Transport in Melbourne

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Transport in Melbourne consists of extensive networks and a wide variety of transport services in the city of Melbourne, Australia, including:

• The world's largest tram network.
• Bus (which consist of 323 routes) and coach services.
• A railway network (16 lines - the second largest in Australia).
• A regional rail network (5 lines).
• Interstate railway services operated by NSW TrainLink and Great Southern Railway (The Overland).
• The largest freeway network of any Australian city.
• Two major passenger airports (including Tullamarine, the second busiest in Australia).
• Port of Melbourne (Australia's busiest port for containerised and general cargo).
• Multiple taxi, hire car and other small commercial passenger vehicle services.
• Public bike-hire system (since mid-2010).

According to the 2006 Census, in terms of travel to work or study Melbourne has the second highest rate of public transport usage among Australian capital cities with 17.7%, however this is a far distant second to Sydney's 26.3% and only just greater than Brisbane's 17.5%. As of 2009, the share of public transport measured in passenger kilometres is around 11%, with private motor vehicle accounting for 89%. Melbourne has more roadspace per capita than any Australian city and its network of freeways is comparable with cities including Los Angeles and Atlanta and the city is also home to much of Australia's Automotive industry (although Holden, Ford and Toyota will pull out at the end of 2017, 2013 and the end of 2017 respectively). In 2002, the state government set an "aspirational goal" as part of Melbourne 2030 for this mode share to decrease to 80%, however the Eddington Report released in 2008 concluded that the mode share of private vehicles is likely to stay the same (or increase) to over 90% in 2005. This is despite booming figures for public transport growth in recent years and despite studies into road congestion in 2008, official VicRoads figures showed no growth in car travel on Melbourne's roads, possibly due to roads reaching full capacity.

Video Transport in Melbourne

Public transport

Melbourne is served by a public transport system integrating rail, tram and bus services. Its extensive tram network is the largest in the world, integrated into both bus and train networks. Almost 300 bus routes and a train system comprising 16 lines service Melbourne, Greater Melbourne and suburban regions. Metropolitan, rural and interstate railway networks link together at Southern Cross railway station, in Melbourne's CBD.

A Space Syntax Approach Multiple Centrality Analysis of Melbourne's public transport network (excluding buses which were deemed too inefficient) in 2009, found that approximately 8.8% of the greater urban area and approximately 448,000 residents were serviced within 30 minutes of anywhere in the greater Melbourne area. This concluded that only 10-15% of the residents in Melbourne are serviced by appropriate and timely public transport.

The public transport system in Melbourne carries 7% of all trips within the metropolitan area. In early 2009 this figure increased to 9%, with the share measured in passenger kilometres increasing to 11%.

Since World War II, Melbourne urban form changed to a dispersed city, car-oriented pattern which caused a decline in public transport use by commuters. Yet the old pattern of transport still reflected the Melbourne's urban form. In 1999, operation of the city's public transport system was franchised with Government through a dedicated statutory office, the Director of Public Transport, contracting out operation of rail and tram services. In 2006, franchising was estimated to have cost taxpayers $1.2 billion more than if the system had remained publicly operated. With the franchise extensions in 2009, taxpayers will pay an estimated $2.1 billion more by 2010.

Melbourne has an integrated public transport ticketing system through the contactless ticketing system myki. Myki operates on all of Melbourne's trains (Metro and V/Line), trams and buses it requires commuters to "touch-on" and "touch-off" at every entry and exit point. The rollout for myki began on 29 December 2009, beginning with Melbourne's metropolitan railway network, and progressively onto trams, buses and regional trains (V/Line). Took over from Metcard as the only valid ticketing system on 30 June 2013.

Myki Replaced the older Metcard as the only valid ticketing system on 30 June 2013. The Metcard system that used Magstrip technology and required to be validated, It also allowed use on all Train, Trams and Buses in the metropolitan system and some regional trains and coaches.

