Coimadai Road Roadworks

Works to improve a deadly 11-kilometre stretch of road in Toolern Vale will begin within weeks.

Photo: "Along the Diggers Rest Coimadai Road" by Brevets and Bicycling

Extract Article from the Melton and Moorabool Weekly, by Priscilla Moca

Diggers Rest-Coimadai Road has been the scene of more than 20 crashes and three fatalities in the past five years, including a collision that killed a 14-year-old boy three years ago.

The $3.5 million project, including safety barriers and sealing works, will improve the stretch between Vineyard Road in Diggers Rest and Djerriwarrh Creek, Toolern Vale.

Melton highway patrol’s Leading Senior Constable Allan Edwards said most collisions on the stretch were the result of a high volume of traffic caused by Melton city’s rapid population increase.

“If safety barriers had been installed between Toolern Vale and Ryans Lane, that young bloke would probably be alive now,” Leading Senior Constable Edwards said.

“Anything to stop run-offs is a big improvement.”

Western Victoria Liberal MP Simon Ramsay said the upgrade also included removal of roadside hazards.

“Additional signage will also be installed at bends and curves to alert drivers to the curvaceous nature of the road,” he said.

Mr Ramsay said the project, expected to start in the next few weeks, was due to be completed by mid-November.

Read the full article at the Melton and Moorabool Weekly

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Western Ring Road Camera Warning

New fixed speed cameras on the Western Ring Road have begun forcing fines today.

Photo of the speed camera at the Western Ring Road, Keilor East.
Photo: Luis Enrique Ascui for The Age

The cameras, west of Sydney Road, will detect speeding motorists in both the east and west-bound lanes. The cameras were deactivated during road works on the Western Ring Road and have been upgraded.

Variable message signs have been set up to warn drivers over the past two weeks. The message signs will remain in place for the next fortnight, with the sign changed to “Cameras now enforcing.”

During a four-week test period, the cameras detected more than 10,900 speeding offences, including 9533 in the eastern lanes and 1411 in the western lanes.

Read the original article from the Victoria Police News

No doubt that it will raise much needed revenue for the state government. The police are claiming that the new speed cameras are there to reduce the road toll.

Speed camera locations can be found on the Australian Speed Cameras website

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60 Year Old Lady Bashed On Train

A woman aged in her 60s has been rushed to hospital after a fight on the Sunbury train line.

Paramedics picked up the woman at Middle Footscray station shortly before 1.30pm, and have taken her to the Western Hospital in Footscray with upper-body injuries. An ambulance spokesman said the woman was in a stable condition.

The incident caused delays to other Sunbury line trains of more than 40 minutes. The timetable is settling back down and the delays were reduced to 10 minutes by 3pm.

Did anyone witness the event and was anyone else injured in the fight?

Extract from The Age

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New Public Transport Timetables - 26 January 2014

Beginning Sunday, 26 January 2014

New public transport timetables will begin with:

• tram on Sunday 26 January
• train, bus and V/Line on Monday 27 January.

Plan ahead, remember to check timetables and journey planner before you travel.

Sunday 26 January

On Australia Day, Sunday 26 January, public transport will run to a normal Sunday timetable with extra services for the Australian Open men's final at Melbourne Park, the Avicii concert at Melbourne Showgrounds and the fireworks display at Docklands.

Public transport over the Australia Day long weekend

A new tram timetable will begin on Sunday 26 January.

New tram timetable

The new tram timetable delivers more than 1,200 extra trams to Docklands with the extension of Route 75 and 26 extra peak services on Route 11 on weekdays.

New timetable delivers more than 1,200 extra trams to Docklands: effective from Sunday 26 January

Monday 27 January

On the Australia Day public holiday, Monday 27 January, trains, trams and most buses will run to a Saturday timetable.

Public transport on the Australia Day public holiday: Monday, 27 January 2014

New train, bus and V/Line timetables will begin on Monday 27 January.

New metropolitan train timetable

The following train lines will have a new timetable with some minor changes:

• South Morang
• Hurstbridge
• Dandenong / Pakenham / Cranbourne
• Ballarat
• Bendigo
• Seymour / Shepparton
• Geelong
• Traralgon

New metropolitan and regional bus timetables

The new metropolitan and regional bus timetables include changes for bus routes in 25 areas across the state.

New timetables and route changes for metropolitan and regional bus routes from 27 - 28 January 2014

New V/Line timetable

The new V/Line timetable includes minor timetable changes on some lines.

