Last week I discussed the potential of integrating bus network reform with level crossing removal projects. This would broaden these projects' benefits with improvements for all modes of transport.
Like Narre Warren covered last week, the East Ringwood/Croydon area also hasn't had much love with regards to train and bus service reform. Its trains continue to run on archaic half-hourly timetables outside peak and, except for a couple of routes, buses are limited with sparse coverage and restricted operating hours. These traits make it another good candidate for service reform in conjunction with the level crossing removal.
I'll mainly discuss two outer suburban level crossing removals on the one line. These are Dublin Rd/Ringwood East and Coolstore Rd/Croydon on the Lilydale line in Melbourne's outer east. They are adjacent stations 3.5 km apart so the same bus and train service issues affect both.
Key public transport service issues in the area include:
* 30 minute interpeak train frequency is network's worst given the area's CBD proximity (<27 km) - demographically similar Frankston line suburbs enjoy trains every 10 minutes
* Complex and confusing bus routes like the 380
* Infrequent weekend service on main routes like 670
* Widespread lack of 7 day service on local bus routes
* Significant bus coverage gaps in parts of Ringwood East and along the Eastfield Rd corridor.
If you need more detail I discussed them for Maroondah Hospital (Ringwood East) in 2022 and Croydon/Mooroolbark in 2020 . There have been no significant changes since.
Local MPs for this area include Will Fowles (Ringwood ALP) and David Hodgett (Croydon Lib).
Ringwood East
The Lilydale line in this area will be lowered to run in a trench. A new Ringwood East station will be constructed. Key service upgrade initiatives for Ringwood east could include:
Train
* Boost weekday interpeak frequency from 30 to 20 minutes to match already upgraded weekend timetables
* Simplify weekday peak stopping patterns with fewer variations but more frequent service on each one
This upgrade is best done as part of a 'greenfields timetable' for the Belgrave and Lilydale lines. This would deliver wide benefits including 7 day 10 minute frequencies to Ringwood and simpler peak services. The Frankston and Dandenong lines have already had such improvements but only the weekend timetables for Belgrave and Lilydale only ever got done.
* Improved wayfinding signage and paths between the rebuilt Ringwood East Station and Maroondah Hospital. Upgrades to both should minimise walking distance between the two.
Once in a lifetime opportunity exists and should be siezed due to the almost simultaneous rebuilding of both. Ringwood East Station is the hospital's nearest station and is within walking distance for some.
Bus
* Split bus Route 380 into two linear Ringwood - Croydon routes, one north and one south of Maroondah Hwy.
Route 380 is currently a confusing circular route that runs in both directions from Ringwood to Ringwood via Croydon. Its circular shape can make it harder for people to know which side of the road to wait on for the shortest journey time. Splitting into separate north and south routes (Nos 669 and 668 suggested) would simplify local bus services around Ringwood East and Maroondah Hospital without skipping currently served stops or adding service kilometres. The recent conversion of Narre Warren's 834 and 835 circular routes into linear routes in December 2022 is a welcome precedent for this.
* Extend operating hours and boost weekend frequency of simplified Route 380 replacement from 60 to 30 minutes to better service Maroondah Hospital as discussed here.
This boosted service would aid connectivity to Maroondah Hospital as the southern portion of this route is the hospital's nearest public transport. It could improve convenience for workers and visitors and help relieve parking pressures. Choosing the southern portion to boost (668 on map below) would also greatly enhance bus services at all three level crossing removal sites.
* A new Ringwood - Croydon bus via Maroondah Hwy and Eastfield Rd.
