Article: City's public transport commuters moved to tears

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City's public transport commuters moved to tears

City's public transport commuters moved to tears
Article from: Herald Sun

Mary Bolling

August 26, 2008 12:00am

THE number of people fed up with the public transport system has never been higher, the Brumby Government's own figures show.

As record numbers of commuters cram the system, almost half of train travellers aren't happy, with the satisfaction rate at just 57.5 per cent.

It is the lowest figure on record for the Department of Transport's quarterly satisfaction surveys.

It comes after Premier John Brumby announced a record 201 million trips were taken on trains last year.

Across all public transport, satisfaction is the lowest since records started in 1999.

Trams and buses are struggling at 66 per cent, and overall public transport satisfaction at 57.5 per cent.

But Connex, which carried 45 per cent of all Melbourne's passengers, had the worst reviews from passengers, and the train operator said it was not happy either.

Last month Connex cancelled 123 services a week and only scraped in with minimum punctuality requirements.

On the Pakenham line, 13.9 per cent of trains were at least six minutes late last month, with 13.1 per cent for Frankston, and 11.9 per cent on Cranbourne.

Yesterday commuters said the reality was worse than the stats showed.

"I take the train every day and they're always cancelling express ones," Aspendale commuter Leea Menkhorst said.

Leigh Crump, who travels from Merinda Park, said trains were often late and peak-hour Pakenham trains were often packed by Dandenong.

"This morning people couldn't get on by Oakleigh," Mr Crump said.

Connex spokesman John Rees said cramped conditions could only be addressed by government investment.

Since September last year Connex has introduced 305 new services to the timetable, which have had little effect, and 200 more are due this year.

"More are coming in November but only long-term and major investment in infrastructure will provide a lasting solution," Mr Rees said.

The latest stats have seen Connex hit with a $9.19 million fine in the past quarter, taking the 12-month total to almost $30 million.

In the same time, Yarra Trams last month was hit with $6.5 million for failing to meet the Government's minimum service standards.