Articles: Latest train performance

[ozbob]

From the Melbourne Age click here!

Train pain continues, and there's more to come

Train pain continues, and there's more to come
JASON DOWLING
April 10, 2010

MELBOURNE'S train operator has failed to meet minimum punctuality targets for the fourth month in a row, and there's no relief in sight for frustrated commuters.

Metro is yet to run trains on time for a single month despite Premier John Brumby predicting the new operator would bring greater reliability and punctuality.

One in five of Melbourne's trains was late in March, with Metro blaming ''essential rail works'' that would improve services in the future.

Metro must run 88 per cent of services on time in a month to achieve its minimum punctuality target. A train is considered late if it reaches its destination five minutes after the scheduled time.

Metro's reliability worsened in March, with only 80.5 per cent of services on time.

Chief executive Andrew Lezala could not say yesterday when the company would achieve its first monthly punctuality target and said results could get worse as work to improve the rail network's ageing infrastructure continued.

''We will do all we can to minimise disruptions but we have got to get the works done,'' he said.

He said last month's hailstorm and the use of buses to replace trains where track work was being done had hit punctuality last month.

But in some good news for commuters, Mr Lezala said new sand-release equipment to be added to Siemens trains could solve braking problems that have dogged the trains for years.

Public Transport Minister Martin Pakula said Metro's performance was not good enough. ''We expect to see the trains running more reliably, more punctuality and providing a better service to passengers,'' he said.

Public Transport Users Association president Daniel Bowen said the poor punctuality result in March was ''a reminder that there is a lot more that the government needs to do to upgrade Melbourne rail infrastructure to make the system reliable''.

Opposition transport spokesman Terry Mulder said the March result was disastrous for commuters.

''They now have a one in five chance of turning up late for work,'' he said.

[ozbob]

From the Herald Sun click here!

Train operator Metro posts its worst performance since it took control

Train operator Metro posts its worst performance since it took control

    * Siobhan Duck
    * From: Herald Sun
    * April 10, 2010 12:00AM

CONNEX by any other name is still the same, with one in five trains running late last month.

Despite the much touted handover to new operator Metro last year, Melbourne commuters still endure overcrowded carriages and long waits for trains, day after day.

The latest performance figures are the worst since Metro took control in December.

In March, almost 20 per cent of trains failed to meet punctuality targets, but there were few cancellations, with delivery reported at 98.6 per cent.

Metro is required to run at least 98 per cent of scheduled train services each month and 88 per cent must be on time.

"On time" is within five minutes of the scheduled arrival.

Public Transport Users Association spokesman Daniel Bowen said delays, cancellations and overcrowding were problems for commuters.

"Just because we have a new operator does not fix the problems with signalling, tracks and trains," Mr Bowen said.

"It is incredibly frustrating for commuters. These trains are often not just a few minutes late, in some instances they are half an hour late or cancelled altogether. This leads to even greater overcrowding on an already busy network."

Public Transport Minister Martin Pakula partly blamed last month's hailstorm for the poor result.

However, he said the performance was not "good enough".

"Metro are keenly aware of that themselves," he said. "They've committed to improve that performance and that's the expectation that I and the Government have of them."

Opposition transport spokesman Terry Mulder says Metro were fighting an uphill battle against years of Government neglect.

"Once again we have another disastrous result for Melburnians using our public transport network," Mr Mulder said.

Eligible ticket holders can claim two free daily tickets as compensation for the March delays.