Tuesday, February 27, 2024

Transporting the fans

It is not unknown for the Melbourne Cricket Ground to cater for around 100,000 people. 

People arrive by train, train and tram, tram alone and on foot after getting to the city by train.  

The sell out concerts by Taylor Swift were amazing. There was no public car parking beyond for the very posh set. It was all about public transport. 

I think YouTuber Phillip Mallis left out the point of people getting to the Flinders Street Melbourne Richmond and Jolimont Stations and then the venue by train/walk and train/tram but his video is still quite a good indication of how things work here for major events. It is an eight minute clip. He is a good presenter.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1X42qWBNTLo

Later: I heard some concert attendees had parked in the nearest city private car park and it took them forever to get out because of traffic. I also heard after a subsequent event at Docklands Stadium where there is car parking under the stadium, it was taking people forty minutes to leave the car park. Southern Cross Station, the second busiest station in Melbourne is a few minutes from the stadium. Why do people torture themselves with their obsessive and impractical car usage? 

29 comments:

  1. That was a very informative video. You're right - he is a good presenter.

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    1. Thanks JB. He is good and is well respected.

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  2. Since thousands of extra trams and trains were added to the schedule during the three days of concerts, driving and parking family cars seemed absurd. Even if some people didn't give a hoot about causing chaos for others, getting out after the concert to drive home must have been chaotic.

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    1. Hels, they do indeed make it worse for others. It really is the only practical manner to attend such large events.

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  3. So it is the carparks near suburban train stations fully parked and congested

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    1. Possibly Roentare. Ideally their local bus service should get them to stations but we know the bus services are very inadequate.

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  4. The car is still King for so many of the population. It will be difficult to wean people off them I think.

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    1. JayCee, I understand how some are so car focused, nothing else will be good enough for them, and they often lose out when stuck in traffic.

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  5. Melbourne does have a great public transport system. We have a pretty good busway system which I used the other day to get into the Mater Hospital to see a specialist. Much easier than driving. Unfortunately I had to drive to the bus station because no public buses come to the end of the streeet where our village is. The worst aspect of our situation.

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    1. Diane, while trams are better than buses, your bus system when we used it the year before last was very good. We could get to everywhere we wanted to go by either train or bus. The Gold Coast was also good, even if there were some rather rough passengers at time but that was just on one bus. The trams were fine.

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  6. It been ages since I been a major concert.

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    1. Dora, you are a step ahead of me. I've never been to a large concert.

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  7. A little off topic here, I heard and saw on the news the turf now needs to be replaced after the fans trampled it, and that happened again a little while ago when fans trampled it for some other event. Replacing turf is hugely expensive, particularly more than once a year. Why can't cities build dedicated huge concert venues instead of mucking up the sports ovals?

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    1. That's a good point River and I guess that is one reason concerts are so expensive to put on and the ticket prices ridiculous. But fans pay it. The crowd wasn't on the grass, just the stage and all the equipment, and vehicles to move it all. I suppose a venue could be built to hold 90,000 plus but it would be huge.

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  8. I would even go on public transport (hate it here and have never done it since school) to a big concert like that due to the traffic etc..

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    1. Margaret, like people do for Melbourne Cup and associated other races. They are probably for many their only public transport trips for the year.

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  9. I saw a great time lapse short somewhere showing the concert goers boarding trains in Sydney (Twitter maybe because people from o/seas were asking about car parking nearby) The platform filled - then was empty as the train departed.
    Oh and did you see/hear your ex senator neighbour has announced he’s running for Lord Mayor?

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    1. Cathy, that is the way public transport should work.
      I saw said protentional LM yesterday as we were crossing the road and I said to him, Good Morning Mr Mayor. He ignored me. I think he is a bit hard of hearing and our normal conversations are within the building. He would need to support of City of Melbourne factions to become Lord Mayor. I can't see that happening. But once again the Human Headline became a headline.

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  10. I can be home, in the time it takes to get out of the parking area.

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  11. That's the smart way to do huge public events, so the crush of cars doesn't last hours upon hours.

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    1. Strayer, that's right. Less stress and fun travelling in public with all the other fans.

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  12. "Don't want to hear any bad blood between ya!"

    Love it!

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  13. Public transport would have been the way to go for sure. Taylor Swift is certainly a phenom isn't she?
    Sandra sandracox.blogspot.com

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    1. Sandra, even when young I never quite got the passion of some pop music lovers. People are certainly passionate about Ms Swift.

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  14. Interesting and clever. Thanks for sharing.

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