Article: Trains going nowhere fast

[ozbob]

From Courier Mail click here!

Trains going nowhere fast
Article from: The Courier-Mail

Steven Wardill

December 17, 2007 11:00pm

TRAIN commuters are being ferried on buses and in taxis for free because of a massive spike in the number of scheduled Citytrain services that never turn up.

New figures have revealed there were more than 1500 unscheduled cancellations of Citytrain services in the first four months of this financial year ? a five-fold increase in the overall rate of cancellations in the previous financial year.

A significant factor in the cancellation blowout has been Queensland Rail's failure to employ the additional drivers needed to operate new trains ordered several years ago. CityTrain's woes have added to the meltdown occurring in public transport services throughout southeast Queensland.

Buses routinely leave passengers behind because they are full, while the system's co-ordinating authority, TransLink, is clueless about on-time performance.

Transport Minister John Mickel yesterday admitted the number of cancelled trains was "completely unacceptable", while the union said Queensland Rail could blame nothing but its own poor planning.

Rail, Tram and Bus Union state president Bruce Mackie said there had been no increase in the number of drivers and guards as the amount of rolling stock grew and extra services were added.

"There is simply more work to be done and the same amount of people to do it, so you eventually run out of people," Mr Mackie said.

Mr Mickel said he was dissatisfied and was doing something about it.

He vowed train passengers would continue to receive free alternative transport, such as buses or taxis, if they were left at a station.

The figures show cancellations peaked in July at 469.9 compared to 70.5 the previous year. The six-fold increase has previously been blamed on a flu outbreak in QR's ranks.

However, there were more than 300 unscheduled cancellations in each of the following three months ? twice as many more than occurred in any month in 2006-07. The figures do not include the planned cancellations cut from Citytrain's 800 scheduled services a day.

Coalition transport spokesman Tim Nicholls said the number of cancellations meant more than 5000 commuters a day were left behind.

Mr Nicholls said there were experienced train crew in regional Queensland wanting to work on Citytrains but they were being forced to wait three years to be transferred.

"This is just another example of Labor's failure to plan for growth in southeast Queensland," he said.

Mr Mickel confirmed new drivers had not been ready for the extra services but would not say when he expected the fast-tracking of additional staff to cut cancellations.

[ozbob]

Mr Nicholls has nailed it.  It has been a failure of the Queensland Government to provide adequate funds to ensure satisfactory staff and equipment levels maintained. 

Regards
Ozbob