Queensland Rail

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/948235884725288960

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/948236488998662144

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Rail fail: QR attempts to keep union pay rise emails secret

QUEENSLAND Rail is fighting to keep secret a series of Palaszczuk Government communications about a contentious pay rise deal with the state's powerful rail union.

The Courier-Mail has spent nine months fighting to overturn a decision by the Government to hide ministerial emails showing its dealings with the Rail Tram and Bus Union during Queensland's "Rail Fail" in which a serious driver shortage caused a rail timetable meltdown.

Former Treasurer Curtis Pitt's office objected to the release of the documents under the Right to Information Act last year, arguing to keep them off-limits due to Cabinet confidentiality.

But the Government was forced to back down and hand over about half the emails last month after a review by the Office of the Information Commissioner found they were not Cabinet material and should be made public.

The partially released emails, revealed by The Courier-Mail last month, show Mr Pitt intervened to pressure then Transport Minister Stirling Hinchliffe to appease the RTBU during negotiations at the height of rail crisis.

Mr Pitt's office pressed for Mr Hinchliffe to direct QR to sign-off on a 12 per cent pay rise for train drivers over four years despite QR's board raising concerns it was exorbitant.

Mr Pitt and Mr Hinchliffe ultimately opted to write to QR telling it to approve the union deal.

Documents show there were concerns at the time of the negotiations a planned union rail strike could exacerbate the crisis.

But QR is now battling to block access to the remaining Government documents.

It has made submissions to the OIC raising "strong objections" to their release on the grounds it would either be a "breach of confidence" or "contrary to the public interest."

State Opposition leader Deb Frecklington yesterday accused Labor of a "cover-up" and called for the full release of the documents.

"We are in the middle of the state's biggest rail fail and Queenslanders definitely have a right to know what involvement Labor Ministers had with the unions to cause this," she said.

A Palaszczuk Government spokesman yesterday denied a cover-up, but said the release of the remaining documents was "a matter for Queensland Rail."

"The Government has restored transparency and integrity to the administration of Government in Queensland," he said.

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

3rd January 2018

Play trains QR not politics please!

Good Morning,

Latest  ' revelations '  Couriermail --> Rail fail: QR attempts to keep union pay rise emails secret

Our suggestion is that Queensland Rail should focus on improving their service standards particularly frequency rather than playing politics and legal games.  They continue to waste our taxpayer funds.  They are now the worst practice rail operator for the entire Oceania region, a tragic outcome for a once great rail operator. We are looking at continuing service reductions with a crisis looming for the Commonwealth Games for 2018 no doubt. This should be the focus.

The Queensland Rail Board is hopelessly compromised now as they have stood off and permitted the operator to run non DDA and non DSAPT compliant NGR trains out on the network without the legal protection of an exemption from the AHRC.  Our submission re the application by the State of Queensland  for a temporary exemption from the AHRC was lodged yesterday with the AHRC.

If the AHRC determines that the application exemption from the State of Queensland is not with merit, or cuts down the period of the exemption application the entire Queensland Rail Board should resign in our view.

Have a nice day now while waiting for yet another delayed train and missed connections.

Best wishes,
Robert

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track https://backontrack.org

[ Attachment: https://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=12341.msg202462#msg202462  ]

[ozbob]

" A Palaszczuk Government spokesman yesterday denied a cover-up, but said the release of the remaining documents was "a matter for Queensland Rail."

"The Government has restored transparency and integrity to the administration of Government in Queensland," he said."

Delusion runs deep in big Willy ...

[tazzer9]

Is the Queensland branch of the RBTU doing everything in they're power to make sure everyone all over the nation hates unions?   12% pay increase, what a laugh for what many consider to one of the highest paid jobs that your average guy can easily obtain. 

I was all for unions before the rail crisis, but the way qld labor and RBTU have gone about their business has made me reconsider what they really stand for and now more align with the LNP's views on unions. 

[Stillwater]

It almost appears that passengers (customers) are incidental to the running of the QR operations.  QR runs a train service, not a passenger rail service.  Whether people get on or off a train is almost superfluous to the crewing and movement of choo-choos.

