[tayser]

Yep, the stats on Melbourne's bus network are abysmal - our problem relates to state governments not wanting to piss off the average car driver through implementing higher priority for public transport modes (unless it involves rails).

But this: "A 50km-long suburban subway line doesn't seem like the solution." misses the point, sure part of it is all about mode-shift, lessening congestion on north-south arterials in the east and west, and east-west arterials in the north, but the proposal has come from Development Victoria which is focused on land development. In short, it's far more about changing the way the city (city = metro) operates well into the future, there's been significant planning work done in most of the key station areas for the SRL that is designed to see many clusters developed in a ring around the metro area.