Archive for thaimelbournetransport.myfastforum.org A great place to discuss transport issues in Melbourne and Thailand. Plus discussion from anywhere around Asia. Covers Buses, SRT, MRT, BTS, Boat, trams etc
The 3 types mass transport services upgrades for melbourne
Melbourne transport system needs to look at how the thai mass transport system is broken up into different levels of service and transport type.
Eg:The mass transport system in thailand.
Type 1: MRT and BTS and SRT these are the metros and railways. Plus Boat services on the rivers and klongs. Type 1 basicly is a premium service that allows a faster traffic free trip.
Type 2: This is the Expressway buses and normal buses that operate on every Expressway and main road in and around Bangkok. Type 2 provides the basic backbone to the system and provide the network coverage and 24 hour services. Private Expressway vans also form a higher speed version of type 2 but not traffic jam free.
Type 3: These are the feeder truck buses and some klong boats and motorbike taxis that bring you with within 50 meters of your home or business. Type 3 covers the last mile gap in the transport system at a low cost. This Type of mass transport is very much missing in melbourne.
How this relates to Melbourne? Well,
Type 1 in Melbourne is basicly the railways.
Type 2: in Melbourne are the buses and trams services.
Type 3: Is Currently missing from Melbourne's transport system.
How to improve Melbourne's mass transport system basied on the 3 classes of transport.
Type 1: Upgrade to Metro standards with all new longitudinal seating metro cars. Provide a higher standard Vline like service for railway lines over 40km long.
Under type 1: include high speed boat services on the bay and in the yarra and other rivers and Klongs to help beat the traffic and provide a network of type 1 services away from the rail system.
Type 2: Upgrades provide every 5 min peak every 10 mins off peak bus services on every main road in Melbourne including outer areas. Provide Expressway buses on all Expressways leading into inner Melbourne. Operate these services from 4am to 1am 7 days a week. With 24 hour services on Friday and Saturday nights at least every 20 mins. Separate the trams from cars in all areas with a small 50 cm high concrete wall.
Type 3: Replace poor housing area bus services with feeder truck-buses and van services that provide links to the railways and bus network. Theses will operate from 4am to 11pm Monday to Friday and 6am to 11pm on weekends This creates a link from the bus stop which could be up to 2km away to within 100meters walk of your apartment or factory. In very low demand areas at night the trucks could operate an on demand service level ie you call it up and the come out.
Consider these upgrades for Melbourne then the transport system can really compete with the cars seeing that in the inner city the cars will be stuck in massive jams and will just give up in the end due to taking too long. If a mass transport trip from Berwick to the city takes 90 mins then this is ok. The similar car trip will be around 2 and half hours.