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Plan To Get Around With Journey Planner

Public Transport Victoria has released Journey Planner to figure out the best way to get around Melbourne.

The website allows you to enter a point where you are traveling from and to. Enter the either the: Address, Station/Stop or Landmark. Then choose a time and date of travel to receive various options incorporating various modes of transport. These may include walking, bus, train, tram and v/line services.

Visit the Journey Planner site

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Melton - Do You Really Want To Catch A Bus?

Melton City Council often invites the Diggers Rest community to the Melton activities including events and council meetings but do they really care if the community goes? Not if you look at the public transport options.

Both Diggers Rest and Melton are in zone 2 but commuters must purchase a fare for zones 1 and 2, and this is only the beginning of the difficulties. It takes 25 minutes drive to the Melton centre but 2+ hours to catch the 3 buses to complete the one way trip. Worse is that it becomes almost impossible to get to Melton on the weekends. Then once you make to the Melton station, there is the difficulty in making to the council recommended events.

Watch Bus case study 5: Diggers Rest to Melton by the Leader Newspaper:

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Alternative Commuting for Diggers Rest over January

Thank You For Suggestions Rockleigh Tours

Alternative travel arrangements that are available for Sunbury commuters over the January shut down:

Travel from Clarkefield and Riddells Creek

It cost the same as Sunbury on myki are to travel from Clarkefield and Riddells creek. As these are still Vline stations Vline are running express service to and from nth melb and southern cross to these stations.

Gisborne Station

Drive to Gisborne station where there are more regular express services. But cost more

Bus to Essendon

Catch the 483 Moonee ponds bus to Essendon station then straight on a loop train.

Metro Bus & Train

Is the metro train, hop off onto a overcrowded bus,then onto another train option. Long long long ridiculously long travel time.

Go On A Holiday

Preferred option. go on an extended holiday and enjoy.

Ride

Ride to work.

Drive

Take the car get stuck in traffic pay tolls, pay exuberant fuel prices, pay parking, put up with road rage, road closures, tunnel closures and generally just get frustrated.

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New Years Eve Extra Sunbury Train Services

Extra trains to get you to and from the city this New Year’s Eve and travel after 6pm (until the first normal service on New Year’s Day) will be free. There’s no need to touch on, but if you do you won’t be charged. Please note, on Wednesday 1 January, services will operate to a Saturday timetable.

To Melbourne City:

Before midnight there will be additional trains to Flinders Street from:

• Buses will replace Sunbury line services stopping all stations to Albion then express to Racecourse. Buses will also run stopping all stations Albion to North Melbourne. Sunshine to Racecourse express.

After midnight there will be additional trains to Flinders Street from:

• Buses will replace trains to Racecourse then trains will run to City as follows: 12:12am, 12:30am, 12:50am, 12:59am, 1:14am, 1:37am, 1:50am, 2:15am, 2:50am, 3:29am, 4:34am.

From Melbourne City:

After the early fireworks display there will be extra trains from Flinders Street to:

• Services will depart Flinders Street to Racecourse then bus to Sunbury

After midnight there will be extra trains from Flinders Street to:

• Train to Flemington Racecourse then bus to Sunbury 12:39am, 12:48am, 1:04am, 1:26am, 1:52am,  2:19am, 2:59am, 3:54am, 05:00am.

More information about Metro New Years Eve Services

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The Cost to Commute

An inner-city resident living five kilometres from the city who owns a small car but commutes by public transport would save $5,772 a year. Full-time workers who drive between Melbourne's suburbs and the CBD spend on average $6,000 to $10,000 a year more on commuting than workers who take public transport.

A report titled, "Commuter costs and potential savings", compared public transport and car commuting costs in seven Australian capital cities. It found driving was the more expensive option in all of them.

A resident of outer Melbourne who works five days a week in the CBD, does not own a car and commutes 25 kilometres by public transport would spend $17,949 less a year on commuting.

There are more factors to consider when considering the mode of transports. Flexibility of when to travel. Traffic jams compared to train failures. Difficulty of commuting to any other suburb than the Melbourne CBD hub. Erroneous MYKI  that may result in undue fines. Dangers of car crashes versus train hoodlums.

What is your experience? Working on trains and buses.

Does this analysis stack up? Have you compared the options?

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Diggers Rest / Sunbury Population Growth Plan

What is the plan for the Diggers Rest / Sunbury area over the next twenty years? Is it reasonable to think of these areas as separate townships or one broader city? What is the future according to the Victorian metropolitan plans and the separate councils? Is it wise to split the area into political regions (like the Berlin Wall) or govern the combined suburbs as a united community

The Victorian Metropolitan Plan clearly outlines that Sunbury and Diggers Rest will be combined.

