Article: Connex adds more train services from July 20

[ozbob]

From the Herald Sun click here!

Connex adds more train services from July 20

Connex adds more train services from July 20
Article from: Herald Sun

Ashley Gardiner

May 29, 2009 11:00am

COMMUTERS will get extra train services from July under the latest timetable expansion.

The big winners are passengers on the Werribee line, who will get boosted services throughout the day.

Other lines to get a boost will be Williamstown, Pakenham and Frankston.

Connex executive chairman Jonathan Metcalfe said the company was working to get the most out of the network.

?The system is working harder than ever and wherever we can find an opportunity to create new services we will take it,? Mr Metcalfe said.

?We?ve improved the availability of the fleet through better maintenance procedures.

?The good progress we are making on a new agreement with the RTBU is already delivering one of the lowest cancellation rates in recent years.

?Punctuality is improving and we will deliver further gains in that area as more locations have speed restrictions lifted for Siemens trains.?

Mr Metcalfe said the new services would help meet rising patronage.

Public Transport Minister Lynne Kosky said the new services would see daytime services on the Werribee line increase from three an hour to six an hour.

?We?re aware that people are increasingly choosing flexible travel outside the peak times, so together with rail operator Connex we?ve worked hard to create new services for those who choose to stay later in the city,? Ms Kosky said.

The services begin on July 20.

[stephenk]

So a branch line in Melbourne now gets an off-peak service every 10mins, whilst here in Brisbane we still have to endure 30min service intervals. Did I hear anyone complaining about privatised railways?

[O_128]

So while our busiest lines still have 30min off peak these branches have 10min. Privatizing can only be good where the operator actually has to perform and if it doesn't faces penalties. though i would give the operator 12 months to fix up the mess that QR will leave the place in

[ozbob]

Connex is in a desperate PR spin game at the moment, as the contracts come up for re-assessment.

Train frequency in Melbourne has always been high relative to Brisbane.  Since privatisation frequency and performance actually deteriorated and one only has read the number of posts/articles documented  here in this Victoria board of the ongoing issues with Connex.  There is a lot of local support for the Government to take it all back particularly in view of VLines striking performance improvements.  The service hours at weekends in Melbourne are actually worse than Brisbane.  Extraordinary in view of the huge metropolis that Melbourne is relative to Brisbane.

The Melbourne set up at the moment is a partial privatisation/franchise operation.  The government is responsible for track and rolling stock, the operator runs it.  The Victorian Government has admitted publicly that there are no savings to be made by continuing the present arrangements.  That not withstanding they have called for tenders.  I believe if they continue with the present arrangements it is unlikely that Connex will get the contract based on the angst over the recent years.  Still the knowledge they have could still be put to good use and remember that they heroically stepped forward when the other outfit involved with the privatisation gave it up as too hard.

I grew up in Melbourne and was a very frequent train traveller.  It was a great system when it was VR.  I left Melbourne in my late teenage years and regularly went back for visits and still do (next July I will down there).  The deterioration in the network and performance was striking once privatisation occurred.  It was tragic.

I don't think there is any chance of Citytrain or Travel Train being flogged off.  The community service obligation doesn't fit well with a privatisation and the stated policies of Government.  For that reason it also doesn't make any sense to flog off the real revenue earners such as the coal lines.  A short term bump for long term losses.

Time will tell ..

Cheers
Bob

[rob2144]

The service hours at weekends in Melbourne are actually worse than Brisbane.  Extraordinary in view of the huge metropolis that Melbourne is relative to Brisbane.

Sunday in Melbourne you have to wait until around 7:30am to get a train out of the city, also they still have separate saturday and sunday timetables on all lines!