Article: Maintenance problems behind major train delays - Terry Mulder

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Maintenance problems behind major train delays - Terry Mulder

Maintenance problems behind major train delays - Terry Mulder
Article from: Herald Sun

Matthew Schulz

April 28, 2009 03:13pm

UPDATE 4.59pm: THE State says refurbishing rail infrastructure instead of replacing it is "greater value" amid a string of delays today.

Severe delays plaguing trains over several hours today were caused by the State's failure to replace creaking infrastructure, the Opposition claims.

Opposition spokesman Terry Mulder said a failure to replace crucial points had been behind lengthy delays this morning.

Public Transport Minister Lynne Kosky today said "refurbishing" the crucial railway infrastructure made good sense.

"Over the course of its franchise Connex is required to refurbished 73 sets of points but has exceeded that for a total of 260 sets," Ms Kosky said in response to the Opposition's attack.

"Refurbishing points means that more work can be done for the same price as point replacements providing greater value for money."

A points failure about 8am at the crucial East Richmond junction caused ?several hours? of delays on four rail routes, with the problem worsened when the points failed again at 8.15am, Opposition transport spokesman Terry Mulder said.

The Government said the 8.15am incident happened when a power surge triggered a safety mechanism.

Routes on the Alamein, Glen Waverley, Belgrave and Glen Waverley lines were all affected, with delays of over half-an-hour on some lines, causing major frustrations for commuters.

Connex spokesman John Rees confirmed the delays at East Richmond today at the ?extremely important? junction, but said services returned to normal by 9.45am.

About 11am a separate power surge saw a further string of cancellations at nearby Richmond station.

The signal relay fault slowed trains for up to 15 minutes as trains were forced to travel through the station at low speeds.

Cranbourne, Frankston, Pakenham and Sandringham trains were all affected.

Mr Mulder said the problems were the latest symptom of ?Labor's neglected metropolitan rail network?.

?There have been severe delays to eight of Melbourne?s 15 electrified lines today,? Mr Mulder said.

And he blamed the government?s failure to replace crucial rail infrastructure for the troubles.

He said Victoria?s rail asset strategy showed 22 metropolitan points and crossings a year should be replaced.

Instead, just eight a year had been replaced under Labor.

?Public Transport Minister Lynne Kosky should wear the blame for the East Richmond points failure because of Labor's refusal to spend sufficient money on fixing the basics,? he said.

He said commuters were paying more for less since ticket price hikes in January, with 4538 trains cancelled in the first three months of 2009.

?Minister Kosky should resign or be sacked by John Brumby,? he said.

?She never wanted the job of Public Transport Minister in the first place.?

But Ms Kosky hit back this afternoon, challenging the Opposition to come up with its own plans.

"It's rich of the Opposition to yet again complain and moan about the rail network. When they were in Government they set up flawed contracts and cut jobs and closed train lines," Ms Kosky said.

"Mr Mulder should tell Victorians what the Opposition will do to fix public transport instead of simply continuing to offer to no alternatives."

Connex said they were so far unsure of the cause of the points failure.

?At this stage Connex is waiting for a full report back from its maintenance crew as to the exact cause of the fault. No cause has yet been specified,? Mr Rees said.

A spokesman for Ms Kosky this afternoon said the government was committed to properly maintaining the rail system.

"The Government invests $80 million for maintenance every year on the metropolitan rail network.

?The Government is getting on with the job of improving the rail network through the $38 billion Victorian Transport Plan."