Article: Rail overcrowding could be deadly, Kosky warned

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From the Melbourne Age click here!

Rail overcrowding could be deadly, Kosky warned

Rail overcrowding could be deadly, Kosky warned

    * Clay Lucas
    * January 16, 2009

PUBLIC Transport Minister Lynne Kosky's office was warned six months ago that a passenger could be killed on Melbourne's train network unless something was done to deal with severe overcrowding, leaked documents show.

The revelation comes in a bad week for Melbourne's trains, with more than 100 services cancelled during rush hours. Yesterday, 33 were cancelled.

In an attempt to shift the blame from the Government for three days of cancellations, Ms Kosky has turned on Connex, saying it is its responsibility to run Melbourne's trains well.

But the Opposition has leaked tender documents showing that Connex warned Ms Kosky's office that overcrowding on city platforms was so serious that passengers could be pushed on to tracks.

"There is a need to study potential crush points," the leaked Connex document warns.

"Obvious issues will be falls into station pits (tracks) due to uncontrolled platform crushes, evacuation capacity, ventilation requirements on crushed trains, wheelchair safety issues due to both crowding and train delays, and escalator management."

The document also warns of a growing number of passengers falling ill and collapsing on crowded trains.

Last month, Connex told passengers they should drink more water "to prevent disruption to train services".

"Nearly every day trains are delayed when a customer falls ill while travelling," a Connex statement said.

"Often it's because the customer has not eaten breakfast or is dehydrated.

"Often, an ambulance is called to the scene and for legal reasons the ill customer cannot be moved out of the train until the ambulance arrives."

Opposition transport spokesman Terry Mulder said the public was fed up with Ms Kosky blaming Connex for every problem and demanded her resignation.

"Ms Kosky and the Government have hidden behind the Connex banner for a long time. The public has wised up to that now," he said.

Acting Premier Rob Hulls said Ms Kosky was doing a "fantastic job".

Among 7000 Age Online readers who responded to a poll yesterday, 71 per cent blamed the Government for problems with Melbourne's train system; the rest blamed Connex.