- Published:
- Saturday 16 January 2016
The Andrews Labor Government’s trial of all night public transport is helping Melbourne’s shift workers get home safer and sooner.
Acting Premier James Merlino visited Crown Melbourne today. Crown is the city’s biggest single-site employer with more than 9,400 people employed on site, many of whom leave work well after midnight.
For many people who work late for a living, getting home used to be difficult and expensive. Now there are trains, trams and buses running all night, getting people back home from work for a fraction of the cost of a cab.
Night Network provides 300 train and 250 tram services each weekend, supported by 21 new bus routes departing from the city and suburban train stations across Melbourne.
New figures show the number of people using Night Network has increased by 50 per cent in its second week of operation. More than 15,000 people used night trams, trains and buses last weekend, up from around 10,000 on the first weekend.
These numbers are expected to increase further as Victorians become more aware of the new services on offer to enjoy a night out or get home from work.
Patronage data will form part of future considerations for late-night public transport beyond the Night Network trial, along with passenger and community feedback.
People are encouraged to provide their feedback on Night Network services at ptv.vic.gov.au/getinvolved.
Quotes attributable to Acting Premier James Merlino
"For people who work late for a living, like those in essential services and hospitality, Night Network makes getting home safer, cheaper and easier."
"More than 5,000 extra people used Night Network last weekend – a 50 per cent increase – and we expect that number to grow as people become more aware of the hundreds of extra services on offer."
"The Andrews Labor Government is delivering all night public transport so people can enjoy the world’s most liveable city for longer and get home safer and sooner, every weekend."
Quotes attributable to Alicia Gleeson, Executive General Manager – Human Resources Crown Melbourne
"Crown Melbourne is one of the city’s most visited tourism destinations and provides employment for more than 9,400 people, with a significant number of employees completing their shift in the early hours of the morning"
"The Night Network will provide an affordable option for our employees and customers to get home safely on weekends"