Article: State Government believes commuters prepared to stand for 45 minutes

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State Government believes commuters prepared to stand for 45 minutes

State Government believes commuters prepared to stand for 45 minutes

    * Ashley Gardiner
    * From: Herald Sun
    * June 02, 2010 12:00AM

LONG-suffering commuters are prepared to stand on a crowded train for up to 45 minutes, according to the State Government.

The bold statement, made in a confidential briefing document for Metro, has provoked commuter outrage.

Transport department bureaucrats believe commuters will tolerate standing for that long so long as it is an express train.

Standing for 45 minutes would mean no seat from the city on trains to Carrum, Boronia, Mooroolbark, Dandenong, Glen Waverley, Eltham or Werribee.

The report, obtained by the State Opposition, also says it was assumed passengers needed just 40cm 40cm of space.

That is about one and a half times the space of a single Herald Sun page.

The department's Initial Strategic Operations Plan, dated July last year, was a key document used during the process of choosing Metro as Melbourne's new train operator.

It says: "Surveys in recent years have shown increasing numbers of peak trains with loads in excess of 1000 passengers.

"Experience in Melbourne and observations in other jurisdictions have shown passengers are prepared to stand on express services for 45 minutes. On 'all stations' services (they will stand) for shorter periods (of) up to 25 minutes."

Government sources sought to distance themselves from the report last night, blaming the words on out-of-touch bureaucrats, adding it was never seen by ministers.

Opposition spokesman on transport Terry Mulder said the document described Third World conditions. "I just can't imagine where that would have come from," Mr Mulder said.

Mr Mulder said senior, disabled or pregnant passengers would not be able to standing for 45 minutes.

"Paying more, getting less, travelling more slowly and standing longer is Premier John Brumby's real transport plan for Victorians," he said.

Public Transport Minister Martin Pakula said improvements for commuters were being made.

Train operator Metro declined to comment on the document.