A public bike-hire system came into service in mid-2010. Due to laws requiring all bike users to wear helmets, usage on the system has been lower than seen in other cities with similar systems. An attempt by the government has been made to rectify this by having helmet vending machines at some of the major bike stations, allowing spur-of-the-moment travel without risking a fine. The success of this is disputed. Public debate about the helmet laws remains ongoing.

Melbourne transit is unique in the way that the stations are considerably closer to each other than are other similar train services. Melbourne is also unique in the fact that most of the forms of mass transport in the city would actually be considered hybrids if not a class of their own. The tramway is, by definition (excluding station distances), a tramway/light rail hybrid. Similarly, the Melbourne trains are commuter rails/heavy rails hybrids. Passenger trains in Victoria do, however, have regional rail and inter-city rail (non-hybrid).

As of October 2013, smoking tobacco is prohibited in the sheltered areas of train stations, and tram and bus stops--between 2012 and 2013, 2002 people were issued with infringement notices. The state government announced a plan in October 2013 to prohibit smoking on all Victorian railway station platforms and raised tram stops. This plan was implemented on 1 March 2014 prohibiting smoking at all metropolitan public transport infrastructure.

Bus

The bus network is run by several bus companies (approximately 50) under a franchise from the State Government. There are approximately 300 routes in operation with a varying range of service frequencies. There 21 Night Bus routes that run every 30 to 60 minutes. Many routes run every hour to connect with trains at suburban stations. SmartBuses are a bus rapid transit service that operates around Melbourne, with routes:

• 703 - Middle Brighton - Blackburn
• 900 - Rowville - Caufield
• 901 - Frankston - Melbourne Airport
• 902 - Chelsea - Airport West
• 903 - Altona - Mordialloc
• 904 - Formerly Proposed Sandringham - Williamstown
• 905 - City - The Pines Shopping Centre
• 906 - City - Warrandyte
• 907 - City - Mitcham
• 908 - City - The Pines Shopping Centre

All of the buses in Melbourne use the Myki ticketing system. The Skybus Super Shuttle is a non-Myki based airport bus service. In addition, several local government councils operate free local community bus services within their local areas.

Tram

Melbourne has the world's largest tram network, consisting of 245 kilometres of track, nearly 500 trams on 28 routes, and 1,813 tram stops. Two light-rail routes are also a part of the tram network. The tram network is a part of the Public Transport Victoria network and a part of the Myki ticketing system.

The tram network is operated by Keolis Downer trading as Yarra Trams after winning a contract to run the tram network from a company trading under the same name. Trams operate on many of the major roads in the inner suburbs, but only some trams operate on roads in middle and outer suburbs.

Heritage trams operate on the free City Circle route, intended for visitors to Melbourne, and privately run Colonial Tramcar Restaurant trams travel through the city during the evening.

Suburban Rail

Melbourne's metro train network is operated by Metro Trains Melbourne which took over from Connex Melbourne on 30 November 2009. The rail network consists of 16 railway lines and is a part of the Metro network and a part of the Myki ticketing system. Several sections of lines which are part of the V/Line network and which fall into the metropolitan area are also covered by Myki.

With the exception of the Stony Point line and the greater metropolitan lines served by V/Line, the rest of the suburban railway network is electrified and services are operated by a fleet of 326 EMU trains.

Regional Rail

Melbourne is the centre of a statewide railway network, consisting of various lines used for both freight and passenger services.

Intrastate passenger services are operated by V/Line and a fleet of locomotive hauled trains and Diesel Multiple Units. There are seven passenger railway lines connecting Melbourne to various towns and cities in Victoria. Four of these lines were upgraded as part of the Regional Fast Rail project. The centre of the regional passenger railway network is Southern Cross railway station located in the Melbourne CBD.

Melbourne is also connected to Sydney by the NSW TrainLink XPT and Adelaide by Great Southern Rail's The Overland.

Melbourne Public Transportation Statistics

The average amount of time people spend commuting with public transit in Melbourne, for example to and from work, on a weekday is 80 min. 28.% of public transit riders, ride for more than 2 hours every day. The average amount of time people wait at a stop or station for public transit is 14 min, while 20% of riders wait for over 20 minutes on average every day. The average distance people usually ride in a single trip with public transit is 9.8 km, while 26% travel for over 12 km in a single direction.

