Public Transport Victoria

Last updated

Public Transport Victoria
Public Transport Victoria logo.svg
Agency overview
Formed2 April 2012 (2012-04-02)
Preceding agencies
TypeStatutory authority
Jurisdiction Government of Victoria
Headquarters Collins Street, Melbourne, Australia
Employees504 (June 2018)
Minister responsible
Agency executives
  • Jeroen Weimar, CEO (2016–2019)
  • Mark Wild, CEO (2014–2016)
  • Ian Dobbs, CEO (2012–2014)
Parent department Department of Transport and Planning
Website www.ptv.vic.gov.au

Public Transport Victoria (PTV) is the brand name for public transport in the Australian state of Victoria. It was previously the trading name of the Public Transport Development Authority (PTDA), a now-defunct statutory authority in Victoria, responsible for providing, coordinating, and promoting public transport.

Contents

Melbourne train logo.svg
Melbourne tram logo.svg
Victoria bus logo.svg
Victoria train logo.svg
Victoria coach logo.svg
Melbourne ferry logo.svg
Melbourne skybus logo.svg
The PTV public transport roundels. Left to right: Melbourne train, tram, bus, regional train, coach, ferry, airport bus

PTV began operating on 2 April 2012, taking over many of the responsibilities previously exercised by the Director of Public Transport and the Department of Transport. It also took over the marketing of public transport in Victoria from Metlink and Viclink, as well as responsibility for the myki ticketing system, formerly handled by the Transport Ticketing Authority. [1] [2]

PTV's functions were transferred to the Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) on 1 July 2019. However, PTV continues to exist as the brand for public transport services in Victoria and refers to the Public Transport division of DTP.

Governance

PTV was the trading name of the Public Transport Development Authority (PTDA). The PTDA was established by the Transport Legislation Amendment (Public Transport Development Authority) Act 2011, [3] passed by the Parliament of Victoria in November 2011, which positioned the agency under the State's primary transport statute, the Transport Integration Act. The legislation provides that the "...primary object of the Public Transport Development Authority is to plan, coordinate, provide, operate and maintain a safe, punctual, reliable and clean public transport system....". [4]

Key functions

Melbourne train logo.svg
Melbourne tram logo.svg
Victoria bus logo.svg
Victoria train logo.svg
Victoria coach logo.svg
Melbourne ferry logo.svg
Melbourne skybus logo.svg
The PTV public transport roundels. Left to right: metro train, tram, metro/regional bus, regional train, coach, ferry, SkyBus
Metro Trains Melbourne HCMT 9008 at Seddon 319A2387.jpg
Metro Trains Melbourne HCMT 9008 at Seddon
Yarra Trams E-class tram Melbourne Tram E-Class 6007.jpg
Yarra Trams E-class tram
Transdev Melbourne Volgren bodied Scania K230UB in Queen Street in December 2013 Transdev Melbourne number 413 (5913AO) Volgren bodied Scania in PTV livery on route 216 in Queen St, December 2013.jpg
Transdev Melbourne Volgren bodied Scania K230UB in Queen Street in December 2013
V/Line VLocity train at Wyndham Vale Wyndham Vale Railway Station (cropped).jpg
V/Line VLocity train at Wyndham Vale
A V/Line coach stopped at a bus rank at Sale railway station Coach at Sale station -- June 2022.jpg
A V/Line coach stopped at a bus rank at Sale railway station
Leaflet given to alleged fare-evaders after being booked by authorised officers Leaflet given to fare-evaders on public transport in Victoria.jpg
Leaflet given to alleged fare-evaders after being booked by authorised officers

Government expectations

In introducing the legislation, the then Minister for Public Transport, Terry Mulder, observed that:

"This bill is an essential step to fix the problems in Victoria's public transport system. The bill establishes a new statutory authority, the Public Transport Development Authority (PTDA), to plan, coordinate and manage all metropolitan and regional train, tram, and bus services.

The PTDA will focus on the basics of a good public transport system.

It will be responsible and accountable for achieving significant improvement in the reliability, efficiency, and integration of public transport services across the state.

In a key change of focus, the new authority will put passengers first.

It will operate as the face of public transport, providing a single shopfront for passengers and stakeholders.

