Transport in Melbourne - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

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
Trams in Melbourne
The Melbourne tramway network is a major form of public transport in Melbourne, the capital city of the state of Victoria, Australia. , the network consisted of of track, 487 trams, 28 routes, and 1,773 tram stops. It was therefore the largest urban tramway network in the world, ahead of the...

tram
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...

network.
Bus
Buses in Melbourne
Buses in Melbourne, Australia, are a major form of public transport in Melbourne, with an extensive bus network. The network of 323 bus routes is operated by a number of privately owned bus companies....

(which consist of 323 routes) and coach
Coach (vehicle)
A coach is a large motor vehicle, a type of bus, used for conveying passengers on excursions and on longer distance express coach scheduled transport between cities - or even between countries...

services
The metro railway network (consisting of 16 lines, the second largest in Australia)
Inter-city railway services
Interstate railway services
The largest freeway network in any Australian city
Two major passenger airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...

s (including Tullamarine, the second busiest in Australia)
Port of Melbourne
Port of Melbourne
The Port of Melbourne is Australia's busiest port for containerised and general cargo. It is located in Melbourne, Victoria and covers an area at the mouth of the Yarra River, downstream of Bolte Bridge, which is at the head of Port Phillip, as well as several piers on the bay itself...

(Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

's busiest port for containerised and general cargo)
Multiple taxi
Taxicab
A taxicab, also taxi or cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choice...

, hire car and other small commercial passenger vehicle services
Public bike-hire system (since mid 2010)

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

Los Ángeles

Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...

and Atlanta., and the city is also home to much of Australia's Automotive industry

Automotive industry

The automotive industry designs, develops, manufactures, markets, and sells motor vehicles, and is one of the world's most important economic sectors by revenue....

. In 2002, the state government set an "aspirational goal" as part of Melbourne 2030

Melbourne 2030

The Metropolitan Strategy Melbourne 2030 is a Victorian Government strategic planning policy framework for the metropolitan area of Greater Melbourne, intended to cover the period 2001-2030. During this period the population of the metropolitan area is expected to grow by a million people to over 5...

for this mode share to decrease to 80%, however the Eddington Report

Eddington Transport Report, Victoria

The "" or Eddington Transport Report or Sir Rod Eddington Plan was a major transport study undertaken in Victoria, Australia, by Sir Rod Eddington in 2007 concentrating on solutions for transportation in Melbourne with a primary focus on reducing congestion of road transport in Victoria.The 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.

Public transport

Melbourne

Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...

is served by a public transport system integrating rail, tram and bus services. Its extensive tram network

Trams in Melbourne

The Melbourne tramway network is a major form of public transport in Melbourne, the capital city of the state of Victoria, Australia. , the network consisted of of track, 487 trams, 28 routes, and 1,773 tram stops. It was therefore the largest urban tramway network in the world, ahead of the...

is the largest in the world, integrated into both bus

Bus

A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...

and train

Train

A train is a connected series of vehicles for rail transport that move along a track to transport cargo or passengers from one place to another place. The track usually consists of two rails, but might also be a monorail or maglev guideway.Propulsion for the train is provided by a separate...

networks. Almost 300 bus

Bus

routes and a train

Train

system comprising 16 lines service Melbourne

Melbourne

, Greater Melbourne and suburban regions. Metropolitan, rural and interstate railway networks link together at Southern Cross Station

Southern Cross Station

Southern Cross is a major railway station and transport hub in Melbourne Docklands, Victoria, Australia. It is located on Spencer Street between Collins and La Trobe Streets at the western edge of the central business district...

, in Melbourne's WCBD (Western Central Business District).

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 Metcard

Metcard

"OneLink" redirects here. For the computer/cable company, see OneLink Communications.Metcard is the brand name of an integrated ticketing system used to access public transport in Melbourne, Australia. It is a universal ticket which allows users to ride on the city's Metlink network, consisting of...

and myki

Myki

myki is the contactless smartcard ticketing system being introduced on public transport in Victoria, Australia. myki is designed to replace a number of ticket systems in Victoria, primarily the Metcard and V/Line ticketing systems...

. Metcard enables passengers to buy one ticket for use on suburban bus, train and tram services for a specified time period. The other ticketing system is designed to replace Metcard and is called myki

Myki

. myki is a contactless smartcard currently operating on all of Melbourne's trains, trams and buses. The rollout for myki began on Tuesday 29 December 2009, beginning with Melbourne's metropolitan railway network, and progressively onto trams and buses. myki is currently fully operational in the Melbourne metropolitan area, however no date has been announced for its operation on regional train and bus services.
A public bike-hire system came into service in mid 2010. Due to laws requiring all bike users to wear helmets (or face a fine of AU$176), 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

Public transport

Public transport is a shared passenger transportation service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement.Public transport modes include buses, trolleybuses, trams...

in the city would actually be considered hybrids if not a class of their own. The tramway

Trams in Melbourne

is, by definition (exculding station distances), a tramway

Tram

A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...

/light rail

Light rail

Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...

hybrid. Similary, the Melbourne trains

Railways in Melbourne

The Melbourne rail network is operated by Metro Trains Melbourne under franchise from the Government of Victoria. The network is based on a commuter rail model centred on the Melbourne Central Business District and Flinders Street Station, rather than a rapid transit model, with a focus on...

are commuter rails/heavy rails

Rapid transit

A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...

hybrids. Passenger trains in Victoria

Rail transport in Victoria

Rail transport in Victoria, Australia, is provided by a number of railway operators who operate over the government-owned railway lines. Victorian lines use broad gauge, with the exception of a number of standard gauge freight and interstate lines, a few experimental narrow gauge lines, and...

do, however, have regional rail

Regional rail

Commuter rail, also called suburban rail, is a passenger rail transport service that primarily operates between a city center, and the middle to outer suburbs beyond 15km and commuter towns or other locations that draw large numbers of commuters—people who travel on a daily basis...

and inter-city rail

Inter-city rail

Inter-city rail services are express passenger train services that cover longer distances than commuter or regional trains.There is no precise definition of inter-city rail. Its meaning may vary from country to country...

(non-hybrid).

