05 November 2007

Go online to get Doncaster on track - sign the petition at www.pt4me2.org.au

The cities of Yarra, Manningham and Boroondara have teamed up with the Metropolitan Transport Forum to launch an online petition supporting a rail line to Doncaster.

A Doncaster rail line would be faster and greener than any other proposals to improve East-West transport.

A Doncaster train will be faster and will encourage greener travel. With the land already set aside for a track along the Eastern freeway, the line to Doncaster can be built sooner.

Get online to get Doncaster on track - sign the petition here.

The councils have put billboards at key locations near the Eastern Freeway promoting the online petition.

Have your say about a Doncaster rail line by adding a comment (click on comments to add your say)

51 comments:

Anonymous said...

A train line in Doncaster would be brilliant. The bus service is doing a great job, but it's clear that more transport is needed to ease the often horrendous congestion on the road.

Anonymous said...

First you need to address the institutional corruptness in the DOI and get rid of Connex. Then you can get improvements. We might still get improvements regardless of Connex's management, but they won't be as substantial.

Anonymous said...

Train line to Doncaster is much-needed and long-awaited. Buses are good for the regular commuters but for infrequent or new users, the low visibility of buses compared with heavy or light rail plays a big part in whether they get on board or not.

Anonymous said...

The Doncaster rail line was part of the original plan when the freeway was built and has been forgotten by successive governments. We don't need another feasability study, we need immediate action. Nillumbik and Banyule councils ought to be on board lobbying too as the ring road issue is arising again. This will only encourage more cars.

Anonymous said...

A train line in Doncaster would be great, but first I think Doncaster should be considered as Zone 1 rather than Zone 2. It can take only 20 minutes to get into the city from Doncaster, yet it is considered a Zone 2 suburb. Sunbury is even in Zone 1!

Anonymous said...

Yes, we need a train line, but that is ages away - we need more buses NOW! The queues and lack of parking at the Park and Ride attest to both the popularity and lack of buses during peak hour. Outside peak hour the situation is dire - some buses run every 30 mins, but others hourly or less. Where is the inducement to use a bus if you know you are going to have to wait ages to get back home or even just to the Park and Ride? If all buses ran every 15 to 20 mins, we wouldn't need more Park and Rides - we could get a bus to and from home.
Cost is another factor - you can get on the bus for a zone 1 fare at the Thompsons Road / Eastern Freeway intersection, but for the rest of Manningham and at the Park and Ride it is zone 2. Bring the price down to Zone 1 at least from the Park and Ride or Shoppingtown areas. It is nearly $10 a day for a Met card from the Park and Ride to the city - I can park near the city for less, get some exercise walking and get home much faster by car than by waiting over 30 mins for a bus.
We also need more bus lanes to get quickly into the city at all times.
Manningham deserves more frequent, cheaper public transport now.

Anonymous said...

We badly need a train line in Manningham but we have been ignored for decades despite the local councils lobbing for this. The traffic on the Eastern Carpark is getting worse by the day in peak hour and will be horrendous once Eastlink opens but sadly the governments plan to ease the traffic is to built more roads which simply doesn't work because it just means more traffic.

The buses are only decent during peak hour. On saturdays you are lucky to find one running every half hour and on sunday most run every two hours. on weekends there is next to no public transport in Manningham, you cant even get to The Pines by public transport after Sunday night football... there isnt even a bus from The Pines that goes to any station on the Hurstbridge line...

we NEED a train line!!!

Anonymous said...

A train is definitely required for Doncaster and further eastern suburbs that way. As urban sprawl continues, land availability dimishing, petrol prices rising and population growing (recent estimate was Melbourne will have a bigger population than Sydney by 2020)we need forward thinking government to accomodate this corridor.

Anonymous said...

The Doncaster rail line is the missing link. Governments are obsessed about fixing missing freeway links, so why not missing train links? Doncaster, Sth Morang, Airport, Sunbury - the list goes on - where's the action?

Anonymous said...

Manningham residents are entitled to a "rubbish transport" tax rebate. Why do we pay the same council rates and income taxes as Boorandara? I'm sick of subsidising their French trams. While Manningham waits for rail, we demand 5-minute frequencies on main route buses through to midnight, 7 days a week.
Don't give us the "can't afford it" excuse - get the money by pegging back expensive trams to 10 minutes frequencies. We all pay taxes and we all want equal services. Is this Melbourne for all or only for some? It's time for like minded people to unite and send a strong message.

The cooch.

Anonymous said...