Maps Transport in Melbourne

Passenger Mode share

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Public Transport Pricing

Melbourne uses an integrated Public Transport system covering all modes of transport (train, bus, tram) that is divided into 2 Zones (excluding the newly introduced free tram zone covering the CBD and some surrounding areas.)

Myki allows for 2 forms of tickets, either Myki-money that allows money to be loaded onto a Myki and let the system select the "best fare" and the Myki-pass where commuters must pre buy tickets (or passes). For regular travels the Pass system can work out cheaper.

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Rail freight

The Port of Melbourne is Australia's largest container and general cargo port. Regular shipping lines operate to around 300 cities around the world and 3200 ships visit the port each year. The Port of Melbourne is located in the inner west of Melbourne, near the junction of the Maribyrnong and Yarra rivers.

On 8 February 2008 the Port Phillip Channel Deepening Project, a dredging project to deepen Melbourne's shipping channels, began.

Melbourne also has an extensive network of railway lines and yards to serve freight traffic. The lines are of two gauges - 5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm) broad gauge and 4 ft 8 ¹/₂ in (1,435 mm) standard gauge, and are not electrified. In the inner western suburbs of the city, freight trains have their own lines to operate upon, but in other areas trains are required to share the tracks with Metro Trains Melbourne and V/Line passenger services. The majority of freight terminals are located in the inner suburbs about the Port of Melbourne, located between the Melbourne CBD and Footscray.

Until the 1980s a number of suburban stations had their own goods yards, with freight trains running over the suburban network, often with the E or L class electric locomotives.

src: www.melbcontainertransport.com.au

Airports

Melbourne Airport, located in the north-western suburb of Tullamarine, is the nation's second busiest airport. Over 30 airlines and 22 million international and domestic passengers are served and service there each year. The airport is a hub for passenger airlines Qantas, Jetstar Airways, Tiger Airways Australia and Virgin Australia; and cargo airlines Qantas Freight and Toll Priority.

Melbourne's second major passenger airport, Avalon Airport (Melbourne Avalon), is south-west of Melbourne, and north-east of Geelong. Avalon Airport is primarily used by Jetstar and operates flights to Brisbane, Sydney and Perth. AirAsia X was expected to commence flights from Avalon to Kuala Lumpur in October 2009, providing a low-cost service. This provides Melbourne with a second international airport (albeit notably closer to Geelong), unique among all capital cities in Australia.

Melbourne's first major airport, Essendon Airport, is no longer used for scheduled international flights. Although a small number of regional airline flights operate from there it caters mainly to general aviation. The airport is also home to the state's Air Ambulance service.

Moorabbin Airport is located to the south of Melbourne, and is primarily used for recreational flying and for flying lessons. Moorabbin is also used for a small number of regional airline services, most notably to King Island, Tasmania. Moorabbin is a GAAP airport and its code is YMMB.

Airbase RAAF Point Cook, where the Royal Australian Air Force originated, is located near the city's south-western limits.

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Road transport

Motor vehicles are the predominate travel mode, as a result the freeways and roads in Melbourne are critically congested during peak hours. Many residents are car dependent due to minimal public transport outside of the inner city - the city is one of the most car-dependent cities in the world. The freeway network is the largest of any Australian city, with an extensive grid of arterial roads; the locations of which date back to the initial surveying of the city.

The total urban road area in Melbourne is 21,381 kilometres.

The beginnings of the freeway network was the 1969 Melbourne Transportation Plan, which included a grid of freeways that would cover the entire metropolitan area. In 1973 these plans were reviewed, with a large number of inner city projects deleted.

Freeways that were built throughout the 1960s and 1970s included the South Eastern Arterial (now part of the Monash Freeway), the Tullamarine Freeway, the Lower Yarra Freeway (now West Gate Freeway) and the Eastern Freeway.