Tram

Melbourne

has the world's largest tram

Tram

network, consisting of 245 kilometres of track, nearly 500 trams on 28 routes, and 1,813 tram stop

Tram stop

A tram stop is a place designated for a tram to stop so passengers can board or alight it. Tram stops share most characteristics of bus stops, but because trams operate on rails, they often include railway platforms, especially if stepless entries are provided for accessibility...

s. Two light-rail routes are also a part of the tram network. The tram network is a part of the Metlink

Metlink

Metlink, formerly The Met, is the marketing body and umbrella brand for public train, tram and bus transport operators in Greater Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.-Responsibilities:Metlink is responsible for the promotion of travel by public transport...

network and a part of the Metcard

Metcard

ticketing system.

The tram network is operated by KDR Melbourne

KDR Melbourne

KDR Melbourne is a consortium led by Keolis & Downer EDI Rail that was selected by the State Government of Victoria as the franchise operator of Melbourne's tram network. Taking over from previous operator Yarra Trams, the company was awarded an eight-year contract which commenced on 30 November...

, a private company trading as Yarra Trams

Yarra Trams

Yarra Trams is the trading name of the Melbourne tram network, which is fully owned and registered by the Victorian State Government. The current franchise is operated by a consortium named KDR Melbourne which consists of a partnership between French company Keolis and Australian company Downer EDI...

. 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

Colonial Tramcar Restaurant

The Colonial Tramcar Restaurant is a restaurant which operates from a converted fleet of three vintage trams in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia....

trams travel through the city during the evening.

Mass Transit Railway

Melbourne's metro train

Train

network is operated by Metro Trains Melbourne

Metro Trains Melbourne

Metro Trains Melbourne is the current franchise operator of the suburban railway network of Melbourne, Australia. Metro Trains Melbourne is a joint venture led by Hong Kong based MTR Corporation together with John Holland Group and United Group Rail .Metro Trains Melbourne operates a fleet of 381...

, a private company, which took over from Connex Melbourne

Connex Melbourne

Connex Melbourne was a wholly owned subsidiary of French company Veolia Environnement, which had a franchise from the State Government of Victoria to operate all suburban passenger rail services in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. In August 2007, Connex's contract was extended to 30 November 2009....

on 30 November 2009. The rail network consists of 16 railway lines and is a part of the Metlink

Metlink

network and a part of the Metcard

Metcard

ticketing system. Several sections of lines which are part of the V/Line

V/Line

V/Line is a not for profit regional passenger train and coach service in Victoria, Australia. It was created after the split-up of VicRail in 1983. V/Line is owned by the V/Line Corporation which is a Victorian State Government statutory authority...

network and which fall into the metropolitan area are also covered by Metcard.

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

Electric multiple unit

An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages, using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number of the carriages...

trains.

Bus

The bus network is run by several bus

Bus

companies (approximately 50) under a franchise

Franchise agreement

A Franchise Agreement is a legal, binding contract between a franchisor and franchisee, enforced in the United States at the State level.Prior to a franchisee signing a contract, the US Federal Trade Commission regulates information disclosures under the authority of The Franchise Rule...

from the State Government. There are approximately 300 routes in operation with a varying range of service frequencies. A NightRider bus system operates on Friday and Saturday nights, and a Smart Bus orbital bus network is being set up, which is intended to facilitate cross city travel, while the current network is predominantly a radial network. Most of the bus network is a part of the Metlink

Metlink

network and a part of the Metcard

Metcard

ticketing system. The Skybus Super Shuttle

Skybus Super Shuttle

The Skybus Shuttle is an Australian airport bus service that runs between Melbourne Airport at Tullamarine and Southern Cross Station in the city of Melbourne. In 2008, Skybus carried over 1.6 million passengers a year....

is a non-Metcard based airport bus service. In addition, several local government councils operate free local community bus services within their local areas.

Regional rail

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

Intrastate passenger services are operated by V/Line

V/Line

and a fleet of locomotive

Locomotive

A locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th...

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

Regional Fast Rail project

The Regional Fast Rail project was a rail transport project of the State Government of Victoria, Australia undertaken between 2000 and 2006 aimed at improving the passenger services on the Victorian regional railway network , specifically to reduce travel times, enhance service frequency and...

. The centre of the regional passenger railway network is Southern Cross Station

Southern Cross Station

located in the Melbourne CBD.

Melbourne is also connected to Sydney

Sydney

Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...

by the CountryLink

CountryLink

CountryLink is the operator of passenger rail services in country New South Wales, Australia and into Queensland and Victoria. It is an operating brand of the Rail Corporation New South Wales, a government-owned entity...

XPT and Adelaide

Adelaide

Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...

by Great Southern Railway's

Great Southern Railway (Australia)

Great Southern Railway , owned by Serco Asia Pacific, is a tourism business and rail transport operator in Australia.GSR operates interstate passenger trains aimed at the tourist market:* The Indian Pacific...

The Overland.

Passenger Mode share

Melbourne metropolitan trips in 2008
Public Transport	9%
Car	91%

Trips to Melbourne CBD in 2006
Public transport	80%
Car	20%

Passenger trips by motorised mode
Mode	Million trips
Private Car (driver or passenger)	2190
Metro Train	201.2
Tram	170
Bus	91.3

Rail freight

The Port of Melbourne

Port of Melbourne

The Port of Melbourne is Australia's busiest port for containerised and general cargo. It is located in Melbourne, Victoria and covers an area at the mouth of the Yarra River, downstream of Bolte Bridge, which is at the head of Port Phillip, as well as several piers on the bay itself...

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

Maribyrnong river

The Maribyrnong River rises about 50 km north of Melbourne, Victoria , near Mount Macedon. It flows generally southward and combines with the Yarra River to flow into Port Phillip....

and Yarra

Yarra River

The Yarra River, originally Birrarung, is a river in east-central Victoria, Australia. The lower stretches of the river is where the city of Melbourne was established in 1835 and today Greater Melbourne dominates and influences the landscape of its lower reaches...

rivers.

On 8 February 2008 the Port Phillip Channel Deepening Project

Port Phillip Channel Deepening Project

The Port Phillip Channel Deepening Project began on 8 February 2008 to deepen the shipping channels leading to Melbourne, Australia, in Port Phillip to draught allow greater access for container ships. An estimated A$969 million, was to be spent on the works, with $150 million funded by taxpayers...

