Premier Media Statement: NEW METRO RAIL TIMETABLE AS PATRONAGE HITS HISTORIC ...

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From the Premier of Victoria

Wednesday, 9 April, 2008

NEW METRO RAIL TIMETABLE AS PATRONAGE HITS HISTORIC HIGH

Passengers travelling on metropolitan trains will benefit from more than 200 new weekly services this year in the biggest overhaul of Melbourne?s rail timetable since the City Loop was completed, providing more services on the system?s busiest and most crowded lines.

Premier John Brumby said new services were part of a three step plan to improve reliability and ease the squeeze for passengers as the metropolitan rail network records its highest ever patronage of 189.4 million trips a year.

?This figure exceeds the highest previous figure of 173.9 million passenger journeys reported by the Victorian Railways between 1949 and 1950,? Mr Brumby said.

The three stage timetable plan will consist of:
?   105 new weekly services to be rolled-out on April 27;
?   At least 95 new weekly services in November;
?   Additional off-peak services in mid 2009 and;
?   A 36 per cent increase in services for Stony Point line with the use of Sprinter rail cars.

?Around 45 new evening peak services and 10 morning peak services will be introduced before the end of the month with at least another 95 weekly services to be on the tracks in November,?? Mr Brumby said.

?Accelerated population growth, increased CBD employment and petrol costs all mean that more people than ever are using Melbourne?s trains.

?We are taking action to deliver short, medium and long term projects to add capacity to Melbourne?s rail network and will continue to improve the system so we can add even more peak and off-peak services.

?This Government has added more than 1030 extra weekly services since elected in 1999.?

Mr Brumby said the 11 new daily services across the Dandenong, Pakenham, Glen Waverley, Sydenham, Werribee, Frankston and Craigieburn lines would carry at least 8800 more passengers every day.

Minister for Public Transport, Lynne Kosky, said the three-stage timetable plan had been developed in close consultation with Connex and new services would begin on Sunday April 27.

?Melbourne?s train network is complex with 165 trains running across more than 372 kilometres of track. The timetable is key to making the network perform at its peak,? Ms Kosky said. 

?Stage one of the new timetable plan will see the Werribee, Sydenham, Pakenham and Cranbourne lines in particular benefit from additional services. 

?Patronage growth on these lines has increased by up to 31.9 per cent over the past two financial years.

?The Stony Point line will also benefit from the introduction of Sprinter trains and a 36 per cent increase in services later this month.? 

Stage two of the plan will be rolled out in November 2008 with at least 95 additional weekly services.

?Removing bottlenecks, where problems occur as trains cross paths, that have been causing constant delays for northern and western suburb passengers will allow even more services to be added in November,? Ms Kosky said.

?Delays on the Epping and Hurstbridge lines will be reduced and more services will be added by running trains in one direction through the City Loop all day.

?More reliable services will also be delivered for Werribee and Sydenham line customers by running Werribee peak hour trains direct to Flinders Street.?

Stage three of the plan will be delivered following ongoing monitoring of passenger numbers.

?By mid-2009 we will add more off-peak services to cater for the growing number of people using our trains throughout the day,? Ms Kosky said.

The first new train services will start running on 27 April 2008. For more information visit www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au.

Stage 1 April 2008
?   105 additional weekly train services to be introduced with 55 in peak hours.
?   Sprinter trains and a 36 per cent increase in services for Stony Point line.

Stage 2 November 2008
?   At least 95 additional weekly train services to be introduced.
?   Werribee line trains to travel direct to and from Flinders Street during peak hours.
?   Epping and Hurstbridge line trains to travel in one direction through City Loop all day.

Stage 3 Mid-2009
?   More off-peak services to be introduced to cater for people travelling throughout the day.
Short term    
?   Delivery of three-stage timetable overhaul to make the train network perform at its peak
?   Introduction of EarlyBird ticketing to move at least 2400 people out of morning peak 
?   Introduction of bus route 401 to connect North Melbourne station and Melbourne University
Medium term   
?   Purchase of 18 new trains with a staged roll-out from late 2009
?   Upgrade of major interchange points such as North Melbourne
?   Development of back of house infrastructure projects including Cranbourne stabling
?   Delivery of more park and ride facilities at stations
?   Delivery of a radial bus network through SmartBus to connect suburbs and multi-modal transport hubs
?   Improve existing local bus services
?   Continued projects to give trams greater priority, improve tracks and provide better platform access
Long term    
?   Significant investment to increase the capacity of the metropolitan rail network, as set out in Meeting our Transport Challenges