By examining the proposed urban growth areas, it is clear that Sunbury and Diggers Rest will merge and perhaps include Bulla. Moreover, note that the map proposes that there will be a physical separation from Melton and Broadmeadows.

The Hume and Melton currently identify three sections of the region as Sunbury, Diggers Rest and Plumpton. Therefore the combined population forecasts for all of these areas must be aggregated for a total viewpoint

By these estimates the area's population will 72%, from 177,330 to 305,502 people.

How does this compare to other Victorian city populations?

• Geelong 2013 population = 218,361
• Bendigo  2013 population is 103,722
• Ballarat 2013 population is 97, 983

It would be reasonable to assume that Sunbury would be large enough to be it's own city but why would it? Diggers Rest is closely linked in economic, education and transport infrastructure. The train and freeway arterial are linked. Lastly should Plumpton and Diggers Rest continue to be forced to engage with remote emergency services from Melton and Caroline Springs.

We welcome your views on this topic and invite further data / speculation of this matter.

Extracted from the Hume City Council Population Forecast and the Melton City Council Population Forecast.

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Train Timetable This Summer

Travelling on the Sunbury line this summer? Melbourne train services reduced over summer in major works upgrade. It will be a frustrating summer for rail commuters, with the frequency of services on most lines cut by half while the state government carries out its most ambitious summer rail works program to date.

Sunbury line impacts

• Modified and reduced timetable from December 23 to 27.
• Buses to replace trains from December 28 to January 19.
• Reduced service and changed stopping patterns from January 20 to 27.
• Weekend and evening services run to regular timetables.

 A modified timetable will run in three phases. Find out how the impacts Sunbury Metro Trains

Some of this article was extracted from The Age, by Deborah Gough, 2 December 2013

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Why So Many Speed Limits and Cameras?

The authorities tell the public that speed cameras are reducing fatalities and serious accidents. Any revenue gained is a lucky by product of making the state safer.

Drivers are expected to keep keen eyes on the multitude of speed limits that often change. Within two kilometre road strips the limit are often signposted as 90km, 80km, 60km, 40km, 50km, 40km (within specific time zones) , End of 70km, and 40km coming up. Then driver are confronted with speed limits that are altered without any obvious reasons, appearing at random intervals. E.g. yesterday a short road strip was 60km, today it is 50km. It is common to see 40km road work signs but no road works happening.

Radar cameras are on the move, usually placed strategically in the middle of the confusing speed limit crush.
The authorities use colourful language in their announcements. Everyone has heard senior police officials tell us that, “The Hoons will be caught. Drivers must learn to slow down or get they will be caught.”

Are the speed signs and cameras reducing the road toll? Are there less serious accidents because of the many speed limits? Are those approaches making the working people’s lives better or worse? Is it a about safety or state revenue?

Why So Many Speed Limits and Cameras?

Let’s gather some data to find out.

•  In the year ended June 30, 2011, more than 1.1 million speed camera infringement notices were issued in Victoria. Eighty per cent were for speeds less than 10km/h over the limit. State coffers were boosted by hundreds of millions of dollars.
• More than 1.5 million speed camera demerit points - equivalent to 32,500 years of licence loss - were recorded in Victoria in 2011.
• Sean Hardy, a Melbourne Lawyer, was quote in the Herald / Sun, 12 February 2012
  “Speed cameras do not eradicate minor speeding offences. On the contrary, the number of offences detected increases each year. Minor infringements seem an inevitable consequence of driving a vehicle -- especially with changing speed limits.”
  
  “We have covert cameras to encourage drivers to comply with speed limits at all times. But the system is not working. More than 928,000 vehicles - or 2543 a day - were caught doing less than 10km/h over the limit, each attracting one demerit point.”
  
  "No law requires the actual driver of a vehicle to incur camera demerit points. The purpose of the demerit points system fails for camera offences. What is the benefit - aside from revenue - of cracking down on minor speeding infringements if they don't even care who was driving?"
  
  "Every demerit point has the potential - indeed the intention - to suspend a driver's licence. The system invites citizens to nominate who will lose points and their licence. It is little wonder false nominations seem rife - even members of the judiciary have been known to do it. False nominations are a consequence of an absurd demerit points system."
•  Victoria police quotes often watched in television ads and heard on radio talk back
  
  “Speed cameras save lives.”
  
