ham 🪴

Nearly all the required infrastructure improvements for the Stage 2 service plan have been implemented.

It's a bit depressing that this whole plan was in the process of being implemented, and then just stopped.

www.ptv.vic.gov.au/assets/PTV-d...

The one thing that I think doesn't get as much attention as it should, is the NDP warned that the Craigieburn line will suffer from significant overcrowding without changes that still haven't been made.

This will become an even bigger problem than it is now in the next decade.

If the opposition had half a brain, they'd be focusing on this rather than the stupid FiVe oUt oF sIx tRaiNs dOnT fIt iN tHe TuNnEls.

The government scrapped a bunch of service improvements in 2015 intending to deliver their own instead but for the most part just never did.

A bit sad that there was a detailed plan to introduce 10-minute near network-wide frequencies between 7am and 9pm by 2016 but instead we chose to do nothing.

Stage 2 of the Network Development Plan was meant to be introduced this year, but we are still so far from it.

Bit of an idea what’s going to eventually be behind this wall.

Getting more real by the day now folks 🫡

The Degraves Street Subway reopened today 🚉

Located underneath Platforms 1-10 at Flinders Street Station, the upgrade has added new lifts, some cosmetic upgrades and shown what will eventually be the new paid connection through to Town Hall Station on the Metro Tunnel.

Out with the old, in with the new 🚇

Only slightly annoying this is the lack of a covered connection between the station and the interchange.

Anyway good to see we can use federal “carparks for commuters” funding to build massive new bus interchanges instead of just car parks.

A few more pictures, some nice wayfinding here too.

The new Greensborough Station bus interchange opened recently, and nice new addition to the transport network.

Large number of bus routes out this way, fairly decent frequencies too compared to some other parts of Melbourne.

*There’s still one other acoustic shed at State Library, but it’s above a utility and station services structure on A’Beckett Street - not a station entrance

One of the last acoustic sheds* on the Metro Tunnel at the Federation Square entrance for the new Town Hall Station will start to come down next week.

(That big one opposite St Paul’s Cathedral)

We’re still using 2019 arguments and talking points in 2025.

This project is genuinely so far progressed now, there is so much cost sunk already I just don’t think people comprehend what is actually happening here.

The state opposition simultaneously saying it will scrap the project but also honour existing contracts literally makes no sense, and I don’t understand why people or the media just take this at face value.

This argument makes literally no sense - and seemingly nobody questions it?

I appreciate where people are coming from with Suburban Rail Loop East, I acknowledge where you’re coming from.

The government’s funding structure for this is not clear.

The problem is you’re having this argument years too late. The ship has already well and truly sailed to stop this.

There was a whole period of time in the early 2010s where the federal coalition was excoriating state governments for threatening to not or actually not fulfilling infrastructure contracts because a growing reputation for sovereign risk associated with infrastructure projects

Some SRL thoughts… 🧵

I find it wild how people simultaneously argue that we should scrap the SRL to protect the credit rating, and seemingly think reneging on like $10B+ in contracts will have no impact on a state’s credit rating

What won’t be completed until after the Metro Tunnel is open is the new over station development on the corner La Trobe & Swanston streets.

The OSD at Town Hall is well underway now, so will be interesting to see when this one starts to go vertical.

Work notices at State Library seem to all be pointing towards March 2025.

Mostly public realm and restoration works remaining - which was one of the last things done before the other stations were finished.

Will State Library mark the end of major construction in March? 🤔

⚡️= ⚡️
🚈 | 🚈

Caulfield is in such a dire need of a rebuild, simply not a fit for purpose interchange.

Quite remarkable how fast the HCMTs accelerate/decelerate.

This train absolutely flew out of the South Yarra portal, before making the slow manoeuvre over the crossover to Platform 3 at Hawksburn to head back to Footscray.

So much train testing at the moment - great to see! 🚇

So many test trains running today woah 😵‍💫

All in all - these are great changes, great for summer travel to Victoria’s many beaches down the coast and for the growing suburbs around Geelong.

Geelong’s public transport is growing significantly, new bus routes, more frequencies.

Really great changes to see!

🚌🚏🚈

A few other things I think need to change:

- The existing V/line Coach Route needs to be reformed, there’s significant route duplication now

- The 53 or 54 bus needs to extend to Anglesea.

- DTP needs to advertise this seasonal Colac Station to Lorne bus service, nobody knows it even exists!

The V/Line Coach Network on the surf coast used to suffer from chronic overcrowding in summer, these are huge changes to the public transport network on the Surf Coast an area that sees large numbers of visitors at this time of the year.

Genuinely so much easier to get around this summer too!

These bus changes were big - then new network operates on average every 15 minutes between Torquay and Geelong, combined with the new Geelong line timetable which operates every 20-mins or better most of the day, all week.

Previously, there was only a bus connection to Geelong every 60-90 mins.

In June this year, the Department of Transport made a number of changes to the bus network around the Surf Coast, improving bus routes and frequencies between Torquay and Geelong - and the many new suburbs in between.

It is so much easier to use Public Transport down here now - such a huge change!

Long way from home

(Yes, it is absolutely freezing)

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and Happy December 25th!

🎄🕎🎅🏻