No longer will Victorians have to endure the confusion, the blame shifting, and the frustration that characterised the state's troubled public transport system over the previous decade." [5]

Contracting activities with train, tram, and bus operators

PTV enters into contracts with transport operators on behalf of the State to provide train, tram, and bus services throughout Victoria. The key franchise contracts which were transferred to PTV from the former Director of Public Transport relate to:

VicTrack, the custodian of all rail infrastructure and assets in Victoria, leases the metropolitan train and tram infrastructure and assets to PTV through the Metropolitan Infrastructure Head Lease. PTV then sub-leases the assets to the metropolitan train and tram operators through Infrastructure Leases. PTV manages the rights and obligations contained in these leases on behalf of the State. PTV also enters into franchise agreements with the metropolitan train and tram operators that govern the provision of public transport services. The franchise agreements specify a range of operational and service requirements administered and managed by PTV.

Regional rail services operated by V/Line Corporation are subject to similar arrangements involving VicTrack and PTV. VicTrack leases the regional rail infrastructure and assets to PTV which then sub-leases them to V/Line under the Regional Infrastructure Lease. Similarly, PTV and V/Line have entered into a franchise agreement that governs the operational and service requirements for regional rail services.

PTV's position in the transport portfolio

PTV is one of the statutory agencies in the Victorian transport portfolio whose activities are coordinated by the Department of Transport and Planning. These agencies can be divided into three main types: statutory offices, statutory authorities, and independent transport safety agencies.

Together with the DoT, the agencies provide, manage, and regulate transport system activities in Victoria including:

Key people

The inaugural chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of PTV was Ian Dobbs, who had headed the former Victorian Public Transport Corporation between 1993 and 1998. [9] On 1 February 2014, the positions of chairman and CEO were split, as provided for in the original legislation, and Mark Wild was appointed CEO of PTV, with Dobbs remaining as chairman until his appointment was not renewed. [10] Mark Wild resigned as CEO following several network failures in January 2016, and Jeroen Weimar took over as Acting CEO and was appointed to a full-time position in September 2016. [11] He remained CEO until the functions of PTV were absorbed into the Department of Transport in 2019.

PTV also had its own Board, including a community representative. [12] The board was disbanded in 2018, and an executive board replaced it until the functions of PTV passed to the Department of Transport.

Authorised officers

Authorised officers perform a ticket inspection role across the public transport network and have special powers on buses, trains, and trams, as well as at public transport stops and stations. They have the authority to ask to see a passenger's ticket or concession card and to confiscate tickets for use as evidence or in some cases other items. If they reasonably believe an offence has occurred, they have the authority to ask for a passenger's name, address, and proof of identity, and they can make a report to the Department of Transport and Planning and may issue a fine to the offender. Authorised officers can also arrest passengers in some circumstances but cannot use unnecessary force. [13]

The conduct of some authorised officers has been the subject of public concern due to complaints about the excessive use of force. In 2013, a 15-year-old girl was picked up and tackled after assaulting two officers due to being stopped over a ticketing offence. [14] There were 220 formal complaints about authorised officers in the 2013 financial year, compared with 138 a year earlier. [15]

Abolition

PTV ceased to exist as an independent entity on 30 June 2019 and merged with VicRoads as part of the creation of the new Department of Transport. A transport branding strategy was proposed to be completed before the merge took effect, [16] [17] [18] but no re-branding had been announced by mid-2023. PTV continues to be the brand of public transport services in Victoria.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trams in Melbourne</span> Tramway network in Victoria, Australia

The Melbourne tramway network is a tramway system serving the city of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The tramway network is centred around the Melbourne central business district (CBD) and consists of approximately 1,700 tram stops across 24 routes. It is the largest operational urban tram network in the world and one of the most used, with more than 500 trams and 250 kilometres of double tram track. It served a patronage of 206 million over the year 2017-2018. Trams are the second most utilised form of public transport in Melbourne after the city's metropolitan commuter railway network.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Metlink</span> Defunct marketing arm for transportation providers in Melbourne, Australia

Metlink was the marketing body and umbrella brand for public train, tram and bus transport operators in Melbourne, Australia. On 2 April 2012, the operations of Metlink were transferred to the newly created public transport planning and management authority, Public Transport Victoria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yarra Trams</span> Tram operator in Melbourne, Australia