, 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 - broad gauge

Victorian broad gauge

Rail gauge in Australia displays significant variation, which has been an ongoing problem for transportation on the Australian continent, for over a hundred years.-Track gauges and route km:The most used gauges are Main gauges:...

and standard gauge

Standard gauge

The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this 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

Metro Trains Melbourne

and V/Line

V/Line

passenger services. The majority of freight terminals are located in the inner suburbs about the Port of Melbourne

Port of Melbourne

, located between the Melbourne CBD and Footscray.

Until the 1980s a number of suburban stations had their own goods yards

Rail yard

A rail yard, or railroad yard, is a complex series of railroad tracks for storing, sorting, or loading/unloading, railroad cars and/or locomotives. Railroad yards have many tracks in parallel for keeping rolling stock stored off the mainline, so that they do not obstruct the flow of traffic....

, with freight trains running over the suburban network, often with the E

Victorian Railways E class (electric)

The Victorian Railways E class was a class of electric locomotive that ran on the Victorian Railways from 1923 until 1984. Introduced shortly after the electrification of the suburban rail system in Melbourne, Australia, and based on the same electrical and traction equipment as Melbourne's early...

or L class

Victorian Railways L class (electric)

The Victorian Railways L class was a class of mainline electric locomotive that ran on the Victorian Railways and its successor V/Line from 1953 until 1987...

electric locomotive

Electric locomotive

An electric locomotive is a locomotive powered by electricity from overhead lines, a third rail or an on-board energy storage device...

Airports

Melbourne Airport

Melbourne Airport , also known as Tullamarine Airport, is the primary airport serving the city of Melbourne and the second busiest in Australia. It was opened in 1970 to replace the nearby Essendon Airport. Melbourne Airport is the sole international airport of the four airports serving the...

, located in the north-western suburb of Tullamarine

Tullamarine, Victoria

Tullamarine is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 17 km north-west from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area are the Cities of Hume, Brimbank and Moreland. At the 2006 Census, Tullamarine had a population of 6,541....

, 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

Qantas

Qantas Airways Limited is the flag carrier of Australia. The name was originally "QANTAS", an initialism for "Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services". Nicknamed "The Flying Kangaroo", the airline is based in Sydney, with its main hub at Sydney Airport...

, Jetstar Airways

Jetstar Airways

Jetstar Airways is an Australian low-cost airline headquartered in Melbourne, Australia. It is a subsidiary of Qantas, created in response to the threat posed by low-cost airline Virgin Blue...

, Tiger Airways Australia

Tiger Airways Australia

Tiger Airways Australia Pty Ltd, operating as Tiger Airways Australia, is a low cost airline which commenced services in the Australian domestic airline market on 23 November 2007. It is a subsidiary of Tiger Airways Holdings, a Singapore-based company, which is owned partially by Singapore Airlines...

and Virgin Australia; and cargo airlines Australian air Express

Australian Air Express

Australian air Express is a logistics company based in Melbourne, Australia. It operates freight-only services within Australia using leased Qantas, National Jet Systems, and Pel-Air aircraft and a fleet of land vehicles...

and Toll Priority

Toll Priority

Toll Priority is a logistics company and cargo airline based in Mascot, New South Wales, Australia with operations from Melbourne, Sydney , Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Canberra and Darwin....

.

Melbourne's second major passenger airport, Avalon Airport

Avalon Airport

Avalon Airport is the second busiest of the four airports serving Melbourne and is located in Avalon, Victoria, Australia, which is north-east of the city of Geelong and to the south-west of the state's capital city of Melbourne....

(Melbourne Avalon), is south-west of Melbourne, and north-east of Geelong

Geelong, Victoria

Geelong is a port city located on Corio Bay and the Barwon River, in the state of Victoria, Australia, south-west of the state capital; Melbourne. It is the second most populated city in Victoria and the fifth most populated non-capital city in Australia...

. Avalon Airport is primarily used by Jetstar and operates flights to Brisbane, Sydney and Perth. AirAsia X

AirAsia X

AirAsia X is a long-haul, budget airline based in Malaysia. The airline is operated by AirAsia X Sdn. Bhd. . It commenced operations on 2 November 2007. Its first service flew from Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Malaysia, to Gold Coast Airport in Australia...

was expected to commence flights from Avalon to Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...

in October 2009, providing a low-cost service. This provides Melbourne with a second international airport, unique among all capital cities in Australia.

Melbourne's first major airport, Essendon Airport

Essendon Airport

Essendon Airport is located at Essendon, in Melbourne's northern suburbs, Victoria, Australia. It is located next to the Tullamarine Freeway on , from the Melbourne Central Business District and from Melbourne Airport.-History:...

, is no longer used for scheduled international flights. Although a small number of regional airline

Regional airline

Regional airlines are airlines that operate regional aircraft to provide passenger air service to communities without sufficient demand to attract mainline service...

flights operate from there it caters mainly to general aviation

General aviation

General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...

. The airport is also home to the state's Air Ambulance

Air ambulance

An air ambulance is an aircraft used for emergency medical assistance in situations where either a traditional ambulance cannot reach the scene easily or quickly enough, or the patient needs to be transported over a distance or terrain that makes air transportation the most practical transport....

service.

Moorabbin Airport

Moorabbin Airport

Moorabbin Airport is a general aviation airport for light aircraft located in Mentone, Victoria, Australia. The airport grounds are treated as their own suburb, designated the postcode 3194. The airport opened in December 1949. Originally the intent was to name the airport "Mentone" but this was...

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

Gaap

In demonology, Gaap is a mighty Prince and Great President of Hell, commanding sixty-six legions of demons. He is, according to The Lesser Key of Solomon, the king and prince of the southern region of Hell and Earth, and according to the Pseudomonarchia Daemonum the king of the western region and...

airport and its code is YMMB.

Airbase RAAF Point Cook

RAAF Williams

RAAF Williams comprises the two bases of Point Cook and Laverton. Both establishments previously existed as separate RAAF Bases until 1999 when they were amalgamated to form RAAF Williams...

, where the Royal Australian Air Force

Royal Australian Air Force

The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...

originated, is located near the city's south-western limits.
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

1969 Melbourne Transportation Plan

The 1969 Melbourne Transportation Plan was a road and rail transport plan for Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia instituted by Henry Bolte's state government...

, 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 '70s included the South Eastern Arterial

Monash Freeway

Monash Freeway is an urban freeway in Victoria, Australia linking Melbourne's CBD to its southeastern suburbs and the Gippsland region. The entire stretch of the Monash Freeway bears the designation...

