Public Transport

From mainstream to the poor persons transport and back to mainstream

The City of Melbourne was designed around the train stations. Up until around 1950 the city expanded as the train line expanded. In Bendigo we had a tram network to four corners of the city. From the fifties we pulled the tram lines up and built suburbs around the car and the freeway. Public transport became a backwater for low income travel. Indeed in the 1970's  Margaret Thatcher once remarked that she considered 'a 26 year old on public transport to be a failure'. 

Globally this is changing as we come to realise that the car has not been good for society after all. The tram tracks may be buried under View Street now, but there is much going on in Bendigo. The bus network has been improved and better linked to the train station, the train service is much better and trials are underway using the Talking Tram as a commute option.

To move beyond the car public transport has to mix with walkability and bikeability and the city is currently undergoing great improvements in both. 

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Hint
Cycling Habits
Sometimes the decision to ditch the car and ride a bike is too big. Try riding to work one day a week. You'll reduce your fuel by 20% and start to create a new habit. Once you're in the habit, after a year or so the car might not be needed.