Further expansion occurred over the next thirty years, with the 'missing links' between the existing freeways built - completion of the Monash Freeway, CityLink, and the Western Ring Road. This period also saw further freeway expansion into suburbia with the Mornington Peninsula Freeway, Eastern Freeway extension, and the South Gippsland Freeway being constructed.

2008 saw the construction and opening of the EastLink radial freeway, as well as further extensions of existing freeways.

Despite government figures slowed growth in road travel since 2006 and zero growth in 2008/09 and the government's goal to reduce road use to 80% of all motorised trips, the State government announced a massive road infrastructure investment, continuing to complete some of the road projects from the 1969 Transport plan including Peninsula Link, East West Link and North East Link.

Peninsula Link was completed in 2013.

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Bicycle

Melbourne has an extensive network of bicycle paths and bicycle lanes on roads. These paths are used for both recreation and for commuting.

Around two per cent of all journeys in Melbourne are made by bicycle.

On 31 May 2010 the first public bicycle sharing system in Australia was launched in Melbourne. On completion the system will consist of 50 docking stations with 600 bikes, situated around the Melbourne CBD.

Singaporean bike-share company oBike entered Melbourne mid 2017, and unlike the original system in Melbourne, the oBikes can be parked at will rather than at a docking station However, they have attracted criticism, complaints on some bikes abandoned (including in the Yarra River and up trees), and large clusters of bicycles cluttering up the footpath and the Melbourne City Council starting to remove some.

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Taxi

Taxis in Melbourne are regulated by the Taxi Services Commission which commenced that role on 1 July 2013 and began operation on 19 July. The inquiry is resulting in major reforms to Victoria's taxi industry and have far reaching impacts on taxi services in Melbourne and beyond. They are required to be painted canary yellow, but since October 2008 those that can operate at peak times, at night and at special events only must have green tops. Taxis operate and charge on a meter. There are 4,660 licensed taxis in Melbourne (including 443 wheelchair-accessible taxis).

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Ferry

Public Transport Victoria oversees two ferry services in Victoria; the Westgate Punt between Spotswood and Fishermans Bend, and the French Island Ferry operating between Stony Point railway station, French Island and Cowes on Phillip Island.

Station Pier in Port Phillip Bay is where cruise ships and ferries dock; the Spirit of Tasmania which crosses Bass Strait to Tasmania docks here. Privately run ferries and cruises also travel from Southbank along the Yarra River and around the bay to Williamstown, and also across Port Phillip Bay.

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Legislation and governance

Transport Integration Act

The prime transport statute in Victoria is the Transport Integration Act. The Act establishes and sets the charters of the state agencies charged with providing transport services and managing the state's transport system. The Department of Transport is the agency responsible for the integration and coordination of Victoria's transport system and decision makers. The other key state agencies are -

• the Director of Public Transport
• Public Transport Development Authority
• VicRoads
• V/Line
• VicTrack
• Taxi Services Commission
• the Port of Melbourne Corporation.

Recent organisational changes

A new Victorian Government was elected in late November 2010. There have been a number of significant organisational changes made by the Government through substantial change to the Transport Integration Act.

Public Transport Development Authority

A key policy of the Government leading into the election was to create a Public Transport Development Authority (PTDA). The Government positioned the VTDA as an agency which is independent and which will coordinate all aspects of public transport in Victoria. The Government indicated that the authority will plan, co-ordinate, manage and administer metropolitan trams, buses and trains, regional trains and buses, replacing the current structure of multiple agencies. The body was established in late 2011 and is expected to be fully operational by mid-2012. Planning for the Melbourne Airport, Rowville and Doncaster rail lines may be overseen by the new transport authority. The PTDA or Public Transport Victoria is now fully operational and has fully taken over the rail, tram and bus responsibilities of the Director of Public Transport and the activities of the Transport Ticketing Authority and MetLink which have each been abolished.