With the extention of Westfield Doncaster, it is necessary to have a choice of public transport other than the buses we currently have.
Traffic congestion will only increase on Williamsons and Doncaster Roads, making it hazardous for local residents and schools, not to mention a nightmare for those wanting to drive through Doncaster to places such as Box Hill, Surrey Hills, the Freeway entrance etc.
The city of Manningham is becoming more popular, with real estate sales booming, making the need for a better public transport system a high priority.

Anonymous said...

Where will they put the rail line? I live in Donny and am concerned about my house being taken for this project

Anonymous said...

A train line to Doncaster is long overdue.

At the same time though, other anomalies in the public transport system should be addressed; timetable co-ordination between trains, trams and buses; tram lines that terminate 0.5-2km from stations or other services/trip generators, and other such things.

Offpeak frequency on other lines (and hopefully a new Doncaster line) should be improved; the trains just sit in sidings all day, why not run 6 x 3 carriage trains instead of 3 x 6 carriage trains per hour; an offpeak of 10 min would be great, whereas 20 minutes means you just get in your car instead (well, that's what I do, and I know I'm not alone).

Some good links:
http://melbpt.wordpress.com
http://www.ptua.org.au

nonscenic said...

The rail line is essential to transport people quickly to the city. The buses should be used to provide frequent connecting services from the railway stations into areas away from the train line so that there is no need for as much Park and Ride space. Buses in the evening peak often take 50 minutes to travel from Queen St to the Freeway. The current Park and Ride facility, a row of bus shelters in a car park is hardly conducive to promoting pt use. It is congested and has poorly designed access for buses, cars and pedestrians.
Also the buses do not provide the timetable coverage or frequency of trains. The Sunday bus timetable which is used on busy public holidays such as Cup Day and Australia Day is beyond a joke.

Anonymous said...

The biggest issue I have is that Doncaster sits between two major rail lines heading into Zone 2 areas with Box Hill getting train, tram and bus.

Can someone explain why the Doncaster area is paying Zone 2 yet only gets buses?

We have one park and ride without enough spaces, our bus lane is fairly pointless once we get into the city and coming home is a joke!

Doncaster Park and Ride should be Zone 1 and a bus lane should run in and out the entire length of the journey. The outside emergency lane should be buses only and we should have modern buses (with working A/C). Then we wouldn't need a rail line. It's not hard, it's politically sound, but it's not happening.

Anonymous said...

A train line is certainly needed, but first improve the bus service. Peak hour services to the city aren't too bad, but travelling back home in the evening can easily take over an hour - usually takes over 30 mins just to reach the freeway from Queen St.

Proper bus lanes should be installed in Victoria Pde and Hoddle St, as opposed to the 1/2 bus lane we have now in Victoria Pde (which almost always has several cars parked in it anyway - why are they not being towed away?!) or the T2 lane in Hoddle St which is a farce - there's room for a separate bus lane - just move the parking off the road!

Anonymous said...

As there is nothing but parkland between Clifton Hill and the Chandler Highway the Doncaster line might as well start from between Fairfield and Alphington following the old Outer Circle line to the Eastern Freeway as part of an update of the Chandler Highway by Vicroads. This saves bridges over the Merri Creek and Yarra River nearer Clifton Hill. There are only two Clifton Hill loop lines so an extra line should be no problem.
This approach, along with the no longer needed bus lane, provides more space for the cars that will bank up before Chandler Highway in the morning when East link opens.
Geoff

Anonymous said...

The public transport available in the East is not attractive to pursuade commuters to go green and leave their cars at home. Bulleen and Doncaster should not be classified as zone 2.

A train line and a review of zoning would make me consider using public transport, however this is a service so "on time" and "availability/frequency" are fundamental deliverables to get right!

Anonymous said...

Please can you do the same thing for the South Eastern freeway. Why can't there be a tram/light rail line down the middle of the freeway, so the nose-to-tail traffic can watch as the tram/train whizzes by?

There appears to be heaps of room in the centre of the road, and busses could deliver customers to the bridge crossings or to special bridges that span to the centre of the freeway.

Anonymous said...

To ease your concern, anonymous, there is already a rail reserve running along the length of the eastern freeway. If necessary, the rail line will deviate into the suburbs, perhaps along a main road or underground. Also, negotiations with residents could also happen.

I think your concerns in that respect are not so important.

Anonymous said...

Why not extend the Nth Balwyn tram to the Park ’n Ride facility at the Doncaster end of the freeway? And while we at it, join the trams from Cotham Rd down Burke Rd to High St. Just a single shuttle line would make an enormous difference.

Anonymous said...

I think a Doncaster train line is a great idea, but i'm worried that it will destroy the current bike track and surrounding parks that run next to the freeway. I will only support the line if it can be guaranteed that we won't lose the bike track and the park, or what's left of the creek that runs between Doncaster rd and Elgar rd.