[#Metro]

Load of nonsense from Palaszczuk. It wasn't "a matter for Queensland Rail" when the CEO choice was overruled, or the EBA had to be approved with intervention, or the job ad wording was run past Trads office.

This is an excuse of convenience. Minister could ring up and perform ministerial directive as with all other cases.

The sooner this operator is privatised by competitive tender, the better!

[BrizCommuter]

Is the Queensland branch of the RBTU doing everything in they're power to make sure everyone all over the nation hates unions?   12% pay increase, what a laugh for what many consider to one of the highest paid jobs that your average guy can easily obtain. 

I was all for unions before the rail crisis, but the way qld labor and RBTU have gone about their business has made me reconsider what they really stand for and now more align with the LNP's views on unions.

Unfortunately there is no sensible political middle ground in QLD.

[HappyTrainGuy]

12% pay increase, what a laugh for what many consider to one of the highest paid jobs that your average guy can easily obtain.

Hahaha and goes to show how many average guys have no idea how difficult it is being a train driver.

[verbatim9]

Yes agree a competitive tender is needed by 2020. Who cares if QR is unsuccessful. The brand has been tarnished so badly it has a bleak future. Hopefully Transdev can take over the running of the trains. They do a good job in Auckland.

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Rail fail: Queensland Rail forced into train driver pay deal by Palaszczuk Government

PALASZCZUK Government ministers pushed Queensland Rail to adopt a controversial union pay deal at the height of the notorious "rail fail" despite QR's board warning that it could worsen the crisis, secret government documents reveal.

Correspondence between QR's board and the Government show the extent to which QR was given little choice but to accept the deal after direct pressure from Cabinet Ministers.

The emails were released under the Right to Information Act after a nine-month battle by The Courier-Mail to overturn a decision by the Government to block their release.

They show QR's board expressed strong concerns about the impact of the union pay deal for train drivers months after an in-principle agreement was struck with the Rail Tram & Bus Union.

The board advice was virtually ignored, with then transport minister Stirling Hinchliffe and former treasurer Curtis Pitt telling QR to approve the agreement, which was signed soon after.

The train driver enterprise agreement was pushed through at a time of a critical driver shortage that led to the rail timetable collapse.

It came amid the looming threat of a union strike.

Board members had earlier raised concerns about a 12 per cent pay rise for train drivers over four years, with no lift in productivity.

They also feared plans to split the meal break for train drivers into two separate breaks – cutting the time drivers spend behind the controls – given the ongoing train driver shortage.

In a letter to Mr Hinchliffe and Mr Pitt in December 2016, board chairwoman Nicole Hollows warned concerns remained about the deal and how it could worsen the strained rail network.

"The board's inquiries in relation to the proposed enterprise agreement have indicated that the operational, timetabling and financial impacts of the agreement, including the new split meal arrangements, are not adequately understood and have not been subject to robust assessment and analysis," she wrote.

"Full costings of the proposed agreement have not been provided to the board and no external benchmarking has been undertaken in relation to the proposed arrangements."

This confirms the board was cut out of initial negotiations, with a deal struck between the Government's Cabinet Budget Review Committee and QR management.

Ms Hollows said "since being provided with the in-principle agreement ... the board has focused on identifying whether the proposed enterprise agreement appropriately supports the provision of reliable and sustainable train services for Citytrain customers (noting current service instability)."

The Courier-Mail revealed in November Mr Pitt's office pressured Mr Hinchliffe to give in to RTBU demands.

QR had initially attempted to keep the emails secret, but withdrew its objections to their release after new Transport Minister Mark Bailey stepped-in to end criticisms of a Government "cover-up".

New Queensland Transport Minister Mark Bailey has stepped in and revealed the previously secret documents. Picture: AAP/Darren England

^ this is an encouraging sign if that is the case.  Mr Bailey has done the right thing.  There is hope eternal ...

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/948601346009083904

^

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/948603166748114944

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

4th January 2018

Why have a Queensland Rail Board if it is ignored?

