Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Daniel Bowen @danielbowen.au · 1d

#Melbourne Rocks! One of the few named carriages, from a naming contest for school kids years ago.

Train carriage with marking “Melbourne rocks”

Reposted by Daniel Bowen

Public Transport Users Association @ptua.org.au · 2d

On 12th October 1995, 30 years ago today, tram route 86 was extended to Bundoora RMIT.
Extending further to connect with trains at South Morang station would improve connections to RMIT and La Trobe Uni, and make it easier to get around the northern suburbs.

Passengers boarding a route 86 tram to Bundoora RMIT

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Daniel Bowen @danielbowen.au · 2d

There are local groups, and they tried their best, but it’s a really hard ask.

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Reposted by Daniel Bowen

Public Transport Users Association @ptua.org.au · 4d

PTUA members! Check your email for the latest PTUA newsletter.
Not a member? Join to get our regular updates and support our campaigns: www.ptua.org.au/join

(guys, can we stop using these AI images? They're really bad.)

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Daniel Bowen @danielbowen.au · 4d

It’s interesting. I’ve heard mostly positive feedback, in part because apparently the route was already pretty unreliable.
Seems to me to improve it, better on-road priority is a must, as well as more accurate realtime info.

Daniel Bowen @danielbowen.au · 4d

Blog: I came up with a long list of things to improve around the #PublicTransport network - some big, some not so big.
Read the list here: danielbowen.com/2025...

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Daniel Bowen @danielbowen.au · 5d

Talking on ABC Radio #Melbourne shortly about railway stations 🚉
Listen here

ABC Melbourne Live Audio - ABC listen

Listen live, whenever you want, wherever you are with ABC Melbourne.

www.abc.net.au

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Reposted by Daniel Bowen

Railmaps @railmaps.com.au · 7d

Here's some more good news from Victoria today. Not as high profile as the other announcement, but as of today, real-time GTFS data updates for VLine train services are available. Tonight's task for me is to get this integrated into the timetables on railmaps.com.au

Email from Vic PT data program announcing real time data feeds are now available for VLine train services.

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Reposted by Daniel Bowen

Public Transport Users Association @ptua.org.au · 6d

Finally announced! The Metro tunnel will open in early December, initially with a part-time 20 minute service. This won't really show off the benefits, but a phased opening does make sense to avoid major issues if there are hiccups with the new line. www.thesenior.com.au... #Melbourne

'Lessons learned': rubbery open date for $15b rail line

A $15 billion underground rail line has been given an opening date, but full turn-up-and-go services for passengers...

www.thesenior.com.au

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Daniel Bowen @danielbowen.au · 6d

The bloke who was on the radio tonight just before me would hate this... but what if we just left it like this? #Melbourne #traffic

Listen here: www.abc.net.au/liste... - starting at about 2h:50m

Detour sign directing traffic out of Flinders Street, in front of the station

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Daniel Bowen @danielbowen.au · 7d

Nah, they could have done a Myki in Melbourne. Promised by end of year, that was 29th December!

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Daniel Bowen @danielbowen.au · 7d

For those who didn’t spot it on the more mainstream social media networks, the #Melbourne Metro Tunnel will open in early December.

Jacinta Allan Threads post announcing Metro Tunnel opening in early December

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Daniel Bowen @danielbowen.au · 7d

Blog: Old photos from ten years ago, including this one snapped during a train stoppage due to industrial action. danielbowen.com/2025...

Flinders Street station entrance closed due to industrial action

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Daniel Bowen @danielbowen.au · 7d

For some reason they’ve put project detail in a completely different spot to the disruption detail, and failed to link them. Try this yarratrams.com.au/media/3krceo...

yarratrams.com.au

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Daniel Bowen @danielbowen.au · 9d

Would this be it? 40 limit North Geelong to Corio since 29th Sep. Hopefully to be resolved soon.

Extract from Weekly Operational Notice showing V/Line Geelong line speed restrictions

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Daniel Bowen @danielbowen.au · 9d

Will be on 3AW shortly talking about the #Melbourne Metro Tunnel

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Reposted by Daniel Bowen

Public Transport Users Association @ptua.org.au · 9d

On a nice day, Point Ormond (Elwood) is a great place to watch the sunset🌇😎
But the local buses aren't coping. They're packed after dusk, just as the frequency and capacity drops - more services needed! #Melbourne #Route246

Crowds at Point Ormond. Pic: writtenbymeaghan on Threads - Also shown with photos of crowded route 246 bus.

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Daniel Bowen @danielbowen.au · 10d

To me it seems like a design fail that the ad screens are not all also mall directory screens.
The number of times I’ve walked up to one and tapped it waiting for a response…

Screen in a shopping centre showing an ad for Telstra

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Reposted by Daniel Bowen

Public Transport Users Association @ptua.org.au · 10d

Tomorrow! Bus fest!
Stop by from 10am-1pm in Werribee to enjoy some live music and activities for the kids.
Share your story of using public transport in Melbourne's West. Show your support for a system of fast, frequent, and connected buses!
More details www.melbournefoe.org...

A person holding a baby, looking at a bus at a stop

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Reposted by Daniel Bowen

Naththan @nathanpittman.bsky.social · 11d

Tram driver over PA: “Attention passengers. A reminder that vaping is not allowed on trams. It’s easy to act like a human being”.

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Daniel Bowen @danielbowen.au · 11d

Building motorways is more important than keeping the trains running, apparently.

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Daniel Bowen @danielbowen.au · 11d

The Clifton Hill derailment preliminary ATSB report is out. As you’d expect they detail what happened, but leave questions about why for the more detailed final report.
Notable: it took about three hours to get the passengers off the train. www.atsb.gov.au/media/news-i... #MetroTrains #Melbourne

www.atsb.gov.au

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Daniel Bowen @danielbowen.au · 11d

For those catching a train in #Melbourne this morning: Metro Bingo!

Trains mostly running okay (except on where they're not), but "We are currently experiencing an issue affecting information displays across a number of train lines, as well as our website and apps."

Metro web site line status, showing all lines as Blue: Travel Alert

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Daniel Bowen @danielbowen.au · 12d

When you’ve got the second monitor for your home office but you haven’t got it working yet. #NewScreens

Two screens above railway station ramp. Only one is working.

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Reposted by Daniel Bowen

The Driven @thedriven.io · 12d

We don't have to add 5 million EVs by 2035. What we actually need to do is remove 5,000,000 ICE vehicles - what we replace them with is up to us.

On yer bike! Australia needs to remove 5 million ICE vehicles by 2035, how we do it is up to us

We don't have to add 5 million EVs by 2035. What we actually need to do is remove 5,000,000 ICE vehicles - what we replace them with is up to us.

thedriven.io

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