- cross-posted to:
- melbourne@aussie.zone
- cross-posted to:
- melbourne@aussie.zone
The “big switch” has ended up being a lot less big than originally promised. I’m really happy we now have a turn up and go service - or at least every 10 minutes - on the lines going through the Metro Tunnel (the Munnel), but feels really silly we haven’t brought more drivers on board to run services at least every 10 minutes across the network, and upped all bus routes to the same frequency.
There’s a great map that Taitset made showing sections of the metro network which could already do 10 minute running.
My mum, who’s in her late 60s, told me of growing up in [European city]. She interchanged 2 times between 2 trains and a bus on her way too highschool. Her and her friends didn’t like the bus because it only came every 10 minutes. In the 1970s.
It’s a bit embarrassing to me how bad our frequency is, given our massive population.
It would be great if we could convince our government or MPs holding the balance of power at the next state election to invest in a larger workforce to achieve the frequency PTV needs to thrive.
Keen to hear others thoughts on the “Big Switch”.
P.S. I’ve talked to multiple colleagues who live on the lines who literally didn’t know about the “Big Switch” until I told them about it, 2 days beforehand.
Cross-posted to !melbourne@aussie.zone
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I think this was always the elephant in the room with the metro tunnel. It was never going to be that great, and was basically just a service increase for two lines. But because of the loop’s legacy, that required a whole fucking tunnel and a bunch of underground stops.
Beyond that, there may be a benefit to public transport traffic in the CBD itself, as going up and down swanston is now faster on the metro than the tram, as well as Melbourne uni students. But building for the privileged residents/students of inner Melbourne isn’t great optics and for good reason.
As for the benefit to the other lines, I’ve always wondered how real that was going to be and how perceptible. I haven’t seen any solid numbers recently, but did see a break down not long ago that concluded that a good amount of the improvements will feel marginal. Which makes sense, all of the other lines are still on the loop.
Seems to me that the real challenge is undoing the loop. Maybe we’ve gone a fair way toward that already? Best thought I have on this is that you’d always have to change once you get into the city as no train goes around the loop apart from special “loop” trains that continuously circle around. Also I’m betting the connection between Flinders and Southern cross is a major bottle neck and pain in the ass to remove or improve (being so close to the river).
In short, it feels like Melbourne’s loop is a major pile of infrastructure debt that will take a lot to undo, of which the metro is just the beginning. I hope those big stations can be used for future infrastructure because they’re quite big for just one line.
But I don’t know what I’m talking about … these are just brain farts!
Nah I feel you. It feels like we’re kinda just tinkering around the edges, plus level crossing removals (I do actually rather love sky rail, in the context of the local area. The extra greenspace and amenities is really nice).
I really hope we can get more through running my reconfiguring the loop as you say.
In general I think we need to stop increasing the size of Melbourne and densify. Though, unless that’s coupled with building reform (bring back public inspectors and actually throw the book at dodgy developers. In addition to much needed owners corporation Act reform), then that’s not gonna go well
It’s my biggest worry about the Activity Centres policy from the DTP/VicGov. I’m generally for it because our city is too spread out, ai just think it’s going to go very poorly because it’ll be a money grab rather than positive urban development.
Yep. I don’t trust Melbourne with good urban development (though I like the sky rail too).
