Public Transport Users Assoc

NFL in #Melbourne: big event, with no MCG public parking. Public transport is showing how good it can be - plenty of services ensuring the crowds get easily and efficiently to the game.👍🚉🏈

🚉🚴Cycling and public transport make a great combination. We support the call from Bicycle Network for 5% of state transport infrastructure budget to be used to provide better cycling infrastructure.
Read more here: https://bicyclenetwork.com.au/our-advocacy/strategic-cycling-corridor/

Sydney's population is similar to Melbourne, but their rail patronage is about 50% higher. Why?
One factor is Sydney has frequent trains to almost every station all day, every day. It makes public transport much easier to use for more trips, so more people hop on board.👍

It's that time of year again. Hopefully your wait for a train is a short one, but watch out for swooping birds! 🐦‍⬛

With so many suburban and regional town buses offering inadequate services on the weekends, we're calling for Sunday timetables to be scrapped, upgraded to Saturday - to ensure more 7 day routes - and for key routes to have improved frequencies. https://www.busnews.com.au/ptua-frequent-bus-services-election-2026/

🚉🎉Happy opening day to West Tarneit station! More upgrades are needed for Melbourne's growing west, but this station will make a big difference to the local community.👍

📷LachlanTansey, via Wikipedia CC BY 4.0

Upfield line: every 10 minutes between Coburg and the City? Yes, it is possible!
It's happening all this weekend due to Craigieburn/Werribee/Williamstown line works. Great to see... maybe they should try this more often... for instance every peak hour? 🤔

There's heavy traffic and travel demand 7 days a week in Melbourne and our regional cities. It's time public transport services caught up. More frequent services means more people on public transport.

Minimising project costs is important, but convenient easy interchanges are not "unnecessary extras" - especially for a project designed primarily to connect existing rail lines. They are key to ensuring the benefits of the investment are maximised. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-08-25/suburban-rail-loop-project-ben-carroll-savings-2-billion/107073280

Goodbye to the worst of the worst long waits on the Craigieburn, Upfield, Mernda, Hurstbridge and Sandringham lines starting today!
More services on other V/Line and Metro lines too from today - it's great to see.
We'll keep pushing for further improvements around the network. Want to help? Join us.

More public transport systems are adding monthly or weekly fare caps, so regular users can avoid the hassle and upfront expense of preloading a Pass. Victoria should do this too, especially now we've got Tap And Go. https://nowtoronto.com/news/ttc-monthly-fare-cap-47-trips-september-1/

When it comes to infrastructure, the best outcomes come from well researched independent advice. We're incredibly disappointed that the State Government has taken the short-sighted decision to shut down Infrastructure Victoria, putting an end to their good work. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-08-28/government-to-shut-down-infrastructure-victoria/107088980

This Sunday's train boost cuts the wait time for this connection from 32 minutes to 12 minutes.
More frequent services make public transport useful for more people.
We'll keep pushing for further improvements, but this is progress! 👍

Infrequent services make connections difficult. To get people out of cars, a big city like #Melbourne needs better than trains every 20, 30, 40 minutes.

Great to hear V/Line has been testing 6-car trains for the Warrnambool line to help boost capacity. Short trains aren't coping, especially on weekends.
Read more: https://www.warrnambool.vic.gov.au/bigger-trains-bound-warrnambool

On this day in 1954, electric trains were extended to Warragul, only to be withdrawn in the 1990s.
It's time to re-extend electrification on V/Line's commuter lines to reduce reliance on diesel.

Many public transport timetables are written as though nobody wants to travel on Sundays. Some routes don't even run.
In truth, travel demand is similar to Saturdays. More routes running on Sundays, and running more often means more people can use the network seven days-a-week.

Frequent fast connections make public transport a pleasure.

Good to see new low floor trams entering service soon!
#Melbourne also needs more platform stops to give us an accessible tram network that everyone can use.🚋👍

Whether or not SRL proceeds or is paused, it's important that the rest of the public transport network gets more upgrades to make it fast, frequent and reliable. We've outlined initiatives for buses, trams, Metro and V/Line that our politicians should be prioritising. https://ptua.org.au/posts/2026/priorities-for-2026-election/

📅🚧Everyone's least favourite calendars. But it's worth checking for disruptions when planning a trip.
Planned closures for upgrades might be necessary, but authorities need to ensure disruptions are minimised, info is clear and that there are plenty of staff and buses to help keep people moving.

Spotted: toy 1:70 scale tram platform stops for $17.
If only that meant that full size tram stops cost just $1190!
On the real tram system, more is needed to ensure the whole network is accessible for everyone.