Good Morning,

More twists and turns.  Today, Couriermail Rail fail: Queensland Rail forced into train driver pay deal by Palaszczuk Government

If the Queensland Rail Board is constantly sidelined why have it?  Has the Queensland Rail Board approved the running of the non compliant NGR trains without an exemption from the AHRC?  We do wonder ...

Maybe a Railway Commissioner, someone with the rail smarts might be the better alternative than a ' Board ' that is only ever given lip service.

Well done on our Transport Minister Mr Bailey stepping in and releasing the information.

We again suggest that Queensland Rail must focus on improving the frequency of rail services.  The start of the Commonwealth Games is but 90 days away.

Best wishes,
Robert

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track https://backontrack.org

Sent to all outlets:

3rd January 2018

Play trains QR not politics please!

Good Morning,

Latest  ' revelations '  Couriermail --> Rail fail: QR attempts to keep union pay rise emails secret

Our suggestion is that Queensland Rail should focus on improving their service standards particularly frequency rather than playing politics and legal games.  They continue to waste our taxpayer funds.  They are now the worst practice rail operator for the entire Oceania region, a tragic outcome for a once great rail operator. We are looking at continuing service reductions with a crisis looming for the Commonwealth Games for 2018 no doubt. This should be the focus.

The Queensland Rail Board is hopelessly compromised now as they have stood off and permitted the operator to run non DDA and non DSAPT compliant NGR trains out on the network without the legal protection of an exemption from the AHRC.  Our submission re the application by the State of Queensland  for a temporary exemption from the AHRC was lodged yesterday with the AHRC.

If the AHRC determines that the application exemption from the State of Queensland is not with merit, or cuts down the period of the exemption application the entire Queensland Rail Board should resign in our view.

Have a nice day now while waiting for yet another delayed train and missed connections.

Best wishes,
Robert

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track https://backontrack.org

[ Attachment: https://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=12341.msg202462#msg202462  ]

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/948609771313160192

[#Metro]

What would stop a minister directing the commissioner to comply with a ministerial directive?

I would assume that they would still be a public servant and therefore directed to approve the QR EBA anyway.

[ozbob]

^ nothing in the ultimate end. 

But one salary would be better than the entire board.  Railways ran well when we had Commissioners.
Commissioners knew railways well. 

The Board has just overseen failure ... #railfail anyone?

Really keen to find out what was the Board's position re running NGRs without exemption from AHRC? 

Were they over-ruled again?

[#Metro]

I would just copy the PTA WA model, and modify that to have the rail operations tendered out so that it is its own standalone company.

That will achieve full managerial independence from gov't. You never hear the minister ring up Coles and Woolworths and tell their boards what

to do, that's because they would get a very rude reception on the other end of the phone if they did!

The board probably pushed back against the NGRs being non-exempt, but on the other hand, they implicitly accept and agree with the

government because they have not handed in their resignations and given up their jobs.

[ozbob]

.. The board probably pushed back against the NGRs being non-exempt, but on the other hand, they implicitly accept and agree with the

government because they have not handed in their resignations and given up their jobs.

Yep. Well put.  A lot is hanging on the AHRC's determination hey?

[tazzer9]

NSW proves that fairly decent public transport can be run by a state government.     A good chunk of the buses aren't privatised either.

[BrizCommuter]

So where is the 2018 interim timetable (from 22nd Jan) QR and TransLink? Bet it will look remarkably identical to the 2017 interim timetable?

[tazzer9]

^^ probably won't.  Will likely have more cut services, and hourly on weekends.

[verbatim9]

^^I hope they go towards 20min frequency. There is no need for a 15min frequency for trains off peak in SE Qld. As I have experienced trains are not well patronized for that frequency. Every 20min or better most lines from 6/7am until 9pm 7 days. Peak can run at 10mins some inner city lines will become 5min intervals in peak. A great outcome! More resources shared around the network no need for major upgrades to infrastructure until Cross River rail is completed. Minor maybe passing loops at stations etc....plus ETCS and Driver only operations on the Airport Gold Coast Line would help.