(now part of the Monash Freeway), the Tullamarine Freeway

Tullamarine Freeway

The Tullamarine Freeway is an urban freeway in Melbourne, Australia, linking Melbourne Airport to the central business district.-History:Tullamarine Freeway is one of the oldest freeways in Melbourne, originally constructed in 1968-1970...

, the Lower Yarra Freeway

West Gate Freeway

West Gate Freeway is a freeway in Melbourne, Australia, linking Geelong to Melbourne CBD and beyond. It is also a link between Melbourne and the west and linking industrial and residential areas west of the Yarra River with the city and port areas. The iconic West Gate Bridge is a part of the...

(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

Monash Freeway

, CityLink

CityLink

CityLink is a system of tolled urban Highways in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The company Transurban was awarded the contract to augment two existing freeways and construct two new Toll roads—labelled the Western and Southern Links—directly linking a number of existing freeways to...

, and the Western Ring Road. This period also saw further freeway expansion into suburbia

SubUrbia

subUrbia is a play by Eric Bogosian chronicling the nighttime activities of a group of aimless 20-somethings still living in their suburban Boston hometown and their reunion with a former high school classmate who has become a successful musician...

with the Mornington Peninsula Freeway

Mornington Peninsula Freeway

Mornington Peninsula Freeway is an incomplete freeway in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, that provides a link from outer suburban Melbourne to the Mornington Peninsula.- History :...

, Eastern Freeway extension, and the South Gippsland Freeway

South Gippsland Freeway

South Gippsland Freeway is a short freeway linking Dandenong in Melbourne's south-east to other south-eastern destinations, including the Mornington Peninsula and the Gippsland region...

being constructed.

2008 saw the construction and opening of the EastLink

EastLink, Melbourne

EastLink is a A$2.5 billion tolled freeway linking a large area through the eastern and south-eastern suburbs of Melbourne, Australia. It is a part of Melbourne's Metropolitan Ring Road project....

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 and North-East Link.

Bicycle

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

Recreation

Recreation is an activity of leisure, leisure being discretionary time. The "need to do something for recreation" is an essential element of human biology and psychology. Recreational activities are often done for enjoyment, amusement, or pleasure and are considered to be "fun"...

and for commuting

Commuting

Commuting is regular travel between one's place of residence and place of work or full time study. It sometimes refers to any regular or often repeated traveling between locations when not work related.- History :...

.

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.

Taxi

Taxis in Melbourne are regulated by the State government through the Department of Transport and an operating branch of the Director of Public Transport

Director of Public Transport

The Director of Public Transport is the Government agency responsible for promoting, providing, coordinating and regulating public transport in the State of Victoria, Australia...

, the Victorian Taxi Directorate. They are required to be painted canary yellow, but since October 2008 those that can operate only at peak times only, at night and special events must have green tops. Taxis operate and charge on a meter. There are 3,774 licensed taxis in Melbourne (including 235 wheelchair-accessible taxis). Taxi licenses are estimated to be valued at around $464,000, at
October 2008.

Taxi availability and service is currently a major issue in Melbourne and Victoria. On 28 March 2011, the Premier Ted Baillieu

Ted Baillieu

Edward Norman "Ted" Baillieu MLA is an Australian politician. He is currently the Premier of Victoria and the member for the Legislative Assembly seat of Hawthorn...

announced a major inquiry into the taxi sector - the Taxi Industry Inquiry

Taxi Industry Inquiry

The Taxi Industry Inquiry is an inquiry being conducted in the State of Victoria, Australia by the Taxi Services Commission into the taxi industry and taxi services in that State. The Inquiry is headed by Professor Allan Fels, the former head of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission...

- which is being conducted by the Taxi Services Commission

Taxi Services Commission

The Taxi Services Commission is the independent Government agency responsible for conducting a major inquiry, the Taxi Industry Inquiry, into taxi and other small commercial passenger vehicle services in the State of Victoria, Australia...

being headed by Professor Allan Fels

Allan Fels

Professor Allan Fels is an Australian economist, lawyer and public servant. He was most widely known in his role as chairman of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission from its inception in 1995 until 30 June 2003...

. Legislation was passed by the Victorian Parliament in late June 2011 to create the Commission which commenced operation on 19 July. The inquiry is expected to result in major reforms to Victoria's taxi industry and have far reaching impacts on taxi services in Melbourne and beyond.
Ferry=
Station Pier

Station Pier

Station Pier is an historic pier on Port Phillip, in Port Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Opened in 1854, the pier is Melbourne's primary passenger terminal, servicing interstate ferries and cruise ships, and is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register....

in Port Phillip Bay is where cruise ships and ferries dock; the Spirit of Tasmania

Spirit of Tasmania

Spirit of Tasmania may refer to:* The trading name of TT-Line Pty. Ltd.* One of the following ferries that sailed under the name of Spirit of Tasmania during its careers:** ** ** **...

which crosses Bass Strait

Bass Strait

Bass Strait is a sea strait separating Tasmania from the south of the Australian mainland, specifically the state of Victoria.-Extent:The International Hydrographic Organization defines the limits of the Bass Strait as follows:...

to Tasmania

Tasmania

Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...

docks here. Ferries and cruises travel from Southbank along the Yarra River and around the bay to Williamstown, and also across Port Phillip Bay.

Transport Integration Act

The prime transport statute in Victoria is the Transport Integration Act

Transport Integration Act

The Transport Integration Act 2010 is a law enacted by the Parliament of the State of Victoria, Australia. The Act is the prime transport statute in Victoria, having replaced major parts of the former Transport Act 1983....

. 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

Department of Transport (Victoria, Australia)

The Department of Transport or DOT is the central Government agency responsible for the coordination, integration and regulation of the transport system in the State of Victoria, Australia...

