The Coalition Government has welcomed the findings and endorsed the recommendations of the Victorian Auditor-General's report on public transport performance, Minister for Public Transport Terry Mulder said today.

The most recent quarterly telephone surveys of travellers using Melbourne's trains, trams and buses show that passenger satisfaction is at its highest level in years, Minister for Public Transport Terry Mulder said today.

Melbourne's newest bike path was officially opened today by Parliamentary Secretary for Transport Edward O'Donohue and Member for Northern Metropolitan Craig Ondarchie.

Works on the $2 million Lardners Track road and level crossing upgrade project to improve safety at the rail/road intersection were underway with road works commencing onsite, the Minister for Public Transport and Roads Terry Mulder announced today.

The Coalition Government's reopening of the Dimboola to Rainbow line with the first grain train meant that up to 100,000 extra tonnes of Victorian grain would move annually by rail, Parliamentary Secretary for Transport Edward O'Donohue said today.

Plans to upgrade the Western Highway duplication between Ballarat and Stawell reached a major milestone today with a $152 million contract awarded for works on the divided highway section from Burrumbeet to Trawalla, a distance of approximately 23 km.

"Melbourne's tram and bus patronage is continuing to rise each quarter while train patronage, although higher than a year ago, has dropped in the latest quarter compared with the same period a year ago," Minister for Public Transport Terry Mulder said today.

Minister for Public Transport Terry Mulder visited Daylesford today to meet with Daylesford Spa Country Railway volunteers and officially open a new train stabling shed for its historic fleet.

Two upgraded tram stops have opened in the CBD as part of the Victorian Coalition Government's continuing efforts to improve accessibility on the network, Public Transport Minister Terry Mulder said today.

The Coalition Government's fulfilled election commitment of a new weekday Westgate Punt ferry for cyclists and pedestrians to cross under the West Gate Bridge has attracted more than 5,000 users in a little more than three months, Minister for Public Transport Terry Mulder said today.

Southbank Tram Depot is set to receive a $24 million upgrade in a venture that will create more than 50 jobs and will help prepare the network for the arrival of 50 new low-floor trams.

A new bridge over the Peninsula Link freeway in Frankston South will mean better safety for drivers, cyclists, pedestrians and school children, Parliamentary Secretary for Transport Edward O'Donohue said today.

A Department of Transport analysis of official punctuality figures for Melbourne's trains shows a considerable improvement by rail operator Metro in its latest seven months compared with its first seven months, Minister for Public Transport Terry Mulder said today.

Passengers will travel for free this week to mark more than 800 new weekly bus services in the Latrobe Valley, Parliamentary Secretary for Transport Edward O'Donohue said today.

The transition to myki continues with plans for 800 places to buy and top up a myki card, the gradual phasing out of Metcard tickets from sale and machines from stations, and the planned introduction of customer service staff to help people switch across.

The Coalition Government's provision of extra NightRider buses last weekend (17 and 18 December 2011) was successful with not a single passenger left behind in Melbourne's CBD during the surveyed time of 12.30am to 4.30am, Minister for Public Transport Terry Mulder said today.

The cost of a myki public transport smartcard will be markedly reduced while annoying fees for replacement mykis will be abolished, Minister for Public Transport Terry Mulder said today.

Work on the Regional Rail Link – Australia's largest public transport infrastructure project – will ramp-up in theNew Year following the selection of contractors to build its two longest sections as well as install the technology which will manage the flow of trains along this new line and provide 'real-time' information to those using it.

Sunshine railway station will undergo a substantial redevelopment as part of the Regional Rail Link project, bringing major improvements to the station and its surrounds, Federal Infrastructure and Transport Minister Anthony Albanese and Victorian Public Transport Minister Terry Mulder announced today.

Victoria's public transport fares would rise an average 8.6 per cent from 1 January 2012 thanks to the previous Labor Government's 'Buy now, pay later' transport projects and Labor's associated large cost blowouts, Minister for Public Transport Terry Mulder said today.