[BrizCommuter]

^^I hope they go towards 20min frequency. There is no need for a 15min frequency for trains off peak in SE Qld. As I have experienced trains are not well patronized for that frequency. Every 20min or better most lines from 6/7am until 9pm 7 days. Peak can run at 10mins some inner city lines will become 5min intervals in peak. A great outcome! More resources shared around the network no need for major upgrades to infrastructure until Cross River rail is completed. Minor maybe passing loops at stations etc....plus ETCS and Driver only operations on the Airport Gold Coast Line would help.

As I've explained before that won't happen as it would require a complete re-write of timetables which is a significant project. 10/20min cycles in the am peak would be unsuitable for Ferny Grove (would cause overcrowding), Shorncliffe (single track issues), Doomben (single track issues), and Cleveland Line (overcrowding and single track issues).

[Arnz]

The "2018" timetable will most likely be the "2017 timetable". 

Best people can hope for the 2018 schedules is that the "Mon-Thurs" timetable is "Ctrl+C / Ctrl + V" into the Friday schedules to remove the "QUEENSLANDAH!" anomaly.

[verbatim9]

^^I hope they go towards 20min frequency. There is no need for a 15min frequency for trains off peak in SE Qld. As I have experienced trains are not well patronized for that frequency. Every 20min or better most lines from 6/7am until 9pm 7 days. Peak can run at 10mins some inner city lines will become 5min intervals in peak. A great outcome! More resources shared around the network no need for major upgrades to infrastructure until Cross River rail is completed. Minor maybe passing loops at stations etc....plus ETCS and Driver only operations on the Airport Gold Coast Line would help.

As I've explained before that won't happen as it would require a complete re-write of timetables which is a significant project. 10/20min cycles in the am peak would be unsuitable for Ferny Grove (would cause overcrowding), Shorncliffe (single track issues), Doomben (single track issues), and Cleveland Line (overcrowding and single track issues).

One could easily see the current timetable is not working under current infrastructure and crew requirements.

It's a project that needs to be tested and looked into. I only can go my experience and yes some peak trains may become well patronized. But that is a trade off to share the resources around the network for shorter journey times point to point that include transfers to other lines.

^^There is accessible software that can simulate a 20min frequency or better before more money is spent rewriting timetables.

^^Plus Translink has access to Go card data to see what services are so called over crowded.

[red dragin]

Weren't they converting from manual timetabling & job cards to a modern PC driven system as part of railfail?

[ozbob]

The "2018" timetable will most likely be the "2017 timetable". 

Best people can hope for the 2018 schedules is that the "Mon-Thurs" timetable is "Ctrl+C / Ctrl + V" into the Friday schedules to remove the "QUEENSLANDAH!" anomaly.

Yep. Need a consistent Mon <> Fri for sure 

[verbatim9]

The "2018" timetable will most likely be the "2017 timetable". 

Best people can hope for the 2018 schedules is that the "Mon-Thurs" timetable is "Ctrl+C / Ctrl + V" into the Friday schedules to remove the "QUEENSLANDAH!" anomaly.

Yep. Need a consistent Mon <> Fri for sure 

Just need to add that with 20mins 7days 7-9pm patronage may climb on weekend services. I know Mon-Fri is the focus, but to have an attractive reliable service 7 days is better.

[verbatim9]

Weren't they converting from manual timetabling & job cards to a modern PC driven system as part of railfail?

One would hope!

[Arnz]

The "2018" timetable will most likely be the "2017 timetable". 

Best people can hope for the 2018 schedules is that the "Mon-Thurs" timetable is "Ctrl+C / Ctrl + V" into the Friday schedules to remove the "QUEENSLANDAH!" anomaly.

Yep. Need a consistent Mon <> Fri for sure 

Just need to add that with 20mins 7days 7-9pm patronage may climb on weekend services. I know Mon-Fri is the focus, but to have an attractive reliable service 7 days is better.

Think you're on your own with the 20 mins proposal.

[verbatim9]

The "2018" timetable will most likely be the "2017 timetable". 

Best people can hope for the 2018 schedules is that the "Mon-Thurs" timetable is "Ctrl+C / Ctrl + V" into the Friday schedules to remove the "QUEENSLANDAH!" anomaly.