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
Director of Public Transport
The Director of Public Transport is the Government agency responsible for promoting, providing, coordinating and regulating public transport in the State of Victoria, Australia...
Victorian Public Transport Development Authority
Victorian Public Transport Development Authority
Victorian Public Transport Development Authority is the independent body that will corodinate all aspects of an integrated transport system in Victoria, Australia....
VicRoads
VicRoads
VicRoads or the Roads Corporation of Victoria is a statutory corporation which is the state road and traffic authority in the state of Victoria, Australia. It is responsible for maintenance and construction of the state arterial road network, as well as driver licensing and vehicle registration. ...
V/Line
V/Line
V/Line is a not for profit regional passenger train and coach service in Victoria, Australia. It was created after the split-up of VicRail in 1983. V/Line is owned by the V/Line Corporation which is a Victorian State Government statutory authority...
VicTrack
VicTrack
VicTrack is the Victorian Government agency which owns all railway and tram lines, associated rail lands and other related rail-related infrastructure in the state of Victoria, Australia....
Taxi Services Commission
Taxi Services Commission
The Taxi Services Commission is the independent Government agency responsible for conducting a major inquiry, the Taxi Industry Inquiry, into taxi and other small commercial passenger vehicle services in the State of Victoria, Australia...
the Port of Melbourne Corporation
Port of Melbourne Corporation
The Port of Melbourne Corporation is a statutory body established by the Victorian Government. The Corporation commenced operations on 1 July 2003, when it took over the management of the Port of Melbourne from Melbourne Port Corporation...

.

Likely future organisational developments

A new Victorian Government was elected in late November 2010 under Premier Ted Baillieu

Ted Baillieu

Edward Norman "Ted" Baillieu MLA is an Australian politician. He is currently the Premier of Victoria and the member for the Legislative Assembly seat of Hawthorn...

. There are a number of current organisational proposals being promoted by the new Government which are likely to require substantial changes to the Transport Integration Act

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 has positioned the VTDA as an agency which will be independent and which will coordinate all aspects of public transport in Victoria.

The Government has 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 is expected to be fully established in mid 2011. Planning for the Melbourne Airport, Rowville and Doncaster rail lines may be overseen by the new transport authority.

Taxi Services Commission

The Government announced a Taxi Industry Inquiry

Taxi Industry Inquiry

and the establishment of a Taxi Services Commission

Taxi Services Commission

(TSC). The inquiry is headed by Professor Allan Fels

Allan Fels

and has commenced. The agency conducting the inquiry, the TSC

Taxi Services Commission

, was announced as the eventual 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), with the change of power to occur once the inquiry has concluded. The Government introduced special legislation to empower the inquiry - the Transport Legislation Amendment (Taxi Services Reform and Other Matters) Act 2011

Transport Legislation Amendment (Taxi Services Reform and Other Matters) Act 2011

The Transport Legislation Amendment 2011 is a law enacted by the Parliament of the State of Victoria, Australia to support major reform of taxi services and other small commercial passenger vehicle services in that State.The Act makes changes to the Transport Integration Act 2010 and the...

- which was enacted in late June 2011. The TSC was formally established on 19 July 2011 when relevant parts of the Act commenced.

Port of Hastings Development Authority

The Government is taking action to reverse the merger of the Port of Melbourne Corporation (PMC) and the Port of Hastings Corporation which occurred in late 2010. Ports Minister, Dr Dennis Napthine, has announced that a new agency, a Port of Hastings Development Authority, will be established to oversee the development of the port of Hastings as a competitor in container trade to the PMC. Legislation for this purpose is close to passage through the Victorian Parliament.

Rail Safety

The safety of rail operations in Melbourne

Melbourne

is regulated by the Rail Safety Act 2006

Rail Safety Act

The Rail Safety Act 2006 is a law enacted by the Parliament of the State of Victoria, Australia and is the prime statute regulating the safety of rail operations in the State...

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

Safety Management Systems

Safety Management System is a term used to refer to a comprehensive business management system designed to manage occupational safety and health elements in the workplace.-Description of SMS:...

to guide their operations. Sanctions

Sanctions (law)

Sanctions are penalties or other means of enforcement used to provide incentives for obedience with the law, or with rules and regulations. Criminal sanctions can take the form of serious punishment, such as corporal or capital punishment, incarceration, or severe fines...

applying to the safety scheme established under the Rail Safety Act

Rail Safety Act

The Rail Safety Act 2006 is a law enacted by the Parliament of the State of Victoria, Australia and is the prime statute regulating the safety of rail operations in the State...

are contained in the Transport (Compliance and Miscellaneous) Act 1983

Transport (Compliance and Miscellaneous) Act 1983

The 'Transport Act 1983' is a prime statute regulating transport activities in the State of Victoria, Australia...

Bus and marine safety

Safety regulation of the bus and marine sectors is also overseen by the Director, Transport Safety

Director, Transport Safety

The Director, Transport Safety is the independent Government agency responsible for rail, bus and marine safety in the State of Victoria, Australia. The position was created as a statutory office by the Transport Integration Act 2010...

under the Bus Safety Act

Bus Safety Act

The Bus Safety Act 2009 is a law enacted by the Parliament of the State of Victoria, Australia and is the prime statute regulating the safety of bus operations across the State....

2009 and the Marine Act 1988 respectively. These sectors are also subject to no blame safety investigations conducted by the Chief Investigator, Transport Safety

Chief Investigator, Transport Safety

The Chief Investigator, Transport Safety is the independent Government agency responsible for investigation of safety-related trends and incidents in the rail, bus and marine industries in the State of Victoria, Australia. The position was created as a statutory office by the Transport...

Safety regulator

The safety regulator for the rail, bus and marine systems in Melbourne

Melbourne

is the Director, Transport Safety

Director, Transport Safety

(trading as Transport Safety Victoria

Director, Transport Safety

). The Director's office is established under the Transport Integration Act 2010

Transport Integration Act

Safety investigations

Rail, bus and marine operators in Victoria

Victoria (Australia)

Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....

can also be the subject of no blame investigations conducted by the Chief Investigator, Transport Safety

Chief Investigator, Transport Safety

or the Australian Transport Safety Bureau

Australian Transport Safety Bureau

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau is Australia’s national transport safety investigator. The ATSB is the federal government body responsible for investigating transport-related accidents and incidents within Australia. It covers air, sea and rail travel. The Australian Transport Safety...

(ATSB). The Chief Investigator is charged by the Transport Integration Act

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.
Timeline=
During Melbourne's history, the transport system and infrastructure has been subject to strategic planning

Strategic planning

Strategic planning is an organization's process of defining its strategy, or direction, and making decisions on allocating its resources to pursue this strategy. In order to determine the direction of the organization, it is necessary to understand its current position and the possible avenues...

at several levels of government.

