Hail the bus

The City of Port Phillip hosts a citizenship ceremony in the very beautiful St Kilda Botanic Gardens on Australia Day each year. Finding myself in St Kilda with no bike, I saw a 'Hail the Bus' sign outside Luna Park. Shortly after, the 606 came by and hail the bus I did - only to find driver Frank at the wheel. Frank is the cheeriest bus driver you will ever find. I'm sorry its such a poor picture but I wanted to introduce him to you. He says numbers are picking up on the 606 but still a bit down on what they'd hoped. When school goes back the numbers will likely pick up. Here is the timetable.

Conversations on the 109

Had the best journey home from town today on the 109. I sat next to Margaret Bride from the Port Melbourne Historical and Preservation Society who is writing a history of Port Melbourne. At present her head is full of her research on education - but most particularly the range of adult education options people pursued for self improvement in Port Melbourne in the late nineteenth century. This led on to discussion about the strength of the temperance movement, women's suffrage and radicalism and the connections between them. The man sitting opposite picked up on the conversation and soon a woman visiting Port Melbourne from Paris was asking more about the history of Port Melbourne. The tram was full of cruise ship passengers in end of day chatter returning to the ship for the evening.

606 - Port Melbourne to St Kilda

An upgraded 606 bus service begins on Monday 12 December with services every 40 minutes through the week. A weekend service will be introduced for the first time. Currently there are a total of 8 services a day - 4 in the morning, and 4 in the late afternoon. Since council amalgamations, better public transport connections between Port and St Kilda have been on the agenda to strengthen community connections across the city. *Here is the timetable with effect from 12 December 2011

What's up with the 606?

Happened to be making my way home from St Kilda today as the 606 bus pulled up outside Luna Park. The fabulously friendly driver welcomed me as well as all the school students making their way back to Port. He knew every student on board and greeted some by name. What a service! He has been driving the route for 18 years, and remembers when the service ran half hourly to service Kraft, Holden and other Fishermens Bend industries. It reminded me that we haven't heard anything for a while about the promised 606 route upgrade. I will follow up.

606

The 606 arrives to take its 4 passengers on the 9.03 service to Luna Park, St Kilda. The onward connections are good from Luna Park to the St Kilda Town Hall, and I arrived on time at 9.30.

We haven't heard anything about the outcome of the bus review conducted in Port Phillip. We would like to see an all day every day service on this route.

Route 109

Riding into town, I observed the aftermath of an accident between two trams on the city side of the Montague stop near the tram depot around 11am.
It appears passengers were shaken up with ambulance officers in attendance.
As a consequence, many people were walking into town.
see http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/trams-collide-at-melbourne-city-depot-20100608-xsb7.html for more.

'It's my gateway to everything'

Siobhan Neyland won the 'Port Melbourne' category of the scarf printing competition at the Port Melbourne Neighbourhood House community carnival.

Here she is wearing the winning scarf, showing the 250 bus.

Asked why she had chosen the bus, she said:

'it represents Port Melbourne to me

I use it every day

it is my gateway to everything

I meet my friends on it ...'

You will find the timetable for this handy bus at http://www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au/route/view/3448

Bringing the neighbourhood to life

It's the Port Melbourne Neighbourhood House community carnival tomorrow from 12 to 4 pm. (on Liardet St btwn Nott and Lalor St)

Liz Milsom, local artist and printmaker, will be assisting people in printing scarves. Last year's theme was umbrellas as seen here.

Dig In community garden will be selling jam and locally collected seeds and the Port Melbourne Historical and Preservation Society will be selling their many publications.

The PMNH is a hive of activity, interaction and host to the wonderful City of Voices who staged the charming and tender 'waiting, meeting, chasing ... the station' along route 96 as part of the St Kilda Festival.

'Don't throw the 606 under the bus'*

Caught the 9.03 service from Bay St to Luna Park, St Kilda this morning with one other passenger. The amiable bus driver sings the whole way.
Caught the connecting tram to the St Kilda Town Hall and arrived in time for briefings at 9.30.
Pity that is the last service until the afternoon.

Improvement of this connecting route is one of the Council's top three public transport priorities.
* this is the title given to a letter in this week's Emerald Hill Weekly

Buses and boat tours

Just in case you didn't see this week's Leader, there were two items of interest - about buses and the Port of Melbourne.
Buses
'VicRoads is proposing changes on City Road to improve bus reliability and travel times. The changes proposed are to introduce part-time bus lanes and clearways that operate from 6.30 am - 10 am, Monday to Friday, inbound on two sections of City Road where buses commonly experience delays in the morning peak:

City Road (inbound) between Boundary Road and Montague St and between Clarendon Street and Queens Bridge Street'

Feedback is open to 8 April 2010 via busprojects@roads.vic.gov.au


Port of Melbourne
The Port of Melbourne is inviting residents in port-side communities an opportunity to learn about the port during two guided boat tours on Saturday 20 February and Sunday 27 February.

Numbers are strictly limited and you must register by email to community@portofmelbourne.com or by ringing 1300 857 662

I have done this tour many times and never tire of seeing Port Melbourne from the water.

The almost phantom 606

There is still time to contribute your thoughts to bus improvements in Port Phillip and connections to the wider metropolitan area.

A small group attended the Department of Transport Workshop in South Melbourne today. There was strong support from those attending for an improved route 606 connecting Port Melbourne with the 630 to Elwood and beyond to Monash.

'Improved' meant greater frequency and a decent weekend service.

Draft proposals were presented, including a rationalisation of the 250, 251 and 253 services to get greater frequency.

Submissions should be addressed to

Department of Transport

Port Phillip/Yarra/Melbourne bus review

P O Box 2797

Melbourne 3001

or go to http://www.transport.vic.gov.au/ and make your way to the bus review page to email your submission

More trams on Route 109

This week, 40 extra weekday services and five additional services on Sundays were added to the route 109 service.
For the full timetable go to
www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au
or call Metlink on 131 638

Recent arrival at the Port of Melbourne

While posting the most recent item on Port Futures, I noticed a video on the Department of Transport website showing the arrival of one of the new trains through the Port of Melbourne.

Hybrid-electric bus trial for the 250

Australia’s first hybrid-electric bus trial was launched today. Ventura Buses will conduct a trial along its 250 route from Garden City to La Trobe University.

The $500,000 trial, jointly funded by the Commonwealth and State government, will assess the viability of hybrid buses in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the public transport sector.

Spotted in Bay St.

Putting pedestrians and tram users first

Graham is the busiest stop in Port Melbourne on the 109 tram route.

New raised pavements on Station Street and Turville Place clearly give priority to pedestrians and tram users.

They are also intended to deter speeding along Station Street.

Find the timetable for Graham Station (Stop 128) at http://tt.metlinkmelbourne.com.au/tt/AHF/VIC_TT03__00004441.pdf