Many people predicted this would happen…
This demonstrates there is demand for rail services if it’s superior to driving. In this case with cost.
Hopefully the long term response to this will be more services and maybe even restoration of old lines that have fallen out of use in the past 100 years. There used to be rail services going to most towns in the state. It’d be so great to see some of those come back.
Yeah, this is in a way a good sign. Although they should’ve probably invested in more rolling stock before actually implementing this plan.
The Perennial problem is the fucking NIMBYs.
Even the Pedestrian/Bike/Horse rail trails are being blocked by residents who don’t want strangers near their property. Even in areas with a large Horse-enthusiast population. Even where under-utilised sporting fields are accessible from the old alignment.
Other existing rail trails are being sabotaged by locals, much to the detriment of local businesses such as cafes, micro-breweries and distilleries.
Honestly we need a law that says if you oppose public transport, your house gets seized and you get banned from receiving any income
Vline finally in line with the metro experience lol.
Also who the fuck complains about too much patronage on a pay for travel service?
just add more trains lmao, more patronage is a great thing
The network upgrades required to “just add more trains” would be very expensive, and Vic Labor are already running up more debt than they can afford.
Of course, this means that anyone who values their comfort and has a car will drive instead, leaving public transport as a soup kitchen service.
@AllNewTypeFace @just_kitten I think this is really only happening on the Albury line - other services have likely seen a decent increase in patronage, but it’s likely going to make rural services more viable in terms of numbers, and on the really popular routes hopefully a real increase in services. In 2019 I took rural PT to a bunch of different places in Victoria, East West and North from Melbourne, and only North was really even half way busy.
Have you not been on the Geelong Line? It’s busier than the North by far.
I’ve heard the Warrnambool line has similar issues too (plus it overlaps with the Geelong line)
@princessnorah largely the stations that are still technically metro, from memory (and that goes for Ballarat too) beyond that it seems to thin out a fair bit.
You must be joking. Passenger volumes on the Ballarat line just keep increasing as they build more dormitory suburbs along the corridor. Morning peak trains are routinely at crush capacity before reaching Melton, making it very difficult to actually catch a train to work in Melbourne from Melton.
@cuavas that sounds like they need to increase services at rush hour - I’ll admit I’ve only travelled that route off-peak.