Yarra Trams is the trading name of the operator of the tram network in Melbourne, Australia, which is owned by VicTrack and leased to Yarra Trams by the Victorian Department of Transport and Planning. The current franchise is operated by Keolis Downer. As at May 2014, Yarra Trams operate 487 trams, across 26 tram routes and a free City Circle tourist tram, over 1,763 tram stops. With 250 km (155.3 mi) of double track, Melbourne's tram network is the largest in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Railways in Melbourne</span> Railway network in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

The Melbourne rail network is a metropolitan suburban and freight rail system serving the city of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The metropolitan rail network is centred around the Melbourne central business district (CBD) and consists of 221 railway stations across 16 lines, which served a patronage of 99.5 million over the year 2021–2022. It is the core of the larger Victorian railway network, with regional links to both intrastate and interstate rail systems.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">V/Line</span> Australian railway company

V/Line is a statutory authority that operates regional passenger train and coach services in the Australian state of Victoria. It provides passenger train services on five commuter lines and eight long-distance routes from its major hub at Southern Cross railway station in Melbourne. It also provides bus services across Victoria and into New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory and South Australia. In addition, V/Line is responsible for the maintenance of much of the Victorian freight and passenger rail network outside of the areas managed by Metro Trains Melbourne and the Australian Rail Track Corporation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buses in Melbourne</span> Australian Transportation

Buses in Melbourne, Australia, are a major form of public transport in Melbourne, with an extensive bus network. There are 346 routes in operation with a varying range of service frequencies, operated by privately owned bus companies under franchise from the State Government. The Night Network bus system consists of 10 routes and operates on Friday and Saturday nights, and a SmartBus orbital bus network currently consisting of nine routes, which is intended to facilitate cross city travel, while the current network is predominantly a radial network. Most of the bus network is a covered by the myki ticketing system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transport in Melbourne</span> Overview of transport in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Transport in Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia, consists of several interlinking modes. Melbourne is a hub for intercity, intracity and regional travel. Road-based transport accounts for most trips across many parts of the city, facilitated by Australia's largest freeway network. Public transport, including the world's largest tram network, trains and buses, also forms a key part of the transport system. Other dominant modes include walking, cycling and commercial-passenger vehicle services such as taxis.

VicRoads is a government joint venture in the state of Victoria, Australia. In the state, it is responsible for driver licensing and vehicle registration. It is owned and operated through a joint venture between the Victorian government and a consortium made up of Aware Super, Australian Retirement Trust and Macquarie Asset Management.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Public Transport Corporation</span> Former statutory authority of the government of Victoria, Australia

The Public Transport Corporation (PTC) was a Victoria State Government owned statutory authority formed under the Transport Act 1983 which operated passenger and freight trains, trams and bus services.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Metropolitan Transit Authority (Victoria)</span> Former public transport operator in Melbourne, Australia

The Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA), known to the general public as The Met, was a Government of Victoria owned corporate body that operated suburban passenger trains, trams and buses in Victoria, Australia. It was set up under Section 15 of the Transport Act 1983 and commenced operation on 1 July 1983. It was a statutory body set up to manage the trams and buses formerly operated by the Melbourne & Metropolitan Tramways Board, the metropolitan train operations of the former VicRail, and the operations of the former Melbourne Underground Rail Loop Authority.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">VicTrack</span> Government owned company jn Victoria, Australia

VicTrack, trading as the Victorian Rail Track Corporation, is a Victorian Government state-owned enterprise which owns all railway and tram lines, associated rail lands and other rail-related infrastructure in the state of Victoria, Australia, with the exception of the Emerald Tourist Railway Board's heritage Puffing Billy Railway.

Transport law is the area of law dealing with transport. The laws can apply very broadly at a transport system level or more narrowly to transport things or activities within that system such as vehicles, things and behaviours. Transport law is generally found in two main areas:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Metro Trains Melbourne</span> Public transport operator in Melbourne, Australia

Metro Trains Melbourne, often known simply as Metro, is the operator and brand name of train services on the electrified metropolitan rail network serving the city of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is the largest urban rail network in Australia, with 17 lines and 221 stations across 405 km (252 mi) of railways, and the second busiest network in Australia, with a patronage of 99.5 million as of 2021–2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transport Integration Act 2010</span>

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 Transport Act 1983, which was renamed as the Transport Act 1983.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Department of Transport (Victoria, 2008–2013)</span> Former government agency of Victoria, Australia