1837

Hoddle grid
Hoddle Grid
The Hoddle Grid is the layout of the streets in the centre of the central business district of Melbourne. Named after its designer, Robert Hoddle, the Grid was laid out in 1837, and later extended...

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
Yarra River
The Yarra River, originally Birrarung, is a river in east-central Victoria, Australia. The lower stretches of the river is where the city of Melbourne was established in 1835 and today Greater Melbourne dominates and influences the landscape of its lower reaches...

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
Port Melbourne, Victoria
Port Melbourne is a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 5 km southwest of Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government areas are the cities of Port Phillip and Melbourne. At the 2006 Census, Port Melbourne had a population of 13,293....

)

1858

Spencer Street Station built connecting Melbourne to regional Victoria.

1885

First cable tram
Melbourne cable tramway system
The Melbourne cable tramway system was a cable car public transportation system operated from 1885 to 1940 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia....

to Hawthorn.

1889
First electric tram

Trams in Melbourne

.

1890

Doncaster railway line first proposed.

1912

Electrification of the suburban railway network
Railways in Melbourne
The Melbourne rail network is operated by Metro Trains Melbourne under franchise from the Government of Victoria. The network is based on a commuter rail model centred on the Melbourne Central Business District and Flinders Street Station, rather than a rapid transit model, with a focus on...

.

1919

Current Flinders Street Station
Flinders Street Station
Flinders Street Station is the central railway station of the suburban railway network of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is on the corner of Flinders and Swanston Streets next to the Yarra River in the heart of the city, stretching from Swanston Street to Queen Street and covering two city...

opened as the main suburban railway terminus.

1934

Flinders Street station declared the busiest in the world.

1940

Ashworth Improvement Plan
Ashworth Improvement Plan
The Ashworth Improvement Plan was a report that recommended a number of improvements to be made to the electrified suburban railways of inner city Melbourne, Australia. It was produced in 1940 by a committee headed by John Marmaduke Ashworth, the Victorian Railways Chief Engineer for Way and Works...

details proposed improvements to the number of improvements to suburban railways in the inner city.

1966

St Kilda Junction
St Kilda Junction
St Kilda Junction is one of the most notorious intersections in Melbourne, Australia. It is located in the suburb of St Kilda, and bordering Windsor, Melbourne and St Kilda East, and is the meeting point of the major roads Punt Road, St Kilda Road, Dandenong Road/Queens Way/Princes Highway and...

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
1969 Melbourne Transportation Plan
The 1969 Melbourne Transportation Plan was a road and rail transport plan for Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia instituted by Henry Bolte's state government...

commissioned, includes recommendation for Western Ring Road.

1970

West Gate Bridge
West Gate Bridge
The West Gate Bridge is a steel box girder cable-stayed bridge in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It spans the Yarra River, just north of its mouth into Port Phillip, and is a vital link between the inner city and Melbourne's western suburbs with the industrial suburbs in the west and with the city...

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
Hoddle Highway
Hoddle Highway is an urban highway in Melbourne linking CityLink and the Eastern Freeway, allotted metropolitan route . The name "Hoddle Highway" is almost completely unknown to most drivers - who refer instead to its constituent parts: Hoddle Street and Punt Road.It starts at the Eastern Freeway...

created from widening of Hoddle Street by 4 lanes and demolishing buildings on eastern side of Hoddle Street.

1980

Lonie Report
Lonie Report
The Lonie Report, officially titled Victorian Transport Study, was a thoroughgoing study of freight and passenger transport within the state of Victoria, in Australia...

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 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
Victorian Railways
The Victorian Railways operated railways in the Australian state of Victoria from 1859 to 1983. The first railways in Victoria were private companies, but when these companies failed or defaulted, the Victorian Railways was established to take over their operations...

, the Melbourne and Metropolitan Tramways Board and the Country Roads Board
Country Roads Board
The Country Roads Board was the government authority responsible for the construction and maintenance of main roads in the State of Victoria, Australia between 1913 and 1983. Its first chairman was William Calder who remained in charge until his death in 1928...

.

1985

Tolls on the West Gate Bridge
West Gate Bridge
The West Gate Bridge is a steel box girder cable-stayed bridge in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It spans the Yarra River, just north of its mouth into Port Phillip, and is a vital link between the inner city and Melbourne's western suburbs with the industrial suburbs in the west and with the city...

abolished.

1989

Construction of $631 million Western Ring Road begins.
Public Transport Corporation
Public Transport Corporation
The Public Transport Corporation was a State Government of Victoria owned corporate body formed under the Transport Act 1983 which operated passenger and freight trains, trams and bus services in Victoria, Australia....

and VicRoads
VicRoads
VicRoads or the Roads Corporation of Victoria is a statutory corporation which is the state road and traffic authority in the state of Victoria, Australia. It is responsible for maintenance and construction of the state arterial road network, as well as driver licensing and vehicle registration. ...

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
VicRoads
VicRoads or the Roads Corporation of Victoria is a statutory corporation which is the state road and traffic authority in the state of Victoria, Australia. It is responsible for maintenance and construction of the state arterial road network, as well as driver licensing and vehicle registration. ...

)

1992

New Government elected in October 1992 under Premier Jeff Kennett
Jeff Kennett
Jeffrey Gibb Kennett AC , a former Australian politician, was the Premier of Victoria between 1992 and 1999. He is currently the President of Hawthorn Football Club. He is the founding Chairman of beyondblue, a national depression initiative.- Early life :Kennett was born in Melbourne on 2 March...

. Alan Brown
Alan Brown (Australian politician)
Alan John Brown , Australian politician, was a Liberal member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly and Leader of the Opposition from 1989 to 1991....

appointed as Minister for Public Transport and Bill Baxter
Bill Baxter
William Robert Baxter was a former Australian politician and the current Victorian State President of The Nationals. He was the Nationals member of the Victorian Legislative Council representing North Eastern Province from June 1978 until November 2006...

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
Public Transport Corporation
The Public Transport Corporation was a State Government of Victoria owned corporate body formed under the Transport Act 1983 which operated passenger and freight trains, trams and bus services in Victoria, Australia....

to the Secretary of the Department of Transport.

1994

Free City Circle Tram opened.

