Public Transport Corporation
Encyclopedia
Government of Victoria
The Government of Victoria, under the Constitution of Australia, ceded certain legislative and judicial powers to the Commonwealth, but retained complete independence in all other areas...
owned corporate body formed under the Transport Act 1983
Transport Act 1983
The Transport Act 1983 was the main statute establishing government transport organisations and regulating land transport activities in the State of Victoria, Australia for 27 years from mid 1983 to mid 2010...
which operated passenger and freight train
Freight train
A freight train or goods train is a group of freight cars or goods wagons hauled by one or more locomotives on a railway, ultimately transporting cargo between two points as part of the logistics chain...
s, tram
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
s and bus services in Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
The Corporation was also responsible for directly operating some bus services and procuring bus services from private operators. The Public Transport Corporation was established from 1 July 1989 as a result of the passage and commencement of the Transport (Amendment) Act 1989 to manage the responsibilities of the State Transport Authority
State Transport Authority (Victoria)
The State Transport Authority was a State Government of Victoria owned corporate body which operated country passenger and freight trains in Victoria, Australia. It was established under the Transport Act 1983, succeeding the Victorian Railways...
and the Metropolitan Transit Authority
Metropolitan Transit Authority (Victoria)
The Metropolitan Transit Authority was a State 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...
. In suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
an Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
it traded as "The Met" while in regional Victoria it operated as "V/Line
V/Line
V/Line is a not for profit regional passenger train and coach service in Victoria, Australia. It was created after the split-up of VicRail in 1983. V/Line is owned by the V/Line Corporation which is a Victorian State Government statutory authority...
".
The operational rail activities of the corporation were franchised
Franchising
Franchising is the practice of using another firm's successful business model. The word 'franchise' is of anglo-French derivation - from franc- meaning free, and is used both as a noun and as a verb....
in 1999 by the Kennett Government through the intermediary of a new agency, the Director of Public Transport
Director of Public Transport
The Director of Public Transport is the Government agency responsible for promoting, providing, coordinating and regulating public transport in the State of Victoria, Australia...
, a statutory office within the Department of Transport. The Director was required entered into franchise agreements with private rail and tram companies for the on the ground delivery of public transport services. The land and infrastructure assets of the Public Transport Corporation were transferred to another new agency, VicTrack
VicTrack
VicTrack is the Victorian Government agency which owns all railway and tram lines, associated rail lands and other related rail-related infrastructure in the state of Victoria, Australia....
(the Victorian Rail Track Corporation). VicTrack
VicTrack
VicTrack is the Victorian Government agency which owns all railway and tram lines, associated rail lands and other related rail-related infrastructure in the state of Victoria, Australia....
then leased those assets to the Director of Public Transport
Director of Public Transport
The Director of Public Transport is the Government agency responsible for promoting, providing, coordinating and regulating public transport in the State of Victoria, Australia...
, which in turned sub leased the assets to the new private operators.
Formation
Transport Act 1983
The Transport Act 1983 was the main statute establishing government transport organisations and regulating land transport activities in the State of Victoria, Australia for 27 years from mid 1983 to mid 2010...
by the Transport (Amendment) Act 1989. The statutory changes abolished the former State Transport Authority and Metropolitan Transit Authority thereby creating the Public Transport Corporation in its place. The functions of the Corporation were an amalgamation of those of its two predecessors. The green
Green
Green is a color, the perception of which is evoked by light having a spectrum dominated by energy with a wavelength of roughly 520–570 nanometres. In the subtractive color system, it is not a primary color, but is created out of a mixture of yellow and blue, or yellow and cyan; it is considered...
and gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
livery on vehicles was retained, though with a new "double arrow" logo.
The Public Transport Corporation was subject to the control and general direction of the former Director-General of Transport initially and then later to the Secretary to the Department of Transport and, ultimately, the Minister for Transport. A fourteen-member Public Transport Corporation Board was appointed by the Minister to provide advice to the Chief Executive of the Corporation. The Chief Executive of the Corporation before its responsibilities were assumed by the Director of Public Transport
Director of Public Transport
The Director of Public Transport is the Government agency responsible for promoting, providing, coordinating and regulating public transport in the State of Victoria, Australia...
was Ian Dobbs.
Demise
Franchising of the Victoria Public Transport Corporation commenced under the KennettJeff Kennett
Jeffrey Gibb Kennett AC , a former Australian politician, was the Premier of Victoria between 1992 and 1999. He is currently the President of Hawthorn Football Club. He is the founding Chairman of beyondblue, a national depression initiative.- Early life :Kennett was born in Melbourne on 2 March...
Government of the 1990’s. V/Line was split into Passenger and Freight divisions and “The Met” was divided into “Hillside Trains”, “Bayside Trains”, ”Swanston Trams”, and “Yarra Trams”. These separate bodies were all franchised separately as follows:
- V/Line Freight -> 1999 Freight Victoria -> 2004 Pacific National
- V/Line Passenger -> 1999 National Express Group -> 2002 State Government
- Bayside Trains -> 1999 National Express Group (M>Train) -> 2002 State Government -> 2004 Connex Melbourne -> 2009 Metro Trains Melbourne
- Hillside Trains -> 1999 Connex Melbourne -> 2009 Metro Trains Melbourne
- Swanston Trams -> 1999 National Express Group (M>Tram) -> 2002 State Government -> 2004 Yarra Trams Consortium
- Yarra Trams -> 1999 Yarra Trams Consortium
The remainder of the functions of the PTC were transferred to Metlink
Metlink
Metlink, formerly The Met, is the marketing body and umbrella brand for public train, tram and bus transport operators in Greater Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.-Responsibilities:Metlink is responsible for the promotion of travel by public transport...
.
See also
- VicTrackVicTrackVicTrack is the Victorian Government agency which owns all railway and tram lines, associated rail lands and other related rail-related infrastructure in the state of Victoria, Australia....
- V/LineV/LineV/Line is a not for profit regional passenger train and coach service in Victoria, Australia. It was created after the split-up of VicRail in 1983. V/Line is owned by the V/Line Corporation which is a Victorian State Government statutory authority...
- Director of Public TransportDirector of Public TransportThe Director of Public Transport is the Government agency responsible for promoting, providing, coordinating and regulating public transport in the State of Victoria, Australia...
- Transport Integration ActTransport Integration ActThe 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 former Transport Act 1983....
- Transport Act 1983Transport Act 1983The Transport Act 1983 was the main statute establishing government transport organisations and regulating land transport activities in the State of Victoria, Australia for 27 years from mid 1983 to mid 2010...
- Transport (Compliance and Miscellaneous) Act 1983Transport (Compliance and Miscellaneous) Act 1983The 'Transport Act 1983' is a prime statute regulating transport activities in the State of Victoria, Australia...