Taxi Services Commission

The Government announced a Taxi Industry Inquiry and the establishment of a Taxi Services Commission (TSC) in early 2011. The inquiry was headed by Professor Allan Fels and is well underway. The agency which conducted the inquiry, the TSC, was announced as the successor to the current taxi industry regulator, the Victorian Taxi Directorate (part of the office of the Director of Public Transport which in turn forms part of the Department of Transport). The Government introduced special legislation to empower the inquiry - the Transport Legislation Amendment (Taxi Services Reform and Other Matters) Act 2011 - which was enacted in late June 2011. The TSC was formally established on 19 July 2011 and formally took over as the States's taxi and hire car regulator on 1 July 2013.

Port of Hastings Development Authority

The Government reversed the merger of the Port of Melbourne Corporation (PMC) and the Port of Hastings Corporation which occurred in late 2010. Ports Minister, Denis Napthine, devised a new agency, the Port of Hastings Development Authority, oversee the development of the port of Hastings as a competitor in container trade to the PMC. Legislation for this purpose was passed by the Victorian Parliament towards the end of 2011 and the authority commenced operation on 1 January 2012.

Safety regulation and investigation

Rail Safety

The safety of rail operations in Melbourne is regulated by the Rail Safety Act 2006 which applies to all commercial passenger and freight operations as well as tourist and heritage railways. The Act creates a framework containing safety duties for all rail industry participants and requires rail operators who manage infrastructure and rolling stock to obtain accreditation prior to commencing operations. Accredited rail operators are also required to have a safety management system to guide their operations. Sanctions applying to the safety scheme established under the Rail Safety Act are contained in the Transport (Compliance and Miscellaneous) Act 1983.

Bus and marine safety

Safety regulation of the bus and marine sectors is also overseen by the Director, Transport Safety under the Bus Safety Act 2009 and the Marine Act 1988 respectively. These sectors are also subject to a no blame safety investigations regime conducted by the Chief Investigator, Transport Safety.

Safety regulator

The safety regulator for the rail, bus and marine systems in Melbourne is the Director, Transport Safety (trading as Transport Safety Victoria). The Director's office is established under the Transport Integration Act 2010.

Safety investigations

Rail, bus and marine operators in Victoria can also be the subject of no blame investigations conducted by the Chief Investigator, Transport Safety or the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB). The Chief Investigator is charged by the Transport Integration Act with conducting investigations into rail, bus and marine safety matters including incidents and trends. ATSB, on the other hand, has jurisdiction over rail matters only where they occur on the Designated Interstate Rail Network, marine matters if the ships are under Commonwealth or AMSA regulation and bus safety matters by invitation of the jurisdiction.

Ticketing and conduct requirements

Ticketing requirements for rail, tram and buses services in Victoria are mainly contained in the Transport (Ticketing) Regulations 2006 and the Victorian Fares and Ticketing Manual. Rules about safe and fair behaviour on trains and trams in Victoria are generally contained in the Transport (Compliance and Miscellaneous) Act 1983 and the Transport (Conduct) Regulations 2005. Conduct requirements for buses are set out in the same Act as well as the Transport (Passenger Vehicles) Regulations 2005.

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Timeline

During Melbourne's history, the transport system and infrastructure has been subject to strategic planning at several levels of government.

1837

• Hoddle Grid is laid out, forming Melbourne's first street system which is used almost solely for horse and cart transport and pedestrians.

1844

• First bridge over the Yarra River opened: Princes Bridge on St Kilda Road as a toll bridge.

1849

• Melbourne's principal streets are paved.

1850

• Princes Bridge reopened as a free bridge.

1854

• Flinders Street railway station opened
• First railway opened to Sandridge (Port Melbourne)

1858

• Spencer Street station built connecting Melbourne to regional Victoria.

1885

• First cable tram to Hawthorn.

1889

• First electric tram between Doncaster and Box Hill.

1890

• Doncaster railway line first proposed.

1912

• Electrification of the suburban railway network.

1919

• Current Flinders Street station opened as the main suburban railway terminus.

1934

• Flinders Street station declared the busiest station in the world.

1940

• Ashworth Improvement Plan details proposed improvements to the number of improvements to suburban railways in the inner city.

1966

• St Kilda Junction remodelled and Queens Way underpass created, much cutting and demolition to create way for new highways at Dandenong Road and Punt Road.

