system and a number of tram lines, $400K would have gone a long way to solve that.

[ozbob]

The FTZ is already shaping up as a bit of a disaster (  a number of pics of overloaded trams going around on twitter etc.).  A Napthine Govt thought bubble, lazy Labor carried on because of the election.

Should be junked immediately!  Ridiculous.  People who have used to PT to get to Melb, already have paid their daily fare.  Those who haven't eg. driven, should pay a fare.  The fares are not dear at all.

[SurfRail]

Combined with a major zones reform to let commuters travel more cheaply, it will cost taxpayers about $400 million over four years.

$400 million dollars.  That runs Brisbane's buses for a year. That's forgone trains, trams, buses etc that could have been bought for that, all to give travel to people who are going to pay anyway and are well positioned to do so.

Do you have the same view for Perth's FTZ?

[#Metro]

Yes. FTZs are not required.

[ozbob]

Melbourne's Free Tram Zone is simply overloading already overloaded trams in the main.

Regular commuters have started using some of the limited buses that run around the CBD instead of the trams.  Doesn't cost them as they have already used the myki on the run into the CBD.

Perth seems to me a different dynamic.  I haven't been to Perth since the FTZ introduced so not sure how successful or otherwise it is.

[SurfRail]

Yes. FTZs are not required.

You'd love Perth then.  Around 50-60 buses do literally nothing but free travel every day - not even fitted with ticket machines - and that's in addition to the free travel on all services generally.

[#Metro]

You'd love Perth then.  Around 50-60 buses do literally nothing but free travel every day - not even fitted with ticket machines - and that's in addition to the free travel on all services generally.

Monies spent on heaping freebies on pax who would pay anyway is better spent on improving service elsewhere. If drivers and fuel is paid for it is not 'free'.

[ozbob]

Twitter

Daniel Bowen ‏@danielbowen 13 minutes ago

You still refuse to believe trams are packed, @SpringStSource? Maybe you should make more of Coalition fleet pledge. pic.twitter.com/w8qimiv2Nv




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Twitter

Daniel Bowen ‏@danielbowen 10 minutes ago

...and here's the next one. #FreeTramZone

[ozbob]

Twitter

Daniel Bowen @danielbowen  2 hours ago

Blog: Pros and cons of the new #FreeTramZone - it's not as simple as some claim. http://www.danielbowen.com/2015/01/19/free-tram-zone-pros-cons/ ... #SpringSt

[ozbob]

Twitter

Jeremy de Korte ‏@jdk_music 53 minutes ago

Trams could be king of the road in future Melbourne http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-02-13/trams-to-be-king-of-the-road-in-future-melbourne/6082674?section=vic ... via @ABCNews Some interesting analysis here #springst

[ozbob]

Twitter

Mike Shuttleworth ‏@mike_sh 4h4 hours ago

One for you @danielbowen. Sydney Rd, right outside the tram depot.

[ozbob]

Twitter

Yarra Trams ‏@yarratrams 15 minutes ago

Put your face on a Melbourne tram! We've already raised $13.5k for the @GoodFriAppeal - http://bit.ly/1EbSLcJ 

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Changes down the line for Melbourne's tram routes

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age -->  Free tram faces cuts (City Circle)

[SurfRail]

Good idea.  The free travel in the CBD makes the service irrelevant for anybody except tourists anyway, for whom a one-way loop is perfectly fine.

The RTBU's opposition to this is one of the dumber things I've seen.  They aren't the safest or most comfortable things to drive.

What is really needed is a full-time Latrobe St service.