Melbourne Trains

[somebody]

True, but perhaps the plan could be do fiddle with that post-CRR? I would think it would be much easier to manage changes in that congested area if some of the traffic was removed.

A possibility, but you would still have a substantial amount of traffic on both track pairs.

I'm optimistic once CRR1 is opened.

Just think about it, all the Beenleigh trains and all the Gold Coast trains will be removed from the Merivale Bridge.
Which just leaves Ipswich trains, Cleveland trains and trains to Yeerongpilly/Tennyson- just three lines, for the whole of Roma Street Station.

I wonder how the northern sections will be sorted out though?

Hate to be the pessimist (again), but did you see BrizCommuter's blog post on post CRR train paths?  Showed that there are still plans to run Kuraby trains via the Merivale bridge.  I think these plans are something we should be up in arms about.

[#Metro]

SIMPLICITY

Bus stops together
Fewest bus routes
Fewest stopping matterns
Don't create conflicts


Why does it see maximum difficulty is created?

Just terminate those trains at Yeerongpilly.
You could even have a nice Northshore/Doomben-Yeerongpilly line  

[somebody]

Just terminate those trains at Yeerongpilly. 

I would go on to Corinda at least via Tennyson.

But yes.

The point is though, that this doesn't appear to be in the current plans or the current thinking.

[ozbob]

From the Melbourne Age click here!

Metro on track, if not on time, with $20m profit

Metro on track, if not on time, with $20m profit
Royce Millar and Clay Lucas
January 18, 2011

TRAIN operator Metro posted a $20 million profit in its first seven months of operation, despite failing every month to meet punctuality targets set by the Brumby government.

Detail of the company's first profits from running the metropolitan network comes as its chief executive claimed Melbourne's franchised rail model was the world's best.

''This is the best model of how to run a railway, in my opinion,'' said company chief Andrew Lezala. ''I think they [the Victorian government] have got it seriously right.''

The financial report lodged with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission is effectively a half-year summary because the company only took over the system from Connex in December 2009.

Under a contract signed with the Brumby government in 2009, Metro must run at least 88 per cent of trains within five minutes of scheduled times. If it fails to do so, it is liable for fines up to $1 million a month.

In the seven months after it took over from Connex, Metro was penalised almost the maximum of $1 million a month every month. In the current financial year, which began seven months after it took over the network, it has met targets in September and December and the company is confident of big improvements in 2011. Metro also had to pay almost $2 million for damage done when one of its drivers rammed into the back of a stationary freight wagon last May near Craigieburn.

Metro, nonetheless, turned a $20 million profit in its first seven months of its eight-year contract. ''It's a modest profit but it's a planned profit,'' Mr Lezala said.

The financial report reveals total revenue of $569 million for the seven months to June 30, the bulk of which was government payments for running the rail system and for capital works.

Mr Lezala told The Age there had been too much ''negativity'' about Melbourne's rail system since Metro had taken over from Connex.

He said Melbourne's trains were now being better maintained than under its predecessor, and the rolling stock was more than twice as reliable as it when it took over.

Asked about Metro's performance, Transport Minister Terry Mulder said the Baillieu government and its proposed Public Transport Development Authority would more closely scrutinise the rail system.

''People expect to make a profit, and I expect to get the service we are paying for,'' Mr Mulder said.

Under the Metro contract signed with the Brumby government, fines for running trains late are capped at $12 million per year. Predecessor Connex faced unlimited fines for poor performance. At one point Connex paid $25 million in a year in fines.

The Metro financial report also notes that the company is getting a guaranteed payment for ticket sales, due to the uncertainty surrounding introduction of the trouble myki system.

This guaranteed payment will continue until 18 months after the Metcard system is switched off.

[ozbob]

From the Melbourne Age click here!

$1 billion nightmare

$1 billion nightmare
Royce Millar and Clay Lucas
January 22, 2011

VICTORIANS are being slugged more than $1 billion a year for Melbourne's privatised train and trams, six times more than the architects of the system forecast 11 years ago.

