Public Transport Corporation

"Hillside Trains" redirects here. For the company that was formerly Hillside Trains, see Connex Melbourne.

"Bayside Trains" redirects here. For the company that was formerly Bayside Trains, see M-Train.

Green and Gold "The Met" logo from the 1990s

Tangerine V/Line logo from the 1980s

The Public Transport Corporation was a State Government of Victoria owned corporate body formed under the Transport Act 1983 which operated passenger and freight trains, trams and bus services in Victoria, Australia.

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 and the Metropolitan Transit Authority. In suburban Melbourne it traded as "The Met" while in regional Victoria it operated as "V/Line".

The operational rail activities of the corporation were franchised in 1999 by the Kennett Government through the intermediary of a new agency, the Director of Public Transport, 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 (the Victorian Rail Track Corporation). VicTrack then leased those assets to the Director of Public Transport, which in turned sub leased the assets to the new private operators.

Formation

V/Line branded train in 1993

V/Line Freight livered locomotive X43

The Public Transport Corporation was initially established under changes made to the Transport Act 1983 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 and gold 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 was Ian Dobbs.

Demise

See also: V/Line, Freight Victoria, Connex Melbourne, Yarra Trams, M-Train, and M-Tram

Franchising of the Victoria Public Transport Corporation commenced under the Kennett 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.

See also

• VicTrack
• V/Line
• Director of Public Transport
• Transport Integration Act
• Transport Act 1983
• Transport (Compliance and Miscellaneous) Act 1983

References

• Public Record Office Victoria - Metropolitan Transit Authority
• Public Record Office Victoria - State Transport Authority
• Public Record Office Victoria - Public Transport Corporation

Preceded by State Transport Authority	Passenger rail in Victoria 1989–1999	Succeeded by V/Line Passenger
	Freight rail in Victoria 1989–1999	Succeeded by Freight Victoria
Preceded by Metropolitan Transit Authority	Railways in Melbourne 1989–1999	Succeeded by Connex Melbourne M>Train
	Trams in Melbourne 1989–1999	Succeeded by Yarra Trams M>Tram