Daniel Bowen

ABC News article about a new suburb approved in Melbourne's north. Image from Jaws: "You're gonna need more public transport".

New suburbs need better transport options, so everybody isn't forced to drive to get anywhere.

All Hail the Humble Speed Hump These simple, cheap traffic-calming devices are both effective and wildly popular with (most) residents. Here’s why more cities are going all-in on speed humps.

Let us pay tribute to the speed hump, an unsung hero of street safety.

These prosaic protrusions of pavement can work wonders -- and at minimal cost.

My deep dive, in Bloomberg 🧵

Two metalwork giraffes look over a fence at a VLocity train going past

Gunzel giraffes gracefully gazing upon the Geelong line.🚆🦒🙂

Tesla doesn't support using your EV to power homes or the grid EV batteries have the potential to power a household for days and could even play a part in our future electricity grid. But not everyone supports the technology.

Interesting story pointing out the advantages of charging electric car batteries from solar, then using them to power homes after the sun goes down.
Also a reminder of the huge amount of power it takes to move a car along a road! www.abc.net.au/news/...

Daniel with a large Lego W-class tram, showing route 96 to St Kilda Beach.

Last week, I found a Lego #Melbourne tram!
It's in the Lego shop in Melbourne Central.

V/Line commuters fed up after two months without trains to east Gippsland More services will be added to the Gippsland line later this year, but commuters' patience is running short after battling disruptions since 2018, when upgrades began. 

Upgrades are good, but months and months of bus replacements aren't much fun. Authorities need to ensure they're minimised, and there are enough buses and staff and information provided to make them as smooth as possible. www.abc.net.au/news/...

Image from ABC TV News Melbourne showing King Street Bridge with protestors, and police blocking their way onto the bridge.

I'm no expert in crowd control, but preventing a protest from blocking a bridge by blocking it yourselves seems like an interesting strategy. #Melbourne

Most of the #Adelaide to Glenelg tram line has closed for about six months, to remove three level crossings😮
Gotta say, this makes Melbourne's sometimes lengthy grade separation shutdowns look fast and efficient. dit.sa.gov.au/infras...

A tram platform stop with a notice saying "No low-floor trams at this stop. Call PTV on 1800 800 007 if you need assistance". A person with a walking stick is preparing to board a high floor tram.

A fully accessible tram network makes things easier for those with vision or mobility difficulties, or travelling with luggage or kids. It also makes it faster for everybody else.
There's a lot more to be done.

Looks great, thanks. A bit of a hack, but it works.

Yeah they planned to phase it in (along with removing cash from buses) but it all kind of happened in a rush during COVID- though as you say, for some passengers (and drivers) old habits die hard.

Brisbane is all door boarding on Council buses, but not other operators. Confusing!
Adelaide all door boarding on O-Bahn routes but not others.
Canberra and Melbourne are all door boarding.
Perth and Darwin are front door boarding.
I can't find a definitive for Hobart/Metro Tas.

IPhone wallpaper with Captain Haddock from Tintin, placed so the clock looks like it is in a speech bubble

I absolutely love this Tintin themed phone wallpaper that someone made, but how do I get an #iPhone to change the colour of the status bar (signal, battery status etc) to something readable?

A tram passes a building with a large mural showing First Nations Australians

Pretty cool artwork on the side of the new State Library Station entrance on Latrobe Street #Melbourne

We believe e-bikes should be allowed on public transport, if: There is space on public transport. They are not e-motorcycles. ‘E’ Safety is enhanced through improved import regulations and compliance efforts. Helping customers to use public transport remains the focus of staff. E-mobility is recognised as a part of the public transport system, particularly in growth areas. Government – including data and monitoring – should be transparent to help taxpayers better understand the issue. There is a proactive rather than reactive approach to addressing this issue.

🚆🛴🚲We don't think a blanket ban of e-bikes and e-scooters from trains is the best way forward. A more nuanced approach is needed, addressing safety but not losing the obvious advantages for first mile/last mile connectivity.
Have your say: engage.vic.gov.au/pu...

Wong clarifies that Australia only sells 'non-lethal' Death Star parts

"We don't sell the death beam energy, so it doesn't count."

Read more: chaser.com.au/national/won...

Ho boy, ancient history!

GIF of David Tennant "Oh, you've redecorated. I don't like it"

ABC TV News made a big fuss about the classic (but revamped) theme music less than a year ago... now it seems they've pepped it up again. #Australia

PTV warning notice that appears to prohibit “#%@!”

No punctuation!
#Melbourne

The effect of battery-electric vehicle ownership on transport demand and substitution between modes Transport decarbonization is a key part of moves to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions. A major component of this involves shifting private car us…

What has been the impact of Norway’s shift to electric vehicles?

New study finds: “… BEV ownership leads to an overall increase in car trip demand in the order of 10–20%. This reflects shifts from ICEV to BEV use, but also sizeable shifts away from public transport use, cycling and walking.”

If that's what he thinks (or at least, that's his preferred rhetoric) then I don't think it's a bad thing if that's reported.
The journo's commentary that it was "colourful" points to the media thinking it's a bit of an odd comment.

Vic Labor must love that the Coalition just can't get their act together.

yeah, though despite the headline, most of the story is not about the SRL.

Pressure is piling on the Allan government to reveal the opening date for the Metro Tunnel. It comes as the premier digs in her heels on another rail project despite hundreds of fresh objections. Subscribe and set 🔔 » https://7news.link/YTSubscribe | For the latest Australian news and breaking Experts call for work on the Suburban Rail Loop to be halted | 7NEWS

We don't quite have the US-style inner-city vs (outer) suburban culture war confected for political purposes. But perhaps M Guy is giving it a red hot go.🤢

"(Campbell Arcade) is just another location in #Melbourne for us to go and get mugged by people who are out on bail"
www.youtube.com/watc...

My sense is the govt will set a 55% cut target by 2035. Why? Because that means they just extend the 47% cut by 2030 trend.

Alas, it is nowhere near the minimum of what the science says is needed.

So remember: 55% by 2035 is NOT more ambitious
live.australiainstitute.org.au/2025/07/aust...

They're all in the non-ticketed area.
(Hopefully there's a coffee shop or something in the paid area in Town Hall station. I'd imagine it'd do quite well from interchanging passengers.)

The Campbell Arcade has reopened - it'll be the way to get between Flinders Street and Town Hall stations - but how long will you have to wait when changing trains? #Melbourne #MetroTunnel

The longest rail platforms in Australia Through a mixture of necessity, hope for the future, and in some cases pure accident, Australia has ended up with more than its share of long railway platforms. The story of these platforms - when, how, and most importantly why they came to be as long as they are - is the story of rail in Australia.

I keep seeing an engagement-bait post on social media about Flinders Street Station and claiming that it's got the longest platform in Australia.
Is it actually true? Yes-ish, but only on a technicality, given half of it is a separate disused platform.
Here's a good source:
hotrails.net/2024/07...

Entrance to Campbell Arcade. A person is taking a photo

People walking along the subway towards the entrance to Flinders St station

Campbell Arcade/Degraves St subway has reopened today, and I’m not the only one taking photos. #Melbourne #MetroTunnel

Interesting, thanks. Any idea how busy are the stations with short platforms? Do the Xplorers have Selective Door Operation?