Also, what about an extension of the 48 line to Doncaster? I know buses already run from the end of the line, but I for one prefer trams, as overall they are much more reliable than buses.

Anonymous said...

I am opposed to a tram along Doncaster Road.I live close to Doncaster Rd and could not use the tram into the city if you paid me.When I drive along Doncaster Rd it is OK until I get to Balwyn Road then the nightmare starts in behind the trams. To have a viable rail system we would need a population like Hong Kong. Get away from the Iron Horse mentality.Unfortunately vested interest groups are more outspoken than the majority who are opposed to the waste of taxpayers money.

me said...

Apologies from pt4me2. We deleted some posts made in the last day or so in error. Unfortunately all record of them has been lost. If you repost or email them to info@pt4me2.org.au, they'll be posted again. Once again, very sorry about that.

Anonymous said...

The idea of train to doncaster is a good one. I am concerned that the service would however end up like the current bus situation with connecting services in the less serviced areas like donvale not being improved. Currently there are a number of services like 273 pines-nunawading bus that end at around 7pm in the area. In the case of the 273 the last train arrives at 12:46am that's a near 6 hours where there is no connecting bus service north south to the donvale area.

Anonymous said...

I definately think we need more train lines, and to more places other than doncaster, trains are the way to go, and the government needs to invest in a LOT more trains, more than just 10.
I know it may seem like a major task, but i think it would be a good idea to reopen/rebuild the outer city circle, it is so annoying to go from places so close, yet have to go via the city... especially with the delays often at stations like north melbourne, so frequently there will be a 2 minute wait before entering that station

Anonymous said...

absolutely we need a rail system h/w doncaster is such a liberal seat that no labour gov. is going to spend money on us.

Anonymous said...

I spotted your team on the corner of Alexander Parade and Smith Streets this morning as I rode with my daughter to school. With their big banner and decked in tinsel and Christmas hats they were hard to miss! I was invited to sign your petition. I added my name but would have been happier doing so if I had been able to read the full text of the petition. I couldn't find it anywhere on the PT4ME2 website.
Congratulations on your campaign.

me said...

This is the text of the petition:

Yarra, Boroondara and Manningham councils and the Metropolitan Transport Forum have put together this petition to show support for a Doncaster rail line.

A Doncaster line will make travel faster and reduce traffic chaos. It will encourage greener travel by providing a more environmentally friendly alternative to cars. And because the land is already available along the Eastern freeway, the line to Doncaster can be built sooner.

Bulldog said...

Should the Eastern Freeway train line proceed, residents within 500 metres or so of the freeway should be aware of the impact of Connex's non-directional train sirens. The liveability index of their suburbs is likely to plummet.

Anonymous said...

Compulsory reading for all those interested in the transport debate.
Page 8 Business Age Friday 14th. Dec.
Forget the tram to Doncaster all you Iron Horse fanatics.
Yours,
NOT ANONYMOUS, Ed of Doncaster

Anonymous said...

Hey,

Now, I am a student attending a school in Kew, a train line running into Doncaster is a fantastic proposal and I am all for it. At the moment it takes me approximately 1 hour and a half to get home on a bus, I am finding that much of good study and work time is being taken up by the constant stopping and the noise of nearly 50 school students crammed onto a hot, smelly filthy bus in the mornings and afternoons of the school year. I have been awaiting another form of transport from Doncaster for many years, I have read all the arguments in the leader and nothing has yet to have happened. Another form of transport and the band new Doncaster Shopping Centre will enhance the reputation of Doncaster.

Regards Rob

Echo said...

The joke is why Doncaster doesn't have a rail line already? It was always planned to be done yet was never finished after the eastern freeway was finished, maybe it has more to do with politics and who we vote for then that of need which is sad... NAH that would never happen would it?

“The ALP transport plan ignores the Doncaster area completely.” Mr Gymer said. “With the extra traffic from Eastlink and the likely completion of medium density developments in the Doncaster Hill area, Doncaster Road and the freeway will have to absorb increased traffic, and the current users of those roads will know what that will mean.”

:(

Anonymous said...

I am fully in support of a train line to Doncaster, however with the new ban on bicycles during peak hour, it will be almost useless to me, as I do not work or live within walking distance of where the stations would be. I'd love to see a state-wide, or even national day of protest where cyclists came out in force and deliberately took their bicycles on to the final carriage of every peak hour train in the state or country, with the aim of achieving the opposite legislation: all trains must by law have a carriage set aside for bicyclists to carry their bikes on. If you agree this sounds like a good idea, write to Bicycle Victoria, PTUA, GetUp!, Lynne Kosky, anyone you can think of.