Yep. Need a consistent Mon <> Fri for sure 

Just need to add that with 20mins 7days 7-9pm patronage may climb on weekend services. I know Mon-Fri is the focus, but to have an attractive reliable service 7 days is better.

Think you're on your own with the 20 mins proposal.

Why is that? There has been no proven outcomes either way nor polling or votes. Transport modelling is there to be put forward and tested for the benefit of wider community not just for a few on certain lines.

[tazzer9]

I would support a trial of 20 minute services on weekends but that's about it.   
Shorncliffe - cleveland all stops.
Ferny grove - Beenleigh all stops
airport to gold coast express
Kippa ring - springfield - current pattern
Caboolture to ipswich express
Doomben to park road every 40 minutes.   

Only real issue i can see is needing to have GC services just ahead of beeneligh trains.   

[Arnz]

I would support a trial of 20 minute services on weekends but that's about it.   
Caboolture to ipswich express
Doomben to park road every 40 minutes.   

This would break the 90 mins to Nambour (every third train) unless if they're willing to upgrade it to clockface hourly, which I can't see happening with any authorities atm.

[aldonius]

Believe it or not, buses still run to a 15/30/60 pattern on weekends too.

If you want a 20 minute pattern, you need to change everything over, not just trains.

[tazzer9]

I would support a trial of 20 minute services on weekends but that's about it.   
Caboolture to ipswich express
Doomben to park road every 40 minutes.   

This would break the 90 mins to Nambour (every third train) unless if they're willing to upgrade it to clockface hourly, which I can't see happening with any authorities atm.

Run 80 minutes to nambour.  It's possible under current infrastructure, just has a smaller delay recovery turnaround at nambour.   Would need to adjust bus connections for this one.  The others you wouldn't as a 20 minute wait isn't too bad.

[BrizCommuter]

I would support a trial of 20 minute services on weekends but that's about it.   
Shorncliffe - cleveland all stops.
Ferny grove - Beenleigh all stops
airport to gold coast express
Kippa ring - springfield - current pattern
Caboolture to ipswich express
Doomben to park road every 40 minutes.   

Only real issue i can see is needing to have GC services just ahead of beeneligh trains.

...and where will the extra train drivers be magically found from?

[verbatim9]

If implement over 7 days current trains and drivers can be spread out. There could be a tiny bit of a shortfall or gain depending on the sums?

[tazzer9]

...and where will the extra train drivers be magically found from?
[/quote]
The ones we will force QR to hire because there current practices are decades out of date.  Along with forcing them to become fully trained them within 12 months. 

[BrizCommuter]

If implement over 7 days current trains and drivers can be spread out. There could be a tiny bit of a shortfall or gain depending on the sums?

As I've said 20min cycles won't work anyway. At least not without reducing am peak frequencies on the Ferny Grove, Shorncliffe, Cleveland, and outer Beenleigh Line, as well as increasing journey times on the Gold Coast Line, and decreasing daytime off-peak frequency for many. Not forgetting a rewrite of connecting bus timetables. That would all go down well wouldn't it? Can we revert back to more realistic discussion please rather than foaming.

[verbatim9]

If implement over 7 days current trains and drivers can be spread out. There could be a tiny bit of a shortfall or gain depending on the sums?

As I've said 20min cycles won't work anyway. At least not without reducing am peak frequencies on the Ferny Grove, Shorncliffe, Cleveland, and outer Beenleigh Line, as well as increasing journey times on the Gold Coast Line, and decreasing daytime off-peak frequency for many. Not forgetting a rewrite of connecting bus timetables. That would all go down well wouldn't it? Can we revert back to more realistic discussion please rather than foaming.

It's not foam but a proposal. There are pros and cons no one has done the sums yet via computer modelling and simulation, so it's premature to discount anything. Yes there could be some decreases in peak services but the overall service delivery would improve. It would be up Translink and QR via Go Card Data and Train traffic to determine reduced peak services if any?

^^I would like to say "Don't fix something if it ain't broke", but guess what!