But, despite rising subsidies and a disappointing performance, current rail operator Metro is safe for now, with Transport Minister Terry Mulder ruling out tearing up its $8 billion rail contract.

Instead he put the operator on notice. ''What I would be looking for is continual improvement,'' he said. ''And I would hope within 12 months we would be able to see considerable improvement.''

An analysis by The Age, using government figures, reveals taxpayers have handed over more than $7.5 billion (in 2010 dollars) in quarterly payments to commercial train and tram operators since Jeff Kennett's government privatised the systems in 1999.

Mr Kennett promised improved service and patronage, declining subsidies, and taxpayer savings. ''Victorians are going to see the most dramatic and exciting change in their public transport system that you and I have ever witnessed,'' he said after signing 15-year contracts.

Mr Kennett's model ran into trouble in the Bracks government's early years when operators complained about poor patronage and inadequate subsidies. Rather than take services back into public hands, Labor re-wrote contracts and increased payments to operators.

Mr Bracks said the subsidies would decline over subsequent years, but the reverse occurred and subsidies paid in 2010 were six times that estimated by Mr Kennett and double Mr Bracks's forecast.

Payments increased again under Metro, which replaced Connex in late 2009.

The first quarterly payments to private train and tram operators National Express, Transfield and Transdev, and Veolia totalled $325 million (in 2010 dollars) in the 1999-2000 financial year. The equivalent 2009-10 payment to Metro and former operator Connex and tram companies was $1005 million.

In 1999, Mr Kennett forecast the subsidies in 2010 would be just $169 million (2010 dollars).

Richard Allsop was an adviser to Kennett-era transport ministers Alan Brown and Robin Cooper. He said the low initial subsidies in 1999 were unrealistic and resulted from private bidders and government advisers over-estimating the savings from privatisation. ''They [the private operators] got in there and discovered there weren't the cost savings they thought could be made.''

But Mr Kennett disagreed. He said Labor should not have agreed to requests for more money. ''The Bracks government simply caved in and allowed more of the public purse to go directly to paying the operators. Once that started there was no end to it.

''I still think without a doubt the concept of privatisation was and is right. It's just a pity that the disciplines that were put in place were not adhered to by the successor government.''

University of Queensland urban economist Chris Hale said governments needed to learn from the mistakes of the Kennett and Bracks/Brumby governments about contracting out public transport.

He said the Kennett model was a matter of blind faith. ''It was a classic almost Thatcherite belief that these processes are ends rather than means.''

Among senior government bureaucrats who advised on privatisation was Jim Betts, now secretary of the Transport Department. He worked on the Kennett transport reform unit in the late 1990s and helped write an analysis of the privatisation for the Bracks government. That report predicted the deals struck by Mr Kennett would save $161 million less per year over the 15-year contract.

The elements that make up the subsidies have altered over the years. The Bracks/Brumby government said it was not fair to compare their subsidies to the Kennett era because payments included big increases for upgrades and maintenance, leases for new rolling stock, more staff, and additional kilometres travelled because more trains were running.

The Age has included the revenue guarantee payments introduced by Labor to compensate operators for the transition to myki. Last year this was $110 million.

[ozbob]

From the Melbourne Age click here!

Taken for a ride: how Metro 'inherited a dog'

Taken for a ride: how Metro 'inherited a dog'
Royce Millar and Clay Lucas
January 22, 2011

PEOPLE love trains in Hong Kong. Not surprising, really, given they tend to be fast, frequent, clean, safe, almost totally reliable, and dirt cheap. This week, the majority government-owned company that runs the Hong Kong system, MTR, had a malfunction that hit the front pages of a local newspaper. One line was disrupted for two hours, meaning trains would run every 12 minutes instead of every eight.

If only the news could be so bad in Melbourne each morning.