Anonymous said...

I STRONGLY agree to the fact that Doncaster could have a opportunity to have trams in placed. Not just to make transport easier but to protect the environment.
A few days ago I was watching what good for you and it said that trams were the best source of transport. Also shopping town opening this year so it would make transport easier to every surely.
I rest my case. Thankyou

Anonymous said...

A train line was on the cards many, many years ago, the land was purchased by a Liberal government (possibly Bolte?) with plans for part of the line to run underground and then sold off by Labor (Cain I believe), and since then nada. Does anyone truly believe that the Labor government will admit to a mistake that was made years ago and do something positive about our problems. The off peak bus service for years has been horrendous but doesn't seem to have worried our various State MPs as they trundle off to Spring Street in their chauffeur driven car and as for our current rep. can anyone name him/her? Don't forget State government is responsible for the rail infrastructure but are only interested in roads, roads and more roads and until they go nothing will change!

Anonymous said...

A train line would help traffic congestion a lot, but that would take a long time to build. Trains are green, clean, fast and efficient. In the meantime, we need improvements to the bus system as well. One of these would be to make Doncaster a Zone 2 area. This would mean that fares would be around half-price and more people would be attracted to using public transport.

Anonymous said...

A real solution injustice in the truest sense. The Doncaster corridor has come a clear last on transport infrastructure spending for many decades.
Every other suburb whether older or newer, closer or further from the CDB has had more public money spent on it.
Whether its the trains in Craigeburn, trams in Knox and docklands, or the smartbuses in the south-east, all have come before Doncaster.

I don't see why we should continue paying our taxes! this is robbery of our taxes, pure and simple.

Anonymous said...

A real social injustice in the truest sense. The Doncaster corridor has come a clear last on transport infrastructure spending for many decades.
Every other suburb whether older or newer, closer or further from the CDB has had more public money spent on it.
Whether its the trains in Craigeburn, trams in Knox and docklands, or the smartbuses in the south-east, all have come before Doncaster.

I don't see why we should continue paying our taxes! this is robbery of our taxes, pure and simple.

Anonymous said...

I expect that little will happen with PT improvements in Manningham until the electorates become more marginal. As petrol prices increase, peak hour buses are already sardine cans and universities have not started yet. At a predicted $3 per litre for petrol in 2010, the buses are likely to need major capacity upgrades very soon, long before any other options such as rail, light rail, tram can be built. While new buses are coming on line, these are allowing retirement of a vintage bus fleet rather than building capacity from increased services. Bus lanes are a joke, since they are not policed. As another route option for the rail, why not use the proposed tunnel as a rail rather than road tunnel and have subway stations in Fitzroy, Melbourne Uni, and connect at North Melbourne. As well as providing a rail link to Melbourne's NE, it would relieve congestion in the city loop.

Anonymous said...

omgzzz a trainline to doncaster would be like sooo good coz it takes me like two hours to get to my bfs house there, and like, it would be way faster with the train!

Anonymous said...

Train could only mean to save me driving into the city daily, saving fuel and car parking space. Less greehouse emission! It will save me time and energy getting to work, assist in personal stress management.

Anonymous said...

It is strange that this blog's focus is on the rail or tram butmostly avoids the impact and land-use improvements along the Doncaster/Eastern freeway corridor if effective PT was built.

Anonymous of November07 feared his house would be consumed for our commuting pleasure, but if PT is built as part of an integrated land-use/transportation development, we could create successful new dense communities along the rail/Fwy that minimise these impacts, and maybe even shelter the existing households from the urban blight horrors of the Freeway. (I'm sleep deprived from the Fwy traffic, so this is a bit of a rave....)

The Doncaster railway will only be successful if the train stations are connected to the existing suburbs, or even used to mend the environmental, aesthetic, and social urban blight disaster since the freeway was built. There are so many stations around Melbourne that are isolated wind-swept or sunburnt mugging zones - we need to do better and focus urban density around PT nodes to give life to these poor railway stations and to these desolate suburbs.

A train line to Doncaster, and maybe even beyond LT to Ringwood via Doncaster East or Donvale? would solve a number of issues people have raised here: long waiting times, long journey times, the "freeway" that is often a carpark, ineffective bus lanes.

One of the main problems since it was identified in the 1969 Melbourne Transport Plan is which connection into the city and how to service the Manningham PT desert.

Since the Cain Labor government sold off the few parcels of land that had been purchased to extend the train to East Doncaster (ignoring Doncaster Rd & Westfield shoppingtown)in the cash strapped 1980s and then the Kennett Government extended the Eastern Fwy in a narrow alignment to prevent a rail line ever being built, it has become that much harder.