1969

• Melbourne Transportation Plan commissioned, includes recommendation for Western Ring Road.

1970

• West Gate Bridge collapses.
• Melbourne Underground Rail Loop Authority established.

1971

• Melbourne Underground Rail Loop project begins

1977

• First section of Eastern Freeway opened with land reserved for a Doncaster railway line
• $202 million West Gate Bridge opened, with tolls
• Hoddle Highway created from widening of Hoddle Street by 4 lanes and demolishing buildings on eastern side of Hoddle Street.

1980

• Lonie Report recommends closing half of tram system and replacing it with buses. This is rejected.

1981

• First stage of Melbourne Underground Rail Loop opened.

1982

• Transport Bill introduced into the Victorian Parliament.

1983

• Transport Act 1983 receives the royal assent on 23 June and commences on 1 July. The new Act creates the State Transport Authority, the Metropolitan Transit Authority, the Road Construction Authority and the Road Traffic Authority. Various organisations abolished including the Victorian Railways, the Melbourne & Metropolitan Tramways Board and the Country Roads Board.

1985

• Tolls on the West Gate Bridge abolished.

1989

• Construction of $631 million Western Ring Road begins.
• Public Transport Corporation and VicRoads established from 1 July in place of the State Transport Authority and the Metropolitan Transit Authority (the PTC) and the Road Construction Authority and the Road Traffic Authority (VicRoads)

1992

• New Government elected in October 1992 under Premier Jeff Kennett. Alan Brown appointed as Minister for Public Transport and Bill Baxter as Minister for Roads and Ports.
• Ministry of Transport abolished and replaced by the Department of Transport.
• various transport administration functions transferred from the Public Transport Corporation to the Secretary of the Department of Transport.

1994

• Free City Circle Tram commenced.

1995

• Dandenong to Cranbourne rail extension opened.
• Public Transport Competition Act passed by Parliament.

1996

• Construction of $2 billion CityLink tollway begins.
• Rail Corporations Act passed by Parliament.

1997

• Design of the franchising of the public transport network commences.

1998

• Legislation passed to establish a new statutory office to manage public transport services - the Director of Public Transport - and a new statutory authority, VicTrack, to hold ownership of public transport land and assets

1999

• Opening of Western Ring Road
• Opening of the Bolte Bridge forming the second major roadway over the Yarra River.
• State government commissions the Linking Victoria study and allocates $510 of budget toward the initiatives.
• Franchising of services commences as do new governance arrangements, i.e. start up of the Director of Public Transport and VicTrack

2002

• Transport Minister Peter Batchelor announced that Airport rail link to Tullamarine not viable for another 10 years. Commits to upgrading Skybus Super Shuttle services to the airport.
• State government commissions Melbourne 2030 planning report aimed at addressing population growth of up to a million new residents also contained recommendations for transport including the expansion major activity centres such as Dandenong and Camberwell with access to public transport and the triplication of the Dandenong line. The document contained a controversial aim of 20% of trips in Melbourne made by public transport by 2020.

2003

• $23 million Box Hill tram/light rail extension opened.

2004

• Linking Melbourne: Metropolitan Transport Plan released. The report summarised findings from the Inner West Integrated Transport Study, North East Integrated Transport Study, Outer Western Suburbs Transport Strategy, Whittlesea Strategic Transport Infrastructure Study and Northern Central City Corridor Strategy and recommended investment to the tune of $1.5 billion. Much subsequent infrastructure investment. The Southern Cross Station redevelopment (which ran late and over budget), Docklands light rail extension and the Regional Fast Train system were aimed for the Commonwealth Games. The Eastlink freeway was also not in this report.
• $30.5 million Vermont South tram extension begins.

2005

• $2.5 billion EastLink Freeway project begins.