Good to see people out today in support of accessible tram platform stops on Sydney Road before the Upfield line closes for level crossing removal works.
All of Melbourne's tram network should be accessible to everyone.
Check out the local campaign here: https://www.facebook.com/SATScampaign

🚌Do you live or travel in Bendigo? Local bus routes are being reviewed. Longer hours, more direct, better connected, more frequent bus services mean a better public transport network that more people can use.
Have your say here: https://engage.vic.gov.au/bendigo-bus

For the Suburban Rail Loop's benefits to be maximised, interchange between lines needs to be quick and easy, including full weather protection, good signage, and frequent trains ensuring a short wait.
Read our comments in The Age yesterday.

🚌New bus timetables started in Melbourne's south east last week, including new route 886 from Hastings to Mornington.
More buses means more options to get around by public transport. A step in the right direction.
Details here: https://transport.vic.gov.au/news-and-resources/news/better-bus-travel-for-the-mornington-peninsula

Shepparton is one of many Victorian regional cities in need of a revamp to bus services, to help people get around, including to workplaces and to the railway station to connect with V/Line.
Read about how the local council and others are pushing for action.
https://www.busnews.com.au/bonanza-or-bust-inside-sheppartons-bus-network-fight/

Part of the problem: "We have transport projects, but no plan – the Big Build *is* the plan."

Read more: https://ptua.org.au/posts/2026/royal-commission-policy-and-governance-failures/

Join us for our upcoming Volunteer-Member meeting with Peter Parker, the public transport and network planning advocate behind the Melbourne on Transit blog. We look forward to a night of casual discussion on Peter’s work, in person at Ross House. Hope to see you there! RSVP: https://ptua.wildapricot.org/event-6773571

V/Line: Passengers don't want a blame game. They want a reliable public transport service they can trust.
Read more: https://ptua.org.au/posts/2026/v-line-owes-passengers-answers-on-its-lack-of-backup-plans/

⚠️From Tuesday: Watergardens to Sunbury and Dandenong to Cranbourne trains are replaced by buses due to industrial action affecting train maintenance.
We hope this is resolved soon and doesn't spread - if you're on these lines, keep a look out for updates from Metro.

We support the Monash Graduate Association's call for concession fares for full-time graduate students. Find out more and sign their petition here: https://mga.monash.edu/policy-campaigns/current-campaigns/ptv-campaign/

PTUA's Ballarat Branch is back! Advocating for more and better services and amenity for public transport users in and around Ballarat. Get in touch and join to help our campaign. https://timesnewsgroup.com.au/ballarat/news/public-transport-users-group-reconvening-advocating-for-region/

V/Line will have free rides on Monday and Tuesday...
What's more important is that V/Line and the government look at what went wrong, why backup systems failed, the response, and what can be done to ensure our rail system is more resilient and reliable. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-07-10/why-vline-was-hit-harder-than-other-states-by-telstra-outage/106895726

tfw you're wishing for more bus lanes

Today's V/Line problems are hugely disruptive to passengers. Authorities must review what's happened, and look at what can be done to keep trains moving in future. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-07-08/vic-vline-train-disruption-radio-network-fault/106891272

Just 56% of V/Line Swan Hill and Echuca trains were on time (within 11 minutes) in April, and Albury wasn't much better. V/Line and the government must do more to identify and resolve the causes of delays. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-05-24/vline-data-shows-trains-late-lowest-in-decade/106696478

Congratulations Spain! ⚽🏆🇪🇸
In Barcelona, and in many other cities worldwide, they understand that for public transport reach its potential, high frequency services are vital. Cutting wait times is the best way of getting people out of their cars, and out of the traffic.🚇

Thanks for all those who attended our meeting with Public Transport Minister Gabrielle Williams tonight. Sorry we couldn't get to all the member questions in the time available - we're hoping to get a few more responses into the next newsletter. We'll have to have her back sometime!

Extra train services this weekend due to events and works closures are a reminder that we could have high frequency metro services like other cities - it's mostly not an infrastructure issue, it's a matter of politics and government priority.
Better public transport helps keep #Melbourne moving.

📢PTUA members! Our meeting with PT Minister Gabrielle Williams is coming up on Thursday 28th May. Register now and submit your question for the Minister.
Not currently a paid member? Join now to attend.
Details: https://ptua.org.au/members/resources/#meetings

🎂🚉Happy 165th birthday to Woodend station, opened 8 July 1861. (Not a great birthday, with huge train disruptions today☹️)

When it's running, the Bendigo line is often served by overcrowded short 3-car trains. Running longer trains more often would help the service keep up with demand.

📷circa 1910 via State Library

The Geelong line (and many other V/Line services) badly needs improvements to reliability, capacity and timetables. https://timesnewsgroup.com.au/surfcoasttimes/news/geelong-fast-rail-revival-still-off-track/

Our friends at the Mt Atkinson Advocacy Forum have put out this infographic highlighting the benefits of electrification of the Melton line and a new station to serve the local community.