This could further improve hospital access, provide new coverage in Croydon South and allow existing Croydon area main road bus routes to be simplified (eg 737 deviation removed). Wider benefits could accrue if this is implemented by extending existing Route 688 to Ringwood to provide a stronger terminus and a single route along more of Mt Dandenong Rd.
click map for better view
Croydon
The Lilydale line will be elevated with a new Croydon station built. All of the train and bus service upgrades for Ringwood East would also benefit Croydon. Croydon is however a much larger centre than Ringwood East with many more bus routes feeding it. Additional upgrades for Croydon could include:
* Boost Route 670's weekend frequency to 20 minutes from current 40-60 minutes
Route 670 is a major Maroondah Hwy bus route connecting Ringwood, Croydon, Chirnside Park Shopping Centre and Lilydale. It already runs 24 hours on weekends. A weekend frequency boost would greatly improve connectivity between key stations (like Croydon) and shopping centres in the area. It would be relatively cheap, merely working the existing bus fleet harder.
* Add 7 day and public holiday service to local Croydon routes without it (eg 671, 672 and 675).
The Croydon and Lilydale area has some of the least weekend bus services in Melbourne with 5 and 6 day operation common on local routes. This upgrade would widen access to a 7 day network, improving connectivity to trains at Croydon (which can only be walked to by a small proportion of the local population).
* Commence planning on a wider area bus network review for Melbourne's outer east.
Bus routes in the Croydon and Mooroolbark areas have not been reappraised for years if not decades. Scope exists to widen coverage, simplify networks and enhance connectivity to trains. Some ideas (including a map) on what a reformed Croydon area bus network might look like are given here.
Bedford Rd
Too close to Ringwood East to ignore is the Bedford Rd level crossing that is also planned for removal. The Belgrave line will be lowered through here to run through a trench. Unlike Ringwood East and Croydon there is no station to rebuild.
Bus routes 380, and, to a lesser extent, 679, operate in the area. Complementary network reforms and upgrades could include the already discussed splitting simplification of Route 380 and boosted weekend services both on its replacement and Route 679.
More Building Melbourne's Useful Network items here
2 comments:
Coverage along Eastfield Rd in Croydon South is also a priority
Extending 688 to Ringwood via Maroondah Hospital (direct via Mt Dandenong Rd) could allow eastern half of 380 to run east on Eastfield Rd then up Jesmond Rd & Norton Rd instead, also replacing 737 deviation
A set of pedestrian lights in vicinity of Ringwood Private Hospital would be needed as part of a 688 extension but would also improve local walking access to Ringwood Lake & local schools south of the railway line
I'm all up for splitting the 380 again, but I'd rather keep the old route numbers 366 and 367, especially if it's to remain under Kinetic instead of Ventura.
A little bit too far from Ringwood East station, but close to the northern part of the 380, lies the 364. Is there any merit in straightening out both the 380 and 364 so they don't meander around lifeless suburbia? Warrandyte Rd in Ringwood North (including right past the shopping centre) is practically devoid of buses; the peak-only 303 hardly counts with its blink-and-you'll-miss-it timetable, leaving just the 271 meandering along the back streets. Meanwhile, the 364 and 380 duplicate each other on Wonga Rd, with the 364 backtracking along Tortice Drive to Warrandyte Rd after a couple of kilometres, missing the shops entirely. The 271 serves the shops, but it was seemingly designed by the Leyland Brothers as it travels all over the countryside beforehand.
Away from Ringwood North and closer to the topic is the area surrounding Tintern Grammar. This area is a transport dead zone, with only the 664 being walkable from the eastern extremity of the school (or the 380 some 500 metres to the north - I can't remember if the 380 still does the odd school run or not; the 367 used to though); worse still if you're further south (yes, home to the infamous Eastfield Rd).
@Craig: I like the idea of an extended 688 and swapping the 380 and 737J (as the deviation used to be called on the timetable notes), but it would require at least six extra buses and two rival operators to cooperate. Even more buses if the Mooroolbark reform was to happen simultaneously e.g. 690 to Chirnside Park replacing 689 on Hawthory Rd and 675 in its entirety; 680 to Croydon replacing 689 on Hull Rd; 689 replacing 690 on Mt Dandenong Rd. All to minimum 7-day standard, of course.
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