1995

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

1996

Construction of $2 billion CityLink
CityLink
CityLink is a system of tolled urban Highways in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The company Transurban was awarded the contract to augment two existing freeways and construct two new Toll roads—labelled the Western and Southern Links—directly linking a number of existing freeways to...

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
Director of Public Transport
The Director of Public Transport is the Government agency responsible for promoting, providing, coordinating and regulating public transport in the State of Victoria, Australia...

- and a new statutory authority, VicTrack
VicTrack
VicTrack is the Victorian Government agency which owns all railway and tram lines, associated rail lands and other related rail-related infrastructure in the state of Victoria, Australia....

, to hold ownership of public transport land and assets

1999

Opening of Western Ring Road
Opening of the Bolte Bridge
Bolte Bridge
The Bolte Bridge is a large twin Cantilever bridge in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It spans the Yarra River and Victoria Harbour in the Docklands precinct to the west of the Melbourne CBD...

forming the second major roadway over the Yarra River.
State government commissions the Linking Victoria
Linking Victoria
The Linking Victoria was a State Government program launched in 1999 to upgrade transport infrastructure in Victoria, Australia. Costing $3.5 billion, it included the road, rail and port networks...

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
Director of Public Transport
The Director of Public Transport is the Government agency responsible for promoting, providing, coordinating and regulating public transport in the State of Victoria, Australia...

and VicTrack
VicTrack
VicTrack is the Victorian Government agency which owns all railway and tram lines, associated rail lands and other related rail-related infrastructure in the state of Victoria, Australia....

2002

Transport Minister Peter Batchelor
Peter Batchelor
Peter Batchelor was an Australian politician before retiring at the Victorian State Election on 27 November 2010. He was an Australian Labor Party member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly since 1990, representing the electorate of Thomastown. He served most recently as Minister for Energy and...

announced that Airport rail link
Airport rail link
An airport rail link is a service providing passenger rail transport from an airport to a nearby city; by mainline- or commuter trains, rapid transit, people mover or light rail...

to Tullamarine not viable for another 10 years. Commits to upgrading Skybus Super Shuttle
Skybus Super Shuttle
The Skybus Shuttle is an Australian airport bus service that runs between Melbourne Airport at Tullamarine and Southern Cross Station in the city of Melbourne. In 2008, Skybus carried over 1.6 million passengers a year....

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
EastLink, Melbourne
EastLink is a A$2.5 billion tolled freeway linking a large area through the eastern and south-eastern suburbs of Melbourne, Australia. It is a part of Melbourne's Metropolitan Ring Road project....

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
Rail Safety Act
The Rail Safety Act 2006 is a law enacted by the Parliament of the State of Victoria, Australia and is the prime statute regulating the safety of rail operations in the State...

- 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
Director, Public Transport Safety
The Director, Public Transport Safety was the independent Government agency responsible for rail and bus safety in the State of Victoria, Australia, between 1 August 2006 and 30 June 2010. The position was created as a statutory office by statute in early 2006 and was the State's first...

(Public Transport Safety, Victoria
Director, Public Transport Safety
The Director, Public Transport Safety was the independent Government agency responsible for rail and bus safety in the State of Victoria, Australia, between 1 August 2006 and 30 June 2010. The position was created as a statutory office by statute in early 2006 and was the State's first...

) as of 1 August (office later renamed Director, Transport Safety
Director, Transport Safety
The Director, Transport Safety is the independent Government agency responsible for rail, bus and marine safety in the State of Victoria, Australia. The position was created as a statutory office by the Transport Integration Act 2010...

, 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
Chief Investigator, Transport Safety
The Chief Investigator, Transport Safety is the independent Government agency responsible for investigation of safety-related trends and incidents in the rail, bus and marine industries in the State of Victoria, Australia. The position was created as a statutory office by the Transport...

, 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.
Taxi industry accreditation scheme 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
Tim Pallas
Timothy Hugh Pallas is an Australian politician. He has been an Australian Labor Party member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly since 2006, representing the electorate of Tarneit...

rejects Melbourne City Council plan for Copenhagen style cycleway on St Kilda Road.
Accident Towing Services Act
Accident Towing Services Act
The Accident Towing Services Act 2007 is a law enacted by the Parliament of the State of Victoria, Australia. The Act is the prime statute regulating the vehicle towing industry which provides towing and recovery services for light and heavy road vehicles across Victoria. It is predominately...

passed by Parliament.

2008

The Port Phillip Channel Deepening Project
Port Phillip Channel Deepening Project
The Port Phillip Channel Deepening Project began on 8 February 2008 to deepen the shipping channels leading to Melbourne, Australia, in Port Phillip to draught allow greater access for container ships. An estimated A$969 million, was to be spent on the works, with $150 million funded by taxpayers...

, a dredging project to deepen Melbourne's shipping channels, begins.
Release of the $18 billion Eddington Transport Report
Eddington Transport Report, Victoria
The "" or Eddington Transport Report or Sir Rod Eddington Plan was a major transport study undertaken in Victoria, Australia, by Sir Rod Eddington in 2007 concentrating on solutions for transportation in Melbourne with a primary focus on reducing congestion of road transport in Victoria.The 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
Deer Park, Victoria
Deer Park is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 17 km west from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Brimbank...

but did not address greenhouse emissions.
Eastlink freeway tunnel opened.
Monash-CityLink-West Gate freeway upgrade begins.
Department of Transport
Department of Transport (Victoria, Australia)
The Department of Transport or DOT is the central Government agency responsible for the coordination, integration and regulation of the transport system in the State of Victoria, Australia...

established in place of the Department of Infrastructure
Australian Greens Victoria party transport plan, The People Plan, released.
Public Transport minister Lynne Kosky
Lynne Kosky
Lynne Janice Kosky is a former Australian politician and senior minister in the Parliament of Victoria. She represented the electoral district of Altona in the Victorian Legislative Assembly for the Australian Labor Party from 1996 to 2010...

pushes back Airport link by another 20 years.
Victorian Transport Plan
Victorian Transport Plan
The Victorian Transport Plan is a now defunct transport planning framework for the state of Victoria, Australia announced on Monday 9 December 2008 by then Premier of Victoria, John Brumby...

unveiled - the State Government's fourth "long-term" transport statement since 2002.
New Melbourne Lord Mayor Robert Doyle
Robert Doyle
Robert Keith Bennett Doyle is an Australian politician and the 103rd Lord Mayor of Melbourne, elected on 30 November 2008...

proposes returning vehicle traffic to Swanston Street.

