Country Rail link bus idea

route14 · Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2008 10:25 pm

Mightn't be a bad idea. Not much of the operating funds come from revenue anyway.

Not the black cat
nor the white cat
but the right cat

Deanodriver · Posted: Sat Jul 19, 2008 2:02 am

I wonder why more effort isn't placed into having more buses in regional cities connect to train services? After all, with the carparking issues at many stations (like South Geelong, try and get a park there after 7.10am), surely offering a worthwhile alternative to driving to the station is something worth considering?

In my case, I would have to leave at least 40min earlier than I do if I was to take the bus to Geelong rather than driving to the station.

I guess Colac would be a bit too far for a commuter service, although I've wondered if it'd be worth having any trains starting/finishing at Colac?

The Vinelander · Posted: Sat Jul 19, 2008 8:09 am

Gwiwer · Posted: Sat Jul 19, 2008 11:50 am

I accept Vinelander's argument based upon relative distances but we need to look at the broader demographic picture.

Bendigo is farther than Colac from Melbourne. But it is much more of an employment centre in its own right than is Colac. Neither does it have a major city in between as Geelong sits between Colac and Melbourne.

Thus it might be reasonable to assume that a proportion of those living in Colac and working elsewhere might in fact opt for the shorter trip and be working in Geelong which is a major employment centre in its own right.

The existing morning train caters perfectly for a business day start arriving in Geelong from Colac (and points west) at 08.02. There is however no suitable evening return working.

If one needed to work in Melbourne then with flexible working arrangements whhich are becoming the norm it may well be possible to work a 9.30 - 6.00 day arriving on the morning train and leaving comfortably in time for the evening 18.28 return. With arrival back at Colac due at 20.31 this makes a long day. If a road coach were to operate connection off the down business trains at Geelong it would only get there 45 - 60 minutes earlier at best.

Traralgon is farther out still. It is also one of a string of local centres of employment through that part of Gippsland. A significant number of people is employed in Traralgon, Morwell and the surrounding towns. Local travel occurs on trains in that area like possibly nowhere else in Victoria.

The line of route is fast becoming a ribbon development all the way from Melbourne as outer suburbs expand, regional towns grow and the green spaces in between dwindle. The hourly service along that line is probably the bare minimum effective service required and is already supplemented by local buses.

Distance from Melbourne does not prevent a number of people making the journey daily but I suspect as many again travel only locally to work.

CEO Penhayle Bay Railway. Ferroequinologist. BA Hons (Honourable Bachelor of Aquatarts

)
The wise yet mysterious Sir Gwiwer Greybeard

Somebody in the WWW · 9:00am

ZH836301 · Posted: Sat Jul 19, 2008 9:57 pm

Gwiwer · Posted: Sat Jul 19, 2008 11:39 pm

The Vinelander · Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2008 6:46 am

[quote="ZH836301"]

ZH836301 · Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 2:31 pm

Mikelander, you seem to have a hard time telling the difference between law and policy.

By your logic, we should bin Melbourne 2030 because we can't tell people where to live - let's sprawl into the hills.

And we should also stop investing in PT because we can't tell people not to drive - oh no, no more trains for you to salivate over.

You're just too funny Mike - you harp on about how environmentally sustainable you are, but in effect, it's all just a lie.

PClark · Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 6:21 pm

Like it or not long commutes are here for the foreseeable future.

They're much more due to affordable housing not being close to available jobs than to any romanic notions of "treechanges" and it's all part of processes that have been going on for decades.

When I was young there were "mixed-use" suburbs like Richmond and Collingwood with inexpensive housing cheek-by-jowl with factories and warehouses. Today these jobs have gone offshore or out to places like Scoresby, the worker's cottages are "gentrified" town houses and the former factories and warehouses are trendy studio apartments or offices.

Job growth has been in the "service" industries, many of them in the CBD, St Kilda Road, Southbank or Docklands precincts. Great for the "execs" with corner offices who can afford to live in Albert Park, South Yarra or Hawthorn but not so good for the many more occupants of small work stations or counters who have been virtually priced out of Zone 1 if they have families.

Another factor is that young homebuyers have been conditioned into believing that they are "losers" if their first home is not a "McMansion" on it's own block with various en-suites, retreats, home cinemas and rumpus rooms. (Just look at the property supplements in the weekend papers)

I grew up, part of a family of 5 (including parents) in a 3 bedroom, 1 bathroom triple-fronted cream brick vanilla of about 15-16 squares in Mont Albert North. This was considered perfectly adequate in the '50s but would be regarded as substandard today.

In reality, I and my partner are probably as "green" and "sustainable" as anybody on these forums. This is because, at our last move, about 9 years ago, we decided to slash our "requirements" for our latest home (2 carspaces, bathrooms, loos etc, etc.) in favour of the convenience of a smaller flat on St Kilda Road. Today I walk to and from my 3 days a week job in Collins Street, to the Prahran Market and Safeway and to restaurants. Our only transport emissions would be farts! We will probably shortly give up our one ageing car and rely on taxis or rentals when necessary because we are continually getting notes in our letterbox from workers in nearby office buildings offering more than $120 per month for a sub-let of our carspace.

PClark · Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 6:26 pm

Like it or not long commutes are here for the foreseeable future.

They're much more due to affordable housing not being close to available jobs than to any romanic notions of "treechanges" and it's all part of processes that have been going on for decades.

When I was young there were "mixed-use" suburbs like Richmond and Collingwood with inexpensive housing cheek-by-jowl with factories and warehouses. Today these jobs have gone offshore or out to places like Scoresby, the worker's cottages are "gentrified" town houses and the former factories and warehouses are trendy studio apartments or offices.

Job growth has been in the "service" industries, many of them in the CBD, St Kilda Road, Southbank or Docklands precincts. Great for the "execs" with corner offices who can afford to live in Albert Park, South Yarra or Hawthorn but not so good for the many more occupants of small work stations or counters who have been virtually priced out of Zone 1 if they have families.

Another factor is that young homebuyers have been conditioned into believing that they are "losers" if their first home is not a "McMansion" on it's own block with various en-suites, retreats, home cinemas and rumpus rooms. (Just look at the property supplements in the weekend papers)

I grew up, part of a family of 5 (including parents) in a 3 bedroom, 1 bathroom triple-fronted cream brick vanilla of about 15-16 squares in Mont Albert North. This was considered perfectly adequate in the '50s but would be regarded as substandard today.

In reality, I and my partner are probably as "green" and "sustainable" as anybody on these forums. This is because, at our last move, about 9 years ago, we decided to slash our "requirements" for our latest home (2 carspaces, bathrooms, loos etc, etc.) in favour of the convenience of a smaller flat on St Kilda Road. Today I walk to and from my 3 days a week job in Collins Street, to the Prahran Market and Safeway and to restaurants. Our only transport emissions would be farts! We will probably shortly give up our one ageing car and rely on taxis or rentals when necessary because we are continually getting notes in our letterbox from workers in nearby office buildings offering more than $120 per month for a sub-let of our carspace.

Somebody in the WWW · Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 7:32 pm

The Vinelander · Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2008 8:11 am

NathanCastle · Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2008 11:24 am

ZH836301 · Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2008 5:06 pm