481 NEW TRAM SERVICES ON TRACK FOR INNER CITY ROUTES

[RailwayBus]

http://www.premier.vic.gov.au/newsroom/12240.html

481 NEW TRAM SERVICES ON TRACK FOR INNER CITY ROUTES

From the Premier

Tuesday, 12 October 2010

Melbourne tram commuters will benefit from 481 new weekly tram
services starting on 24 October delivering additional capacity on
popular inner city routes with more services to run through the CBD at
peak times.

Premier John Brumby said Melbourne had the largest tram network in the
world and the additional services would mean more services for
commuters across several routes from Docklands, Coburg, Maribyrnong
and Brunswick.

“More than 480,000 passenger trips are made on our tram network on
average every day and the system is the backbone of our public
transport network in the CBD and inner city,” Mr Brumby said.

“We have been working closely with Yarra Trams to increase capacity
and these 481 additional weekly tram services include 265 new services
which will target busy inner city routes.

“These extra services will help ease crowding on our busy Elizabeth
Street services and will also mean more frequent services for people
travelling to and from West Maribyrnong, Airport West, North Coburg
and West Coburg.

“Our Government is determined to deliver on our commitment to provide
a better public transport network and together with our investment in
50 new trams, these additional services will improve the journeys of
thousands of commuters every day.”

Public Transport Minister Martin Pakula said improvements would
include the introduction of a Collins Street shuttle service (Route
31) which will deliver an extra 44 trips on weekdays in the interpeak
and improve connectivity with the Victoria Harbour Precinct.

“This shuttle service will run during the lunchtime peak and will mean
trams will now operate every five minutes between Victoria Harbour and
the Paris end of Collins Street between 11am and 2.30pm,” Mr Pakula
said.

“The additional Collins Street services are designed to assist with
increased demand at the Collins Street West end of the CBD into
Victoria Harbour and along the length of Collins Street.”

Member for Melbourne Bronwyn Pike said Docklands was increasingly
becoming a popular residential area of the city and a bustling
employment centre.

“Up to 8000 people are currently working in the Victoria Harbour
precinct of the Docklands which has significantly increased the number
of people using trams along Collins Street, west of Southern Cross
Station,” Ms Pike said.

“This figure is set to swell to about 13,000 by Christmas when a
further 5000 workers move into new offices so these extra tram
services will be a welcome boost.”

Mr Pakula said 215 additional weekly services would also be added on
Route 82 which links Footscray and Moonee Ponds.

“These services will increase the frequency during school peak periods
and late at night with trams running until midnight during the week
and until 1am on Friday and Saturday nights,” he said.

Other service improvements include:

• 20 additional weekend services on Route 19 to provide an eight
minute frequency during the daytime;
• An additional weekday service in each direction on Route 19
(North Coburg – Elizabeth Street ) during the AM-peak;
• Two extra weekday services in each direction on Route 55 (West
Coburg – Domain Interchange) during the AM-peak;
• Two additional weekday services on Route 55 during the PM-peak;
• Five additional weekday services on Route 57 (West Maribyrnong –
City Elizabeth Street) across the morning and evening peaks; and
• An additional weekday service on Route 59 (Airport West – City
Elizabeth Street) during the AM-Peak.

Detailed timetable information on the additional services is now
available by calling Metlink on 131 638 or visiting
www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au.

[tranzitjim]

That is great moves, but how can they do this when we have been so short of trams for so long?

Have they gone and taken all the W class trams out of retirement or something?

[RailwayBus]

That is great moves, but how can they do this when we have been so short of trams for so long?

Have they gone and taken all the W class trams out of retirement or something?

You may notice the bulk of new services are either during interpeak (route 31) or off peak (routes 19 and 82), and as such the increased tram requirement is minimal.

[jarf]

Oh good, the 82 will finally have something resembling an actual service.

[RailwayBus]

Oh good, the 82 will finally have something resembling an actual service.

I don't get why everyone whinges about the 82, I mean, it provides a better service than most buses do.... just coz it wasn't as good as most other trams doesn't mean it was necessarily a bad service??

[PKM]

I presume that these new services mean a few more driving positions available. I'm hoping so, I have an interview 9th November

[RailwayBus]

I presume that these new services mean a few more driving positions available. I'm hoping so, I have an interview 9th November

Best of luck.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Mike M]

Picked up today at the Met Shop were the following tram timetables, all dated 24 October 2010.

19 North Coburg to City Elizabeth St

55 West Coburg to Domain interchange

57 West Maribyrnong to City Elizabeth St

59 Airport West to City Elizabeth St

82 Moonee Ponds to Footscray

There is no printed timetable for the reintroduced route 31.

Apart from the expanded services on route 82 some items of interest from the other timetables are:

Route 19 now has separate timetables for Monday to Wednesday, Thursday & Friday. it also has a later last journey from the City on Sunday night at 12.19am instead of the previous 11.53pm.

The last Sunday night journey on route 55 at 12.06am from Domain interchange now continues through to West Coburg rather than terminating at Abbotsford St & Flemington Rd.

Route 57 now has separate Monday to Thursday & Friday timetables.