  “If we are serious about reducing road trauma, it is important the whole community understands and supports their purpose and value.”
  
  “Speed cameras slow motorists down.”
  
  “ Slowing down reduces both the number and the severity of crashes.”
  
  “Speed limits are set to ensure the safety of the whole community.”
  
  “Research proves that even small reductions in average speeds result in significant road safety benefits.”
  
  “For every increase in speed of 5km/h above a 60km/h limit, the risk of having a crash doubles.”
  
  “When motorists choose to step outside the law and exceed the limit, they are compromising not only their own safety, but all of those who are sharing the road with them.”
  
  “By slowing road users down, speed cameras are helping us to save lives and reduce the burden on the health system created by avoidable road trauma.”
  
  “Speeding remains one of the biggest killers on our roads, with speed the major contributing factor in a third of all fatal crashes.”
•  A 1989 America’s Insurance Research Council study of a national sample of automobile crash injury claims found
  
  Crashes that cause injuries and/or property damage occur at the highest rates in urban areas. Fatal crashes, however, are more likely to occur in rural areas. 81 percent of the crashes occurred in urban areas. A January 1995 report by the Highway Loss Data Institute examined insurance injury claim frequencies for 1991-93 model vehicles and collision claim frequencies for 1992- 94 model vehicles garaged in 12 metropolitan areas of the United States. Injury claim frequencies were 29 percent higher in these urban areas than in the rest of the country, and collision claim frequencies were 34 percent higher. Pedestrian deaths and injuries are most prevalent in urban areas; 72 percent of pedestrian deaths occur in urban settings.
  
  In urban areas, motorists are most likely to be injured in head-on collisions and crashes involving red light running. Occupant injuries occurred in 45 percent of both head-on crashes and red light running crashes the Institute studied. Left-turn crashes produced the second highest number of occupant injuries. Forty-one percent of urban crashes associated with a vehicle turning left into oncoming traffic involved injuries. These crashes often involve a side impact. More than a third each of crashes typed as running a traffic control, rear-ending a stopped or stopping vehicle, and running off the road involved injury. In contrast, injuries occurred in only 16 percent of crashes involving lane change manoeuvres.
  
  Crashes categorized as running a traffic control (a signal light or a sign) or turning left into oncoming traffic are most likely to occur at intersections. Left-turn-oncoming crashes are particularly associated with traffic signals. Rear-end collisions into stopped or stopping vehicles occur at roadway intersections and between intersections with equal frequency. Of the five major urban crash types, only run-off-the-road crashes are most likely to occur at night. Pedestrians in urban areas are more likely to be injured in crashes at intersections. An examination of fatal pedestrian crashes in four U.S. cities found 40 percent involving vehicles other than large trucks occurred at intersections, and 51 percent involving large trucks occurred at intersections.
  
  
• Article Extracts from Car Advice By TimBeissmann, 19th June 2012
  The rate of people seriously injured in road traffic crashes in Australia has increased over recent years despite improvements to vehicle safety and continued efforts from governments to reduce the road toll.
  
  More than one-quarter of those seriously injured in a road traffic crash sustained life-threatening injuries.
  
  While injury rates increased, the death rate of people involved in road traffic crashes decreased from 9.2 per 100,000 in 2000-01 to 7.3 in 2008-09. Figures from the federal government’s Department of Infrastructure and Transport paint an even brighter picture, revealing the death rate improved to just 5.71 per 100,000 in 2011.
  
  
•  In 2013-14 Victoria will raise more revenue - $113 per person - than any other state.

Based upon all recent reports, there is no evidence that the confusing array of ever change speed limits, support by speed cameras, are reducing the road tolls. The number of serious injuries caused by road accidents is increasing and the number of fatalities is levelled out (mainly due to safer vehicles).

The placement of multiple speed signs is in built up urban areas thoroughfares where there is the greatest opportunity to fine drivers.  Too many signs confuse drivers as their eyes cannot focus on the road

What is your view? Should anyone do anything about the, what appears to be, misuse of power and deception? What can you do to avoid speeding fines? Is the above analysis fair and balance?

Article For Susan Mackay

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Diggers Rest Property Prices Set To Rise

NEW research has revealed houses in Melbourne suburbs with a train station are worth an average $48,000 dollars more than those far from rail lines.

According to a recent report published in news.com.au PRD Nationwide found that a median Melbourne house in a suburb with a rail line travelling through it was $618,000, while suburbs without a rail line had a median house price of $570,000.