2006

• State government released a $10 billion plan to improve both public transport and roads, Meeting our Transport Challenges. It included the "Think Tram" project aimed at speeding up tram travel times and contained recommendations for a new SmartBus system for the outer eastern suburbs. The Smartbus system had several delays.
• Rail Safety Act - Victoria's first dedicated rail safety statute passed by State Parliament - commences on 1 August.
• new ticketing laws, Transport (Ticketing) Regulations 2006, made and commenced.
• State's first independent rail and bus safety regulator established, Director, Public Transport Safety (Public Transport Safety, Victoria) as of 1 August (office later renamed Director, Transport Safety, in 2010).
• State's first independent rail, bus and marine safety investigator established, Chief Investigator, Public Transport and Marine Safety Investigations, as of 1 August (office later renamed, Chief Investigator, Transport Safety, in 2010).

2007

• A new public transport ticketing system - Myki was to be launched. The project experienced several technical complications and was significantly delayed and over budget.
• State government commissions East-West transport plan.
• Public transport ticketing Zone 3 abolished.
• Accreditation scheme commences for taxi, bus and other commercial passenger vehicle drivers on 1 July.
• Taxi industry accreditation scheme for licence holders, operators and network service providers commences on 1 July.
• New commercial passenger vehicle driver accreditation scheme commences on 1 July.
• First "Copenhagen style" cycleways in Australia implemented in Swanston Street, Carlton.
• Tim Pallas rejects Melbourne City Council plan for Copenhagen style cycleway on St Kilda Road.
• Accident Towing Services Act passed by Parliament.

2008

• The Port Phillip Channel Deepening Project, a dredging project to deepen Melbourne's shipping channels, begins.
• Release of the $18 billion Eddington Transport Report, commissioned by the government in 2007 due to revised population growth estimates and increasing congestion problems. The report was aimed at reducing traffic congestion, particularly focused on East-West routes and included a controversial 18 kilometre road tunnel and 17 kilometre rail tunnel and a new rail line from Werribee to Deer Park, Victoria but did not address greenhouse emissions.
• Eastlink freeway tunnel opened.
• Monash-CityLink-West Gate freeway upgrade begins.
• Department of Transport established in place of the Department of Infrastructure
• Australian Greens Victoria party transport plan, The People Plan, released.
• Public Transport minister Lynne Kosky pushes back Airport link by another 20 years.
• Victorian Transport Plan unveiled - the State Government's fourth "long-term" transport statement since 2002.
• New Melbourne Lord Mayor Robert Doyle proposes returning vehicle traffic to Swanston Street.

2009

• new standards for tow truck operations, including licence holders and drivers begin when the Accident Towing Services Act commences on 1 January.
• Transport Integration Bill (later the Transport Integration Act) introduced into the Victorian Parliament on 10 December.
• Myki officially in late December to meet a State Government election promise, however it was launched to operate on suburban trains only.
• laws to speed up planning consents and delivery of rail, road and port projects - the Major Transport Projects Facilitation Act 2009 - passed by Parliament and commences on 1 September.

2010

• Fair Fines package commences on 1 February 2010 through the Transport (Infringements) Regulations 2010 - infringement penalties for minors reduced by two thirds and graduated penalties scheme scrapped.
• the Transport Integration Act passed by the Victorian Parliament in February.
• A public bike-hire service is planned to be introduced by mid year, Melbourne Bike Share.
• the Transport Integration Act commenced on 1 July.
• the Transport Act 1983 is renamed the Transport (Compliance and Miscellaneous) Act 1983 on 1 July
• Independent public transport and marine safety regulators merged to create new office of the Director, Transport Safety (Transport Safety, Victoria) - new office commences on 1 July - after merger of Director, Public Transport Safety (Public Transport Safety Victoria) and Director, Marine Safety (Marine Safety Victoria).
• the Port corporations (the Port of Melbourne Corporation and the Victorian Regional Channels Authority) brought under the Transport Integration Act and the Port of Hastings Corporation is merged with the Port of Melbourne Corporation on 1 September.
• New State Government (when in Opposition) promises to create a new Public Transport Development Authority to plan and manage public transport services in Victoria and Melbourne.
• Tourist and Heritage Railways Act 2010 passed by the Victorian Parliament.
• Marine Safety Act 2010 passed by the Victorian Parliament.
• New State Government elected on 27 November under Premier Ted Baillieu. Terry Mulder sworn in as Minister for Public Transport and Minister for Roads, Denis Napthine sworn in as Minister for Ports, Edward O'Donoghue as Parliamentary Secretary for Transport.
• Bus Safety Act commences on 31 December 2010.

