Article: Trains just as packed despite extra services

[ozbob]

From the Melbourne Age click here!

Trains just as packed despite extra services

Trains just as packed despite extra services

    * Melissa Fyfe and Reid Sexton
    * August 17, 2008

THE Brumby Government's efforts to ease the commuter squeeze on Melbourne's train system have failed, with extra services achieving no reduction in overcrowding.

The Sunday Age understands that Connex's latest survey of train passenger overcrowding, which the Transport Department has yet to release, shows a rise in "load breaches" ? more than 798 passengers in a six-carriage train is a breach.

In April, the State Government introduced an extra 105 services to the weekly timetable but, only a month later, the survey found the number of overcrowded trains had risen. "The new services were just gobbled up by the increases in patronage growth," a transport source said.

The most recent Australian Bureau of Statistics figures on social trends show public transport usage in Melbourne is growing faster than in any other capital city, with Melburnians' patronage of the rail network surging by 30% in three years.

In the decade to 2006, the proportion of adults using public transport for work and study leapt by 35% to 300,500 ? almost triple the rate of growth in Sydney and higher than in Brisbane, which experienced a 22% rise in public transport usage.

Monash University's chair of public transport, Graham Currie, said train travel was by far the most popular mode of public transport, but it was imperative the capacity problems were addressed, and this would take "gigantic investment".

He said the $8 billion rail tunnel proposed by Sir Rod Eddington in his East West Needs Assessment report was "certainly the magnitude that's required".

Connex's load breach surveys ? which it conducts twice a year, in October and May ? add weight to the argument of transport experts, including Sir Rod, that overcrowding cannot be solved by more services alone.

The October 2007 survey showed a fall in breaches, thought to be due to added services in September. But the survey did show serious overcrowding at two hubs ? Caulfield and Clifton Hill, where trains arriving between 8am and 8.30am often had 900 patrons.

The results of the May survey, however, show that extra services were filled to capacity as soon as they started running.

Opposition transport spokesman Terry Mulder said people blamed Connex for the overcrowding, but it was the Government's fault. "The issue is a lack of infrastructure, that's where the major problem lies."

He said that by the time Premier John Brumby's transport plan is unveiled later this year, the Labor Government will have produced four such plans in its 10 years of power.

Stephen Moynihan, spokesman for Public Transport Minister Lynne Kosky, said 95 new services would be added to the timetable in November, 18 new trains were on order for delivery from late 2009 and the state budget had provided for track upgrades on the Dandenong, Werribee and Craigieburn lines.

■The Victorian Greens are preparing to release a "people's plan for public transport", which they say will make it possible to live in any part of Melbourne and get around without a car.

Greens MP Greg Barber said the plan was to create a network of fast, long-running transport routes across the city, doubling the capacity of Melbourne's transport system; run late trams and buses to reduce drink-driving; and to boost bicycle use.

[stephenk]

I spent the last week in Melbourne on business, and was very impressed with it's transport network compared with Brisbane. With a reasonably dense tram and train network, there are high frequency services to most parts of the city, although outer suburbs have poor coverage.

The off-peak train frequency is 15 or 20mins depending on the line until around 7:30pm. I used the "lesser" Alamein branch line  quite a few times, and even that gets a shuttle train every 15mins off-peak. It should be noted that many stations on the busiest lines in Brisbane do not get a peak train every 15 to 20mins, and only every 30mins off-peak.

Off-peak trams generally run every 10mins, and 20mins late at night.

The train signalling appears to be of higher capacity in Melbourne - more station approach signals. I regularly observed headways of 2.5mins. Brisbane trains are limited by current signalling to approx 3min headways.

The peak train services I used (mainly Lilydale, Belgrave, and Alamein Lines) were generally slightly less crowded than most Brisbane peak services, although the wider trains tend to help!  I did find that the trams were often full to capacity at peak hours. I found the late evening train services after 7:30pm much busier than Brisbane. I did not travel on any trains running late at all in Melbourne. Unlike my train journey after flying back into Brisbane which was 5 mins late!

All trains in Melbourne were considerably cleaner than those in Brisbane, and seemed to be better maintained (i.e no locked doors, flickering lights, and loose seats).

My only gripe was the ticketing system, where in the suburbs you generally have to buy tickets from a machine in cash only (no notes or cards), or from a newsagent (who seemed to keep running out of tickets!).

....so maybe rail privatisation might not be so bad after all?

[ozbob]

Thanks for your observations Stephen.

I grew up in Melbourne and always good to read how things are going from a commuter perspective.

It is amazing that Connex get breached if load exceeds 798 pax for a 6 car set, that would be a normal load for our 6 cars at peak, and is usually well exceeded!  All the more amazing our loads when you take into account the gauges.

The privatisation is heavily subsidised by the public purse - See the media release below, I think you will find it interesting.

There was a very bad period following the initial 'privatisation' but the hybrid approach is now producing better outcomes.

Media Release

Wednesday, 20 August, 2008

PASSENGER NUMBERS CONTINUE TO GROW ON MELBOURNE?S PUBLIC TRANSPORT NETWORK

Patronage on Melbourne?s public transport network has hit a record high with 450.8 million passenger trips made in the past financial year as the Victorian Government continues its multi-million dollar investment to boost train, tram and bus services.

Premier John Brumby today announced passenger trips on metropolitan trains reached 201.2 million between 2007 and 2008 ? a record high driven by growth of 12.7 per cent with trams and buses achieving 158.3 million trips and 91.3 million trips respectively.

?These figures show train, tram and bus services are more popular than ever and since becoming Premier, I have made it clear that public transport continues to be a key priority for the Government,? Mr Brumby said.

More .... click here!  PDF