Metro Trains Melbourne to begin!

[#Metro]

Beginning 30th November, Metro Trains Melbourne (MTM) will take over the Melbourne rail network from Connex.
I've searched the MTM site, and there isn't that much by way of new information/changes. But IIRC, MTM is pushing for
the introduction of late night services.

Two things I find interesting:

1. Metro training and Rail Careers Academy will be set up
2. Caulfield Station redevelopment

I don't know if #2 is a TOD development or just a station upgrade. MTR is known for developing shopping centres and TODs around its stations in Hong Kong. Perhaps someone can fill me in on that.

Will be interesting to see how things pan out, and whether frequency will increase and service hours will be extended.
Vic Gov has promised 200 new train services a week.

IIRC all the tracks in Melbourne are state-owned through VicTrack, as is the rolling stock and all infrastructure.
http://www.metrotrains.com.au/news.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VicTrack

[O_128]

come to brisbane MTM  or should i say BTM

[ButFli]

come to brisbane MTM  or should i say BTM

Actually I think you mean MTB.

[#Metro]

MTB, would be great (sorry guys if this means QR Passenger gets the boot along with the current gov admin).
Next time I am at the ballot box, I must remember not to renew the current gov's contract to run the state of QLD for another 3 years...

I was doing some looking into who the train companies  that bid were because questions ran through my mind such as
"how did they do it?", "why did they do it" ,  "does it work?" and "what problems are there". So I thought I'd write a bit on what I found.

The three rail bidders (worldwide tender) were
1. Connex (Veolia)
2. Keolis Downer EDI [IIRC EDI makes QR trains?]
3. Metro Trains Melbourne [incl. MTR Corporation Hong Kong]

We all know who Connex is,
MTR Corporation has a stake in MTM; MTR is a private Hong Kong Corporation which runs the HK rail system and builds TODs.

Keolis is unusual. It appears to involve an alliance between a corporation (AXA) a government owned (Province of Ontario) Canadian pension fund (much like QIC I suppose) and another French Government-owned rail company SCNF which operates Paris railways. (Although there are moves to privatise SCNF as well.)

In addition singapore's SMRT was apparently interested as well. SMRT is a private rail, bus and train operator for Singapore.
They also run taxis! And you can use their equivalent of GoCard to pay your taxi fare, as well as bus/train fares (hint hint Translink, we have floated this idea!). Also, they have early bird fares, OK this isn't free travel, but they save 10c every time they travel before 7.30am. There is also a 3 month promotion to give commuters 50c morning coffee or other discounts if they use PT. (I can't see TL or QR doing this)

http://www.smrt.com.sg/main/index.asp
http://www.smrt.com.sg/trains/incentive/index.html

[#Metro]

Privatisation of passenger rail operations (via franchising out) isn't a magical cure that is problem-free.
How one goes about doing it is absolutely crucial; It can be the difference between 'success' and 'failure'. A number of teething problems in Melbourne's system arose not from the act of privatisation itself, but from how it was done and the initial design of the arrangement and its regulation. Note that the track is owned by VicTrack, commercially-oriented corporation that is owned by the State of Victoria.

Scrupulous regulatory design, monitoring and proper, thorough assessment of the bids must be done by the Government. This in turn requires complex choices about what information and metrics are chosen to assess 'performance' and how to split up revenue using that information.

The Auditor General of Victoria undertook a review of the arrangements. Mistakes had been made; unsurprising as there was no other Australian city that had ever done this before. In time, the arrangements have become more refined so that unforseen problems which occurred have been resolved, for example:

* One train, one tram policy
* Increased revenue protection (ticket checking, officers)
* Comparison with public sector benchmarks to ensure operators' were financially sustainable
* Shorter contracts
* Increased monitoring, including snap financial reviews of the operator at any time

Costs (adjusted) to operate the service have remained roughly constant.
Subsidy to operators was increased sharply in 2004 (as the initial contracts underestimated costs, overestimated efficiency savings and were too optimistic in passenger forecasts) however this operator subsidy is falling and was projected to reduce further. In addition, as the tendering process puts downward pressure on the subsidy level, traffic congestion worsens and passengers flock to the trains/trams it is reasonable to expect that this will continue to fall.

I guess we shall see when they come onto the scene!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keolis
http://archive.audit.vic.gov.au/reports_par/agp109dl.html

[justanotheruser]

How one goes about doing it is absolutely crucial; It can be the difference between 'success' and 'failure'.

This is what would concern me in Queensland. The govt. don't seem to do these things well which would lead to problems. Maybe I'm just to muchof a cynic