[publictransport] Todays meeting 12/01/08

[Daniel Bowen]

Hi all,

> * Band together with PTUA for bigger picture PT improvements

We'll obviously continue to push for a wide variety of PT improvements. 
(That's what we do!)

As far as the Bike Ban, we'll be responding to any media enquiries on
it, as well as highlighting it where appropriate. Beyond that we may not 
be able to do a great deal more other than support any existing 
campaigns (eg yours) due to lack of resources, but we'll do our best.

It appears a number of local newspapers are preparing to follow it up 
for their editions next week, so do expect more coverage. But it's worth 
investigating further angles for the benefit of the HS and Age. Stunts 
are always good.

> * Message to DOI:
> **(short term) appoint someone who can issue exemption passes as of now
> **(med term) reduce definition of evening peak hour, too long
> **(med/long term) remove blanket ban and introduce some other
> restriction, e.g. concession fare for bikes, or max 1 bike per
> carriage and 0 in first carriage
> **(long term) introduce bike hooks, influence purchase of new train
> stock to include storage (esp for V/Line, coming up in July?)
> * Message to general public: this is not about special treatment for
> bikes but basic expections of comfort and reasonable service for all
> commuters.
> * General feeling V/Line ban absolutely must be overturned, totally
> intolerable, and booking system introduced
> ** contact regional councils, tourism bodies, regional cycling groups,
> to push this point to DOI

This is all good -- to get your position nailed down. Be sure to look at 
the different ways of getting it across -- direct to the DOI (and BV for 
that matter), and via the media.

(We in the PTUA have the position that we are opposed to the ban; that
more secure parking needs to be supplied, investigate
concession/surcharge fares in peak direction to further discourage 
unnecessary use, and of course more trains is what's really needed so 
there's room for everyone.)

> Hm, is there actually a formal measure for crowding? Is it just when
> people stop bitching?

There is a formal measure; it's the number of passengers per train (or
per carriage) averaged out over an hour. A figure of more than 798 per 6
car train is meant to trigger action to resolve it.


If people haven't seen it, the Geelong Greens convenor Bruce Lindsday 
has an opinion piece in today's Geelong Advertiser on the Bike Ban:
http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/article/2008/01/15/10530_opinion.html


Cheers,
Daniel