Statement: Train on time running continues to exceed targets

[ozbob]

http://statements.qld.gov.au/Statement/2013/7/31/train-on-time-running-continues-to-exceed-targets

Minister for Transport and Main Roads
The Honourable Scott Emerson

Train on time running continues to exceed targets

Queensland Rail has achieved its best quarterly on-time running result in more than a decade with 97.42 per cent of services arriving on time during April-to-June.

Transport and Main Roads Minister Scott Emerson said the result maintained strong recent performances for Queensland Rail and showed continued improvement.

"Queensland Rail has introduced a range of measures following our maintenance audit, delivered shortly after coming to government," Mr Emerson said.

"There is now a taskforce dedicated to on-time running, ensuring train control, train crew and station staff all work together to provide the best possible services for customers.

"This will also allow work crews and rail response units to respond more quickly to incidents during peak times.

"These initiatives, combined with our strong focus on network reliability and improved maintenance programs for trains and network infrastructure, are clearly delivering results for commuters.

"Last financial year, 93.63 per cent of trains got our customers to their destination on time during morning and afternoon peaks.

"Over the past financial year Queensland Rail has halved the number of delays due to network and operational issues – from 4,689 in 2011-12 to 2,314 in 2012-13.

"Out of the 12 criteria used to measure on-time running we have seen improvement in all but one in the last financial year compared to 2011-12."

Mr Emerson said survey results showed customer perception of Queensland Rail's commitment to providing regular and reliable services had significantly improved during 2012 - 13 from the previous financial year.

"The key drivers of satisfaction among surveyed commuters in 2012-13 were efficiency, reliability and frequency," he said.

"About three-quarters of passengers surveyed allowed at least five minutes between their arrival time at the station and the train's scheduled departure.

"Being on the platform ready to board when the train arrives plays an important part in improving on-time running."

[ENDS] 31 July 2013                       

[ozbob]

Out of peak delays are still important, even though the numbers impacted not as great.

Time we had full 24 hour performance profiles ...

[ozbob]

Queensland Times --> Trains on track, with 93% turning up on time

[Fares_Fair]

Sunshine Coast Daily  --> http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/news/trains-track-93-turning-time/1966176/

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Too bad if you're late, the train won't wait

SLEEPYHEADS can forget about delaying the train for that extra second because a ruthless approach to tardy passengers is already paying dividends for Queensland Rail.

The company's hard line on latecomers has helped it record its best on-time running performance in eight years.

The first report by the on-time running taskforce, analysing 10 years of data, found fewer than 4000 services ran more than four minutes late in 2012-13, out of 62,458.

The result was a big improvement on the previous year, when 6694 services ran late or not at all, largely as a result of scheduling problems, track and signal faults and train control issues.

Robert Dow, from commuter advocacy group RAIL Back on Track, said guards refusing to delay trains for late passengers, a greater focus on maintenance and timetable improvements had all helped.

"Historically in Queensland things were fairly laid back. If a passenger was still coming down the walkway at one of the suburban stations, the guard would probably hold the train," Mr Dow said.

"Now if you're not on the platform, the train goes and that's the way it should be."

He said greater attention to maintenance had helped boost the reliability.

"We think maintenance had been underfunded for some time but it's now getting a lot more attention," Mr Dow said.

Transport Minister Scott Emerson said one of the first tasks after the election was to audit maintenance at Queensland Rail.

"We wanted to address the three-year low in rail reliability during the final months under Labor," Mr Emerson said.

"As we have implemented the recommendations we've seen on-time running reach an eight-year high."

He said on-time performance data was also available in detail on Queensland Rail's website.

"I'm keen for passengers to be able to monitor the performance of the network, which they can now do on a line-by-line basis," Mr Emerson said.

But Mr Dow said the on-time running data was limited to peak times, which did not give passengers the "full picture".