Statement: More customers catching trains but services are less crowded ...

[ozbob]

http://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/media-releases/more-customers-catching-trains-services-are-less-crowded-new-timetable

More customers catching trains but services are less crowded since new timetable

Minister for Transport Gladys Berejiklian today announced annual patronage has increased on the Sydney Trains network by eight million journeys as the latest figures show crowding has eased since the NSW Government's major timetable rewrite.

    Patronage has increased by eight million journeys in 2013/14
    Average crowding levels in the busiest hour in the morning and afternoon have eased by about seven per cent between March 2013 and March 2014
    On the Western Line crowding levels are better than they were when we came to Government in March 2011, easing by around 10 per cent despite millions more customers catching the train
    Customers on the Illawarra Line are now more evenly spread across services and have more chance of getting a seat – in the past trains were either overcrowded or empty

Ms Berejiklian said she was pleased that since the new train timetable was introduced in October 2013 with 1,000 extra train services, shorter travel times and simpler stopping patterns, more customers are choosing to catch the train.

"Patronage has increased on the suburban network to 314 million journeys a year – that's a jump of almost eight million journeys in one year alone," Ms Berejiklian said.

"The biggest increase in patronage was on the Airport Line where we introduced 15 extra weekly peak services. The Inner West Line also experienced a big jump in patronage, now running to a simpler and more reliable 15 minute frequency.

"The NSW Government is rolling out major improvements to public transport, including extra services, Opal electronic ticketing, station upgrades, thousands of additional parking spots and reforms to improve customer service at stations.

"It is great to see this investment translate into thousands more customers choosing to leave the car at home and rely on our train network to get where they need to go."

The latest train loading data shows crowding in the morning and afternoon peak has eased on almost every suburban and intercity train line, despite millions of extra journeys on the network.

A train that has a 100 per cent loading result means all customers have a seat. Like other rail networks around the world, it is normal for a percentage of customers to be standing in the peak by the time they get close to the CBD.

Load data is collected twice a year in March and September, and the latest data collected in March 2014 shows despite more customers, the average loading for all suburban and intercity trains is 111 per cent in the morning and 91 per cent in the afternoon peak hour. This compares to 117 per cent and 98 per cent in March 2013.

Ms Berejiklian said by comparing the load data from March this year to March 2013 before the new timetable, there have been significant improvements on most train lines, including the Western Line, Airport Line and Northern Line.

"The Bankstown Line had the biggest improvement in average loading since last year, dropping 24 per cent from 100 to 76 per cent in the afternoons, following the addition of two extra services during the afternoon peak in the new timetable," she said.

"One of the major goals of the new timetable was improving travel time and comfort for intercity customers travelling longer distances, and I am pleased to see patronage is increasing on these services while customers travelling further are still getting a seat.

"This means we are moving more people but with far less crowding, resulting in a better experience for our customers. I am pleased that even with all these extra services and customers, Sydney Trains continues to exceed reliability targets.

"We've worked hard to improve services for train customers and people are clearly voting with their feet and opting to take the train."

A number of small changes have been made to the timetable throughout the year and the NSW Government will continue to monitor patronage and loading to see where improvements can be made on top of the 9,500 additional weekly public transport services introduced since March 2011.

If the NSW Liberal and Nationals Government receive a mandate in March 2015, work will begin on a Second Harbour Crossing and Sydney Rapid Transit network to allow up to 60 per cent more trains every hour across the train network. That means moving 100,000 more people every peak hour.

10 October 2014

Load data --> http://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/b2b/releases/20141010-load-data-factsheet.pdf

[ozbob]

Affordable fares, and overall good frequency.