The Department of Transport (DOT) was the government agency responsible for the coordination, integration and regulation of the transport system in the State of Victoria, Australia. The department generated planning, policy, and legislation for transport in Victoria. As a result, the department drove the integration of Victoria's transport land and water transport systems and the delivery of public transport, road and port services and associated activities across the State. The department's stated mission was "Building a safer, fairer and greener transport system for all Victorians to create a more prosperous and connected community."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Director of Public Transport</span> Head of an Australian government agency

The Director of Public Transport was the head of the Public Transport Division (PTD) of the Victorian Department of Transport. PTD was the government agency responsible for promoting, providing, coordinating and regulating public transport in the state of Victoria, Australia between August 1999 and June 2013. The Director of Public Transport was created as a statutory office supported by staff of the Department of Transport.

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Network Development Plan – Metropolitan Rail</span>

The Network Development Plan – Metropolitan Rail was a long-term development plan for the rail network of Melbourne, Australia. It was written by Public Transport Victoria (PTV) and released to the public on 27 March 2013 under the Napthine government and received minor updates in 2016.

Transport for Victoria is a statutory office of the Department of Transport and Planning that is responsible for the planning and coordination of all transport systems in Victoria, Australia.

The Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) is a government department in Victoria, Australia. Commencing operation on 1 January 2019 as the Department of Transport (DOT), the DOT was formed in machinery of government changes made by Premier Daniel Andrews after the re-election of his Labor government at the 2018 Victorian state election. The re-shuffle saw the "super-ministry" Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources abolished and its functions reassigned to the DOT and Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions.

References

  1. Ashley Gardiner (22 March 2012). "Transport bureaucrats told to hit the road". Herald Sun. Archived from the original on 16 July 2020. Retrieved 1 April 2012.
  2. "Public Transport Victoria now operating". 1 April 2012. Archived from the original on 7 July 2012. Retrieved 1 April 2012.
  3. See section 3, Transport Legislation Amendment (Public Transport Development Authority) Act 2011.
  4. New section 79AD added to the Transport Integration Act by section 3 of the Transport Legislation Amendment (Public Transport Development Authority) Act 2011
  5. Terry Mulder MLA, Hansard, Legislative Assembly, 14 September 2011, page 3210.
  6. "Welcome". Bus Association Victoria Inc. Archived from the original on 7 December 2013. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
  7. Note, some shipping matters are controlled by the Commonwealth government under legislation such as the Navigation Act 1912. Other matters are within the jurisdiction of states such as Victoria through Acts such as the Transport Integration Act and other statutes such as the Marine Act 1988.
  8. Note, many air transport regulation matters are controlled by the Commonwealth Government. The Transport Integration Act would apply, for example, to planning controls at some airports and in respect of transport connections to other airports by road and rail.
  9. Clay Lucas (24 August 2011). "Comeback for Kennett-era transport chief". The Age. Archived from the original on 16 August 2017. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
  10. "New Chief Executive Officer for Public Transport Victoria". Public Transport Victoria. Archived from the original on 17 March 2014. Retrieved 17 March 2014.
  11. "Appointment Of Public Transport Victoria CEO". Premier of Victoria. 9 September 2016. Archived from the original on 23 August 2018. Retrieved 23 August 2018.
  12. Bowen, Daniel (2 April 2012). "PTV: it's more than just rebranding, but will it make a difference?". Diary of an Average Australian. Archived from the original on 17 March 2014. Retrieved 17 March 2014.
  13. "Ticket Inspectors". Archived from the original on 30 March 2019. Retrieved 30 March 2019.
  14. Adam Carey (11 December 2013). "Girl 'spear tackled' by Metro officer is under Anglicare's guardianship". The Age. Archived from the original on 13 December 2013. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
  15. Nick Toscano (28 November 2013). "MELBOURNE: Myki, inspector complaints soar". Wyndham Weekly. Archived from the original on 14 December 2013. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
  16. Carey, Adam (4 April 2019). "Big merger: VicRoads and PTV to become one mega-agency". The Age. Archived from the original on 6 April 2019. Retrieved 7 April 2019.
  17. Donaldson, David (3 April 2019). "VicRoads and PTV to be rolled into Transport Department". The Mandarin. Archived from the original on 7 April 2019. Retrieved 7 April 2019.
  18. "The end of VicRoads, PTV: Neil Mitchell's inside word on Victoria's transport merger". 3AW News. 4 April 2019. Archived from the original on 7 April 2019. Retrieved 7 April 2019.