The figure tracks as high as an average $105,000 more for a house in Melbourne's east that has a train line in the same suburb compared with those without a station, $59,500 in the northern suburbs and $40,000 for median prices in western suburbs with train access.

Despite the lower difference in prices for houses in the west, properties close to train stations in the city's west experienced the largest increase in value in the last year.

Aaron Maskrey, report author and PRD nationwide residential research director, said he believed the appeal of suburbs with train stations lay with younger generations.

Generation Y typically value easy access to the city lifestyle via public transport over homes with large backyards or the facilities to raise a family, according to Mr Maskrey.

He also said trends among young Melburnians suggested they preferred no-fuss, low-maintenance properties that were affordable. This could be behind the rise in median house prices in western railway suburbs, as they were typically more affordable than houses to the east.

The report did not find the same effect on units, however.

WBP Property Group property adviser Phil Manning suggested this could be due to the fact ready access to public transport became more important to people in Melbourne's outer suburbs, which typically had more houses available than units. He expected all modes of public transport to become more important.

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Moreover,  the Sydney Morning Herald reports that Melbourne's population is expected to rise to 8.5 million by 2060 (doubling our current population) and road infrastructure is not keeping pace with the rate of growth.

European cities, that are already heavily overpopulated, have steeply inclined property prices around public transport stations.

It goes to reason that a land purchase next to a Melbourne train station may be a terrific investment.

Article for Kevin Skinner

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Parallel Parking in Plumpton Rd - A Hazard To The Pupils

Extract from the Melton and Moorabool Weekly, 25 November 2013

Parents fear changes to parking outside Diggers Rest Primary School will put children’s lives at risk.

Under changes proposed by Melton council, 20 angled parking spaces will be converted to parallel bays before the next school year.

The council says the changes will prevent cars reversing into oncoming traffic on Plumpton Road, but parents are worried it will make the area more dangerous for children.

Cambridge, Coburn and Watts Residents Association president Nathan Miles said consultation had been inadequate.

‘‘Parents didn’t have any idea what was happening until the school had a meeting about it,’’ he said. “The changes mean children will be hopping out of the car on the road side, which means they could get hit by cars. Currently they don’t have to worry about that.”

Diggers Rest resident Alex Jinks, a member of a traffic study group set up by the council, said the plan was ‘‘poorly thought out’’.

Council engineering services manager Les Stokes said the council had met with the school to clarify the situation.

“The upgrade of Plumpton Road will see a significant increase of parking spaces, which will be provided along both sides of the road with designated parking lanes,’’ he said.

“The school frontage will see a zone created to cater for parents wanting to pick up and drop off their children at the gate.’’

While the council will proceed with the parking changes, principal Paul Yeatman said he had been assured a school crossing wouldn’t be moved.

“We discussed traffic issues and the future growth of traffic,’’ Mr Yeatman said. “As long as it’s safe and not putting the students at risk, it’s not an issue.”

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Outer Metropolitan Ring Road Plans

In 2009, Vic Roads announced its revised outer metropolitan ring plan due to lobbying by property developers, including a company half-owned by Ron Walker. The plans shifted the road two kilometres west from the original concept.

Farmers and residents of Bulla and Diggers Rest were alarmed that their homes and livelihoods were going to disappear over night (or so it seemed). According to the Vic Roads Outer Metropolitan Ring / E6 transport corridor planning study, the project would being post 2020 and land will be compulsory acquired from the current owners prior to the project commencing.

Since 2009, there has been almost not more news or community alarms. What does that mean? Are the impacted property owners waiting to see what will happen? What will it mean to the traffic management plans and the property developments of Diggers Rest? Will it mean that the town folk will be able to travel better or are there more unforeseen implications?

Tell us what you think? Be heard!

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Traffic Plan Rejected By Community

Melton City Council is undertaking a Local Area Traffic Management (LATM) study of Diggers Rest as part of its ongoing LATM program.  The study area is bounded by Vineyard Road, Calder Freeway, Old Calder Highway, and Diggers Rest – Coimadai Road in Diggers Rest.

A Proposed Traffic Management Plan that suggests possible traffic solutions has been developed for the study area.  The Plan aims to address the key issues identified by the community in August, 2013. The Proposed Plan is only preliminary at this stage, as the community is to help develop a final Plan.

At a meeting of the Cambridge Coburn and Watts Residents Association last week, Diggers Rest residents voiced concerns over what they see as a lack of consultation with the community and the possible number of speed humps that might be implemented.

What will be the next step in the Council process and will the residents be listened to?

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