However, the land is mostly still there along the Fwy to Thompsons Rd, (soon a park'n'ride), and if we connected it to the rail network rather than another bandaid disconnected infrastructure solution it wouldn't have to justify paying for itself but enhance the existing system and help fix the existing problems.

This is why transport bureaucrats say it doesn't financially work, because their brief looks at the railway in isolation from the train network, let along ignoring land-use development synergies along the Freeway or PT corridors.

I think hooking it in at Victoria Park and using the opportunity to improve the line to Jolimont with better (fewer?) stations that actually contribute to these ex-slum areas now populated by Yuppies.

If we wanted to actually improve the PT system holistically, maybe we could even consider a shallow underground along the old "inner circle" rail that retains the parkland but connects the Nth Melb, Upfield and Hurstbridge & Epping lines, with stations at the north-south tram lines along the increasingly high density Carlton/Brunswick/Fitzroy areas may enable a Doncaster train to avoid further congesting the loop, and allow eastern, western and northern suburbanites to have a real and frequent connection across town.

At least then people from Manningham could get to a decent pub without driving.....

Alex

Chris said...

hey, i've just moved to Doncaster from Hobart.
I'd always thought public transport in Melbourne was great as a tourist who didn't really leave the city much.
But now, I can see the need for improvement especially in Doncaster!
So bring on a nearby train I say!

Anonymous said...

Here's my grand idea : The Doncaster rail line hasnt happened because governments prefer not to pay big dollars upfront for something that will only cost more to run in the future, whereas PPP toll-roads pay for themselves (so to speak). But perhaps there is a way to make heavy-rail in built-up areas attractive for developers to construct - by adding in major development opportunities. On the Doncaster line, there could be major apartment / office / retail developments over the freeway at the Burke Rd and Bulleen Rd stops. Tunnelling into Doncaster could involve the compulsory purchase of land for cut and cover (sorry to anyone purchased ! but should be at higher than market rates ) with the space above then re-used as high density living, adding to the Melbourne 2030 targets, and providing patronage for the line. And then why not extend the line and the idea up to Springvale Road, and then turn south, maybe all the way to Frankston, perhaps as a futuristic elevated train ? This would provide a rapid cross town link (a public transport alternative to East Link), connect to four other rail other lines, and could be the catalyst for a high-density medium rise strip of development in the geographic heart of Melbourne. Big problems need bold solutions.

Anonymous said...

Eddington's east-west study is crucial for rail in Doncaster. It will be 50 years before another big project opportunity rolls by in this area.
This is our best oppportunity - if the state can't dig the tunnel a little wider to fit in rail then I'm afraid we will be waiting for another 50 years. Most of us won't be around to see it. I'll likely leave the Doncaster if the study doesn't recommend rail.

Anonymous said...

they said years ago tht they were going to build a doncaster station. When is any action going to be taken for this to start happening. Also a the train line should include suburbs like templestowe and bulleen. Why hasnt anyone thought of those suburbs? It will be much more efficient for workers and students in peak hour who live in manningham. This has to happen now rather than later

Anonymous said...

If we were to have a rail line into manningham wouldn't it be better to extend it to Templestowe Vilage while the job is getting completed. It wouldn't be that much more expenseive as the rail could run through ruffy lake park and then bridge it over to Templestowe Village. The rail line is way overdue!

Anonymous said...

The fact that this has not even been covered in the Eddington report is a disgrace. It is vital in keeping traffic that needn't be on the freeway off it. For example, CBD commuters and the like who travel to the city, often with no more than a backpack/briefcase, generally won't need the space of a private vehicle. On the other hand, those travelling BEYOND the CBD to use it (ie, truck drivers who obviously need the road to transport freight) aren't presented with the same option and therefore must use Freeways. This really is not complicated logic for those in power to comprehend, though I thnk it's more than reasonable to suspect that they neglect rail projects due to the ease with which freeways can be tolled (sadly).

Sure, this report was labelled specifically an "East-West" study, but the inclusion of this rail line will only make easier any road travel from the East to the West. Those of you who live in Doncaster/ T'stowe / W'dyte etc have every right to be extremely annoyed about this situation.

Melbourne Sustainability Initiative said...

Minister Kosky was recently given a petition of 7000 signatures, which for this government is not enough support; so how many signatures will convince them to approve the construction of the rail line to Doncaster...20000, 50000, 100000...250000...500000...The entire population of the Doncaster area??? Will a petition of this many signatures convince them..??

easyhomerenovating said...

Way past time for a new DoncastEr tram. Theres even a road called Tram road!!