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www.brunswicklabor.net is a website/blog devoted to the dissemination of news about Labor in Brunswick, Carlo Carli MP and progressive/radical ideas.www.carlocarli.net is authorised by Christopher Anderson, 3/58 Heller Cres, Brunswick West, 3055. chris@brunswicklabor.net
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Friday, March 7. 2008
"Early Bird" to be rolled out across metro trains
Carlo Carli MP has welcomed the announcement that all Melbourne metropolitan train passengers will get free early morning travel from the end of this month following a trial of the ‘Early Bird’ ticket.
The Early Bird Metcard, which provides free travel for passengers scheduled to arrive at their destination by 7am, would be expanded across all 15 lines on the metropolitan train network.
Surveys during the trial on the Sydenham and Frankston lines have shown that more than a quarter of travellers using the Early Bird tickets had changed the time of their travel to take advantage of the free travel. During each morning peak period, about 150,000 passengers use the train system. By extending the Early Bird to all metropolitan train lines, we hope to encourage more people to take up the opportunity to travel for free.
The Early Bird was trialled on the Sydenham and Frankston lines. The 10xEarly Bird ticket will provide free travel for passengers on trains scheduled to arrive at their destination by 7am. It will be available to people travelling in both peak and non-peak directions.
The Early Bird means a zone 1 and 2 trip scheduled to arrive at its destination by 7am will be free, saving commuters up to $47.40 a fortnight on the normal cost of 10x 2-hourly ticket. Passengers who use a 10xEarly Bird ticket combined with a 10x 2-hourly for their return journey in the afternoon or evening can save about $1200 a year – this is a significant cost saving.
The Early Bird Metcard will be available for at least two years and will be reviewed as the Government’s order of 18 new six-carriage trains starts to be delivered in a staged roll-out from late 2009. During the morning peak the 18 trains will be able to carry more than 14,000 passengers, equivalent to six freeway lanes during the peak.
The 10xEarly Bird Metcard will be available from premium stations across the network, including CBD stations. Each Card will be valid for 10 morning trips. Tickets will be available from March 24 and can be used on pre-7am services from March 31.
Early morning travel isn’t for everybody. However, some people may find it gives them greater flexibility in starting work earlier and finishing earlier, which can have great lifestyle benefits – and of course, free travel is a great incentive in itself.
For more information about free early morning train travel with Early Bird, visit www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au
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