tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18909424.post2430275394086695285..comments2024-03-24T23:01:11.766+11:00Comments on Melbourne on Transit: Peter Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13413976934040474125noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18909424.post-87293007883437924332011-05-03T23:37:05.842+10:002011-05-03T23:37:05.842+10:00I respectfully suggest that the obvious next major...I respectfully suggest that the obvious next major project to increase rail capacity to central Melbourne, when needed, is to convert the Northern and Burnley loops into a line from Nth Melbourne to Richmond via Melbourne Central, as discussed in a 2008 Dept of Infrastructure report.*<br /><br />This would greatly improve cross suburban through city travel and circulation in the inner area outside the loop. <br /><br />The present loop is quite wasteful in terms of the amount of track needed in proportion to the capacity added.** I can only guess that the design was driven by overriding desire to provide one-seat travel to all loop stations as far as possible.<br /><br />In a city which now has significant employment in a larger CBD fringe outside walking distance of loop stations, the better principle is to abandon the goal of one-seat trips, but to ensure frequent service and convenient transfers in the inner area. <br /><br />* This would give 9 track pairs to the city: Craigieburn/Upfield to Ringwood via Melbourne Central, Sydenham to Glen Waverley/Blackburn/Alamein via Flinders St; Werribee to Frankston via Flinders St; plus Clifton Hill loop, Caulfield loop, and Sandringham. See p.29 at http://www.doi.vic.gov.au/DOI/DOIElect.nsf/alldocs/2DE07DE58D313680CA25741E0021CC53/$FILE/EWLNA-Analysis_on_Rail_Capacity.pdf<br /><br />** Topologically the Northern and Burnley loops are equivalent to a track pair from the west terminating between Flinders St and Richmond, and a track pair from the east terminating between Southern Cross and North Melbourne. The overlapping section is wasted.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18909424.post-8878738684916260882011-05-02T05:48:27.634+10:002011-05-02T05:48:27.634+10:00@Anon. Good question. It looks like it was designe...@Anon. Good question. It looks like it was designed to maximise use of Parliament/Melb Central vis a vis FSS - maybe to stimulate development of that side of town. <br /><br />For those living in the eastern/south eastern suburbs (which would be many white collar workers) it optimises travel time to Parliament. However when train patronage surged and before significant services were added in the last 2000s it backfire as sometimes people were left behind from trains going home. <br /><br />Regardless this concept has past its use-by date - the fastest growing areas are nearest Southern Cross and Flinders Street. Ideally the loop should be based on optimisng flexible travel between CBD and near CBD stations to form a small metro and maybe take some pressure off trams for longer inner city trips. <br /><br />One other reason I've heard is that train drivers need practice driving in both directions in all portals. Maybe if preserved such operational niceties could preferably be done in a more legible way affecting fewer passengers - eg the late night trains of Friday and Saturday or maybe early Sunday morning.Peter Parkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13413976934040474125noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18909424.post-68691934004216449422011-05-01T23:45:43.262+10:002011-05-01T23:45:43.262+10:00So why do the loops reverse? I have never seen any...So why do the loops reverse? I have never seen any coherent explanation of this.<br /><br />It's a bad idea not only because of the timetable complexity, but also because:<br /><br />I recall reading somewhere that travel to the loop stations is about 25% Flinders St, 15% Flagstaff, and 20% each of the others.<br /><br />If true, it means that the principle of 'to loop first PM, from loop last PM', as it maximises peak trip time to/from Flinders St, is the exact opposite of what it should be.<br /><br />Why is it so?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18909424.post-86575758024603237862011-04-30T10:22:19.922+10:002011-04-30T10:22:19.922+10:00You need
* SPEED
* FREQUENCY
* CONNECTIONS
* LEG...You need <br /><br />* SPEED<br />* FREQUENCY<br />* CONNECTIONS<br />* LEGIBILITY<br /><br />You can have as much density as you want, but if you do not have the above ingredients, public transport won't work properly.<br /><br />Alan Davies'/Melbourne Urbanist idea for BRT in the outer ring to the Airport is a good idea.<br /><br />BrisUrbaneBrisUrbanehttp://brisurbane.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18909424.post-75571322790746281682011-04-12T13:04:14.953+10:002011-04-12T13:04:14.953+10:00Good post. Just a note on this:
"Instead for...Good post. Just a note on this:<br /><br />"Instead for the 'last mile' we rely on slow surface modes, notably trams and buses, often without their own right of way."<br /><br />But in most of your examples, the routes that take people from the CBD stations to those destinations <b>are</b> in their own rights of way. Exclusive tram lanes exist to Melb Uni (Swanston St or Elizabeth St) most of the way to Epworth (Wellington Pde), Alfred (St Kilda Rd), South Melbourne Market and Waterfront City.<br /><br />The problem is the lack of priority at the many cross streets.Danielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16612486802520356809noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18909424.post-16451088625946231532011-04-11T22:17:53.091+10:002011-04-11T22:17:53.091+10:00It will be interesting to see, once the May timeta...It will be interesting to see, once the May timetables are introduced, if trains running though the CBD are identified as such. At present, even though half the interpeak trains on the Frankston line run through to Southern Cross and on to Werribee (mostly??), commuters are not informed about this. These trains show Flinders Street as their destination, as do monitors at stations such as South Yarra and even Richmond. Only when the train arrives at Flinders St is the true destination revealed!gxhhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10036211640500754443noreply@blogger.com