Shadow Minister Statement: Commuters left behind as train cancellations surge

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Tim Nicholls MP
Shadow Minister for Transport and Traffic Management
Shadow Minister for Trade
Shadow Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations   
Member for Clayfield      

Commuters left behind as train cancellations surge      

17 December 2007

More than 5000 south-east Queensland commuters are being left waiting at stations every day, with new figures obtained by the Queensland Coalition showing a 500 per cent increase in unscheduled Citytrain cancellations in the first quarter of 2007/08.

Shadow Transport Minister Tim Nicholls said the 1518 unscheduled train cancellations between July and October 2007 was five times more than the first quarter of 2006/07 and almost double the number of cancellations for the entire previous year.

"The south-east Queensland Citytrain network is facing a reliability crisis with these new figures showing more than 10 trains a day are being cancelled without warning," he said.

"When I raised concerns about the increasing number of unscheduled train cancellations in September, the Transport Minister laughed off my warnings, blamed the flu and did nothing.

"The answer to my question today exposes the State Government's inaction and the real reason behind the cancellations - a shortfall of drivers and guards.

"However, I understand there are plenty of experienced train crew in regional Queensland depots who want to work on the Citytrain network but they are being forced to wait up to three years to get a transfer.

"Although he has been passed a pup by former Minister Paul Lucas, Minister Mickel needs to stop the excuses and start taking some real action to improve south-east Queensland's public transport system."

Mr Nicholls said the unscheduled train cancellations were just the latest problem affecting south-east Queensland's public transport network, with other issues including:

*   Still waiting for the $135 million smart card;
*   Chronic overcrowding on buses and trains;
*   Still waiting for 42 new three car passenger train sets;
*   The Bombay Express to the Gold Coast;
*    Cancellation of the popular ten trip saver tickets;
*    No idea of how many people miss trains that are too full;
*    Train crew shortages;
*    Maintenance underspending;
*    Refusing to fund new articulated buses.

"This is just another example of Labor's failure to plan for growth in south-east Queensland," Mr Nicholls said.