20 Feb 2010: SEQ: 'Catch 22' strikes QR Passenger

[ozbob]

Media Release 20 February 2010

SEQ:  'Catch 22' strikes QR Passenger

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport commuters has questioned the wisdom of fining an operator for circumstances largely beyond their control.  The fining of QR presumably QR Passenger for failing to reach ontime train performance targets is perverse and illogical (1).

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"Today in the media is the revelation that QR has been fined $203,000 for failing to meet the contractual target for ontime performance.  If one does a quick scan of the other states QR Passenger is actually performing very well considering the neglect of rail infrastructure in south-east Queensland during the past 20 years. For example the average ontime performance for the much hyped Melbourne system is only 85.6%, compared to QR Passenger at 91.74%, and Melbourne is given an extra minute (2).  What a high farce this is!"

"Most of the problems effecting on time performance are not within control of operator.  For example idiots driving into boom gates or bridges, passengers becoming ill, train crew illness, track and signal failures, power failures and other police incidents."

"Does this fine mean that there is less funds for more urgently needed services?  Does the fine further propagate a downward spiral?"

"A failure to place more services means that delays due to overcrowding and congestion are increased.  So will this mean more fines and so the downward spiral continues. Where are the promised services post the huge increase in fare costs? (3)"

"What happens to the so called 'fine' funds.  Does it pay for corporate functions in George St, or perhaps a corporate box at the soccer?"

"Can someone coherently explain the wisdom of fining an operator that cannot control the magnitude and scale of the many factors that impact on ontime train performance?  Please do, we are waiting for your explanation ..."

References:

1.   http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,26747206-952,00.html

2.   http://www.doi.vic.gov.au/doi/internet/transport.nsf/AllDocs/E86D4F30A09DB660CA256F1000218747?OpenDocument

3.   http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=3458.0

* Catch 22 - A situation or predicament characterized by absurdity or senselessness.

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org

[ozbob]

Discussion thread --> http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=3465.0

[ozbob]

From the Brisbane mX 6th September 2010 page 1

Penalties off rails

[ozbob]

From the Brisbanetimes click here!

Queensland Rail late fees scrapped

Queensland Rail late fees scrapped
Daniel Hurst
September 6, 2010 - 4:22PM

Translink will no longer punish Queensland Rail for failing to meet on-time running standards, drawing applause from public transport lobbyists and the state opposition.

Queensland Rail has had to hand over about $7 million in recent years for falling short of its target of ensuring 92.4 per cent of services are no more than four minutes late.

Translink chief executive Peter Strachan confirmed the old fining regime would make way for new key performance indicators which did not carry financial penalties.

Mr Strachan said the two transport bodies would work collaboratively to achieve a new slightly more ambitious on-time target of 93.01 per cent of services.

Robert Dow, from public transport lobby group Rail Back on Track, said the abolition of the "silly" fines made sense.

Mr Dow said the previous regime made Queensland Rail responsible for delays outside its control, such as vehicle bridge strikes, car boom gate crashes, police incidents and unwell customers.

Queensland Rail had also been penalised for network issues that until recently had been controlled by a part of the organisation separate from the passenger arm, he said.

"What we had in effect was the government fining itself," he said.

Mr Dow said the previous way of fining Queensland Rail was flawed because "the worse they become the more money they have taken off them so the worse they become".

"That money certainly has to come from somewhere and if it's coming out of Queensland Rail budget, that means there's less money for services; we felt that fine was completely counterproductive."

Mr Dow said key performance indicators were more sensible.

"We think that'll be more productive because it's more of a carrot than a stick and for that reason we think it'll actually improve services," he said.

Opposition transport spokeswoman Fiona Simpson said there was no evidence the risk of incurring fines had helped drive improvements to rail services.

Ms Simpson said the previous fines were a "rough" way to deal with performance issues because some matters such as track maintenance were out of the control of Queensland Rail's Passenger wing.

"There are service performance issues, but a lot of the measurements were punishing one end of the organisation that were outside that particular entity's control," she said.

Ms Simpson called for the new performance standards to be based on meaningful, transparent indicators including results on specific lines, not just the entire passenger network.

"Maybe the penalty should be against the senior executives and their bonuses," she said.

[ozbob]

  --> http://www.abc.net.au/news/video/2010/02/26/2831797.htm