2011

• Public Transport Minister Terry Mulder announces the Government's intention in March to hold a major inquiry into the taxi industry - the Taxi Industry Inquiry - and the inquiry commences its work in late May headed by Allan Fels.
• the Transport Legislation Amendment (Taxi Services Reform and Other Matters) Act 2011 passed by the Victorian Parliament on 29 June thereby empowering the Taxi Industry Inquiry and creating the Taxi Services Commission.
• the Taxi Services Commission commences operations in inquiry mode on 19 July.
• the Transport Legislation Amendment (Port of Hastings Development Authority) Act 2011 passed by the Victorian Parliament on 16 August thereby creating the Port of Hastings Development Authority.
• the Tourist and Heritage Railways Act commences on 1 October along with the Tourist and Heritage Railways Regulations 2011.
• the Transport Legislation Amendment (Public Transport Development Authority) Act 2011 passed by Victorian Parliament on 27 October thereby empowering the Public Transport Development Authority.
• the Port Management Amendment (Port of Melbourne Licence Fee) Bill 2011 introduced into the Victorian Parliament in early December. The proposal involves the levying of a $75 million annual fee to be paid by the Port of Melbourne Corporation to the Victorian Government.
• Public Transport Development Authority commences operations on 15 December 2011.

2012

• the Port of Hastings Development Authority commences operations on 1 January 2012 reversing the merger of the former Port of Hastings Corporation and the Port of Melbourne Corporation.
• the Public Transport Development Authority - now known as Public Transport Victoria - takes over the management of train, tram and bus services in Victoria on 2 April 2012 following full commencement of the Transport Legislation Amendment (Public Transport Development Authority) Act 2011.
• the Port of Melbourne Corporation becomes liable on 1 July 2012 to pay a $75 million indexed licence fee to Government following the commencement of the Port Management Amendment (Port of Melbourne Licence Fee) Act 2012.
• Marine Safety Act 2010 commences on 1 July setting new standards for commercial and recreational vessels and related matters, Marine Act 1988 repealed.
• strict drug controls (for anyone in charge of a vessel) and zero blood alcohol controls introduced for commercial vessel operators introduced by the Transport Legislation Amendment (Drug and Alcohol Controls and Other Matters) Act 2012 - new standards commence on 1 December 2012.
• the extension of the Epping railway line to South Morang is completed in April 2012
• the Federal Government approves plans for Avalon Airport to become Melbourne's second international airport.
• the Metcard ticketing system ceases operation in December 2012, leaving myki as Melbourne's sole public transport ticketing system.
• laws enacted in late 2012 to support the opening and operation of the Peninsula Link freeway.

2013

• The Peninsula Link freeway opens in January 2013.
• A$78 million "Handover area" building project at train stations.
• Director of Public Transport and the Transport Ticketing Authority abolished on 1 July 2013 (functions became fully part of Public Transport Victoria).
• Taxi Services Commission commences as the State's taxi and hire car regulator on 1 July taking over from the Victorian Taxi Directorate which was abolished.

2015

• The Regional Rail Link opens in June 2015 which separates regional Ballarat, Bendigo and Geelong services from suburban services. As part of the project two new stations were built at Tarneit and Wyndham Vale.

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References

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Further reading

• Dodson, Jago; Sipe, Neil (December 2005), Oil Vulnerability in the Australian City, Australia: Urban Research Program, Griffith University, ISBN 1-920952-50-0 
• Davison, Graeme (2004), Car Wars: How the Car Won Our Hearts and Conquered Our Cities, Syndey, Australia: Allen and Unwin, ISBN 9781741142075 

src: c8.alamy.com

External links

• Victorian Department of Transport
• Transport for Melbourne - An advocacy alliance for improved public transport planning in Melbourne that publicly launched in 2016.

Source of the article : Wikipedia