Editorial Herald Sun - Government fails transport test over Christmas

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Government fails transport test over Christmas

Government fails transport test over Christmas

    by: Editorial
    From: Sunday Herald Sun
    December 18, 2011 12:00AM

IS the Baillieu Government out of touch? Or maybe it just doesn't care. That's the question the Sunday Herald Sun is asking today.

After the Government ignored weeks of warnings and failed to act decisively to minimise Friday night's Christmas party chaos in the city.

A chronic shortage of taxis, and trains stopping at 1am combined to leave thousands stranded in the CBD into the early hours of Saturday morning.

The Government had rostered on some extra NightRider buses, but based on the Sunday Herald Sun's observations this was an inadequate response. At 2.15am, about 300 people were queueing in the taxi rank at Flinders St Station. Hundreds more were waiting outside Crown casino. It all adds up to a frustrating case of deja vu.

It is the job of a state government to provide basic services, and among those is public transport. But the Baillieu Government has flunked this Christmas test.

Transport Minister Terry Mulder should have moved weeks ago to ensure trains and trams were run through to 3am in the weekends leading into Christmas.

Despite warnings as early as November, nothing was done to roster extra train services on. And when the inevitable unfolded, the Government essentially said it didn't have time to roster extra services. It's an extraordinary response, particularly since it is hardly a surprise that Christmas Day falls on December 25.

It's impossible to draw a direct link between the drunken fights that erupted early Saturday and the lack of trains and taxis, but allowing a situation where thousands of drunken or tired revellers are stranded for hours is dangerous. Hardworking police are left to pick up the pieces.

Mr Mulder, next year Christmas will again fall on December 25. It is not unreasonable for the community to expect you to use the next 12 months to fix this mess.

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Herald Sun --> Fights, drunks ... but no taxis, as tempers flare in queues