The revamped PTV network map

In 2017 PTV launched their new network map, which contained all their heavy rail services on the one map for the first time. The previous map hadn't shown V/Line services - it only showed Metro services, and it prioritised showing which ticketing Zone each station was in. Since Zone 2 has (sort of) been eliminated now, this was less important to show - so instead they've colour-coded it to show the different groupings of lines. This same colour-coding is now being applied to information screens at stations, and so on - which is definitely a good thing.

What should we call Melbourne Metro's stations?

Concept art for Parkville Station (via MMRA)

The Hun is reporting that PTV/Melbourne Metro Rail Authority will be seeking feedback on what to name Melbourne Metro's five new stations, which have the working names of Arden, Parkville, CBD North, CBD South, and Domain. The Hun (and the various people they quote) have suggested names like "Archer" and "Shinboner" for Arden, "Barassi" for CBD North, "Federation" for CBD South, and "Shrine" for Domain.

PTV's new university shuttles

via Public Transport Victoria

With the University semester starting, PTV have announced a raft of improvements to Melbourne's bus network to better serve University staff and students. Before we look at the specific routes, it's worth touching on why they are necessary.

RRL Roundup Part 2: Buses

In Part 1, I talked about how great the changes to the rail network were. Things are less positive when it comes to the bus network. As I said, there are a lot of changes throughout the network, both in Melbourne and in the cities that RRL trains serve - so I can't comment on all of them. Some of the changes in Geelong or Melton may be great for all I know - although one commenter on Part 1 was unimpressed with the Deer Park bus tweaks. Even some of the other routes within Ballarat may have been changed for the better - not riding them every day, I can't be sure. But the route 10 Buninyong bus in Ballarat has been messed with, seemingly for no good reason, and it has made things unequivocally worse.

RRL Roundup Part 1: Trains

via Public Transport Victoria

On June 21, Geelong-line trains will finally start using the Regional Rail Link tracks, separating them from Werribee-line suburban trains and grouping them together with Ballarat- and Bendigo-line regional trains. Although the infrastructure was finished months ago, the Andrews government decided to push back the opening date until more trains were built - which was entirely reasonable, given how close to capacity V/Line's fleet is.

Slightly less reasonable, however, is the fact that the new timetables for this change were only released on Sunday, three weeks before the opening date - and they mean sweeping changes for a lot of the network. It's not just the trains that run on these lines that will be affected, but the buses in Melbourne and in regional cities that connect with them. It is quite a lot to digest, so I've divided it into two parts for ease of reading. Part 1 on the trains is below; Part 2 on the buses here.

Should we have free public transport?

A campaign was recently launched for free public transport in Victoria. The group behind this, Free PT Victoria, had a Twitter account and a website asking you to join, but both seem to have disappeared now, despite gaining a lot of approval from some of the people in my Twitter feed. Nonetheless, they're not the first to push for this and they won't be the last.

The website didn't seem to have any kind of detail on why they think it's a good idea, or how it would work. This is not that surprising, really, as people who advocate free public transport seem to think that it's fairly self-evident why we should have it - just as many of those who think we should pay for it think that's self-evident. So I think it's still worth exploring.

New PTV livery for the VLocity

The new PTV-branded VLocity livery (via VicSig)

VicSig tweeted a picture earlier today of the first VLocity to wear the new PTV-branded livery, which no doubt is being prepared for the grand opening of the Ballarat and Bendigo legs of Regional Rail Link next month.