2009

Accident Towing Services Act
Accident Towing Services Act
The Accident Towing Services Act 2007 is a law enacted by the Parliament of the State of Victoria, Australia. The Act is the prime statute regulating the vehicle towing industry which provides towing and recovery services for light and heavy road vehicles across Victoria. It is predominately...

commences on 1 January.
Transport Integration Bill (later the Transport Integration Act
Transport Integration Act
The Transport Integration Act 2010 is a law enacted by the Parliament of the State of Victoria, Australia. The Act is the prime transport statute in Victoria, having replaced major parts of the former Transport Act 1983....

) 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
Major Transport Projects Facilitation Act 2009 passed by Parliament and commences on 1 September.

2010

Transport Integration Act
Transport Integration Act
The Transport Integration Act 2010 is a law enacted by the Parliament of the State of Victoria, Australia. The Act is the prime transport statute in Victoria, having replaced major parts of the former Transport Act 1983....

passed by the Victorian Parliament in February and commences on 1 July.
A public bike-hire service is planned to be introduced by mid year.
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
Director, Transport Safety
The Director, Transport Safety is the independent Government agency responsible for rail, bus and marine safety in the State of Victoria, Australia. The position was created as a statutory office by the Transport Integration Act 2010...

(Transport Safety, Victoria
Director, Transport Safety
The Director, Transport Safety is the independent Government agency responsible for rail, bus and marine safety in the State of Victoria, Australia. The position was created as a statutory office by the Transport Integration Act 2010...

)
Port corporations (Port of Melbourne Corporation
Port of Melbourne Corporation
The Port of Melbourne Corporation is a statutory body established by the Victorian Government. The Corporation commenced operations on 1 July 2003, when it took over the management of the Port of Melbourne from Melbourne Port Corporation...

and Victorian Regional Channels Authority) brought under the Transport Integration Act
Transport Integration Act
The Transport Integration Act 2010 is a law enacted by the Parliament of the State of Victoria, Australia. The Act is the prime transport statute in Victoria, having replaced major parts of the former Transport Act 1983....

and Port of Hastings Corporation merged with the Port of Melbourne Corporation
Port of Melbourne Corporation
The Port of Melbourne Corporation is a statutory body established by the Victorian Government. The Corporation commenced operations on 1 July 2003, when it took over the management of the Port of Melbourne from Melbourne Port Corporation...

on 1 September.
New State Government (when in Opposition) promises to create a new Public Transport Development Authority
Victorian Public Transport Development Authority
Victorian Public Transport Development Authority is the independent body that will corodinate all aspects of an integrated transport system in Victoria, Australia....

to plan and manage public transport services in Victoria and Melbourne.
Tourist and Heritage Railways Act 2010
Tourist and Heritage Railways Act
The Tourist and Heritage Railways Act 2010 is a law enacted by the Parliament of the State of Victoria, Australia and is the prime statute regulating the activities of tourist and heritage rail operators in the State...

passed by Parliament.
Marine Safety Act 2010 passed by Parliament.
New State Government elected on 27 November under Premier Ted Baillieu
Ted Baillieu
Edward Norman "Ted" Baillieu MLA is an Australian politician. He is currently the Premier of Victoria and the member for the Legislative Assembly seat of Hawthorn...

. Terry Mulder
Terry Mulder
Terence Wynne "Terry" Mulder is an Australian politician. He has been a Liberal member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly since 1999, representing the Colac-based electorate of Polwarth. He is currently Minister for Transport and Roads.Mulder was born in Colac, and attended Trinity College, but...

sworn in as Minister for Public Transport and Minister for Roads. Dr Denis Napthine
Denis Napthine
Denis Vincent Napthine is an Australian politician for the Liberal Party in the state of Victoria. He is a member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly, representing the electoral district of South-West Coast.- Early life :...

sworn in as Minister for Ports.
Bus Safety Act
Bus Safety Act
The Bus Safety Act 2009 is a law enacted by the Parliament of the State of Victoria, Australia and is the prime statute regulating the safety of bus operations across the State....

commences on 31 December 2010.

2011

Public Transport Minister Terry Mulder
Terry Mulder
Terence Wynne "Terry" Mulder is an Australian politician. He has been a Liberal member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly since 1999, representing the Colac-based electorate of Polwarth. He is currently Minister for Transport and Roads.Mulder was born in Colac, and attended Trinity College, but...

announces the Government's intention to hold a major inquiry into the taxi industry - the Taxi Industry Inquiry
Taxi Industry Inquiry
The Taxi Industry Inquiry is an inquiry being conducted in the State of Victoria, Australia by the Taxi Services Commission into the taxi industry and taxi services in that State. The Inquiry is headed by Professor Allan Fels, the former head of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission...

- the inquiry commences in late May headed by Allan Fels
Allan Fels
Professor Allan Fels is an Australian economist, lawyer and public servant. He was most widely known in his role as chairman of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission from its inception in 1995 until 30 June 2003...

.
Transport Legislation Amendment (Taxi Services Reform and Other Matters) Act 2011 passed by Victorian Parliament on 29 June thereby empowering the Taxi Industry Inquiry
Taxi Industry Inquiry
The Taxi Industry Inquiry is an inquiry being conducted in the State of Victoria, Australia by the Taxi Services Commission into the taxi industry and taxi services in that State. The Inquiry is headed by Professor Allan Fels, the former head of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission...

and creating the Taxi Services Commission
Taxi Services Commission
The Taxi Services Commission is the independent Government agency responsible for conducting a major inquiry, the Taxi Industry Inquiry, into taxi and other small commercial passenger vehicle services in the State of Victoria, Australia...

.
Taxi Services Commission
Taxi Services Commission
The Taxi Services Commission is the independent Government agency responsible for conducting a major inquiry, the Taxi Industry Inquiry, into taxi and other small commercial passenger vehicle services in the State of Victoria, Australia...

commences operations on 19 July.

Recent statistics=

Between 2001 and 2006 - census data shows that Melbourne has had:

7.6% population growth
8.6% employment growth
15% increase in the number of passenger vehicles on the road
6% increase in the total number of kilometres driven by those vehicles
7.3% increase in CO₂ emissions from passenger vehicles

External links=

Victorian Department of Transport

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