On a recent Asian visit by The Age, MTR executive Jaocb Kam stood in a boardroom in Hong Kong overlooking a set of shiny new tracks traversed by sparkling trains, 99.9 per cent of which will run on time. ''On average,'' he said with pride, ''people will have to take our system for two years before they experience a delay.''

When MTR successfully bid to run Melbourne's trains in 2009, it used its home town as the inspiration for rebuilding this city's crumbling system. Under the name of Metro Trains Melbourne, the company's vision stirred former premier John Brumby to boast that it would deliver improved punctuality, reliability, safety, first-rate customer service and cleanliness. ''Passengers will notice changes from day one.''

Thirteen months after Labor scrubbed the tarnished Connex brand from Melbourne's history, Metro's performance record is even worse. This, despite the newcomer costing Victorians many millions more in its first year than Connex in its last. The Brumby government is no more and ALP state secretary Nick Reece has pointed to disruption in train services before the November poll as a key factor in his party's demise.

While it is early days for Metro in its eight-year contract, there is a widely held view among rail industry insiders and commentators that the company has hit a wall in Melbourne; that an entrenched inertia and old boys' network in the state bureaucracy and unions has made reform in Melbourne public transport impossible.

Expert observers such as University of Queensland urban economist Chris Hale are baffled by Metro's experience in Victoria. ''MTR are really among the leading mass transit operators worldwide. If Melbourne can't make mass transit work with MTR at the helm, then something is seriously wrong,'' he says.

What happened to Metro under Labor and can it salvage its position here and transform the city's rail system as it promised? Will the Baillieu government really ''fix the problems'' in public transport, as it has vowed?

A bookshelf of colourful folders has pride of place in Metro chief executive Andrew Lezala's Spring Street office overlooking the former Jolimont rail yards. The folders contain a confidential blueprint for rail renaissance in Melbourne. Lezala insists he is on track to deliver this ''step change'' for the city's public transport, despite early teething problems. He points to a graph indicating improved performance towards the end of 2010 and says his trains are now more than twice as reliable as a year ago.

''We're here to professionalise this railway,'' he says. ''Our vision is for a proud railway for everyone every day.''

Whatever that means, Melburnians have good reason to be doubtful. Since Jeff Kennett privatised the metropolitan system in 1999, commercial train operators and their government champions have repeatedly promised more than they could deliver. Kennett vowed that his multi-operator private model would lead to improved services and patronage increases, while the level of public subsidies would plummet. Implicit was that franchisees would initiate and pay for maintenance and the system upgrades to attract and keep customers. Taxpayers could sit back and enjoy the ride, courtesy of the market.

Within two years, Kennett's privatised model was in tatters. The Bracks government reworked the contracts, signed Connex in 2004 as a single operator, paid it more in subsidies, and made the same promise of a new dawn for Melbourne transport.

By 2009, Labor was desperate to get rid of Connex, whose performance had become a political liability, and turned to Metro instead. Again, the subsidies increased. But Metro's first year was disappointing, with the company failing to meet punctuality targets in 10 of 12 months.

The company certainly faces obstacles. Some, such as the antiquated complexity of the network and extent of maintenance neglect, were not fully apparent. ''If you look at standards, what we have got is a Third World railway in a First World country,'' says a former Metro executive and rail industry insider. ''Metro did not understand how difficult it was to operate such a complex system.''

After all, Hong Kong's network had been built largely since the 1970s. It is a new and simple rail system, subject to ongoing preventative maintenance. When Metro chiefs visited Melbourne in 2008 and 2009 they could have been forgiven for looking at the architecturally celebrated Southern Cross Station and concluding that Victoria shared their enthusiasm for public transport.

So Tuesday, July 27, 2010, was sobering for Metro, by then in its eighth month as the city's rail operator. It was the day the entire train network was thrown into disarray after an overhead power line broke near Southern Cross. Obscured by the extravagant station shell was the fact that the old electric wiring had been left to deteriorate to the point that it could snap.

A former senior Transport Department director told The Age that Metro had been given written reports that depicted the network as ''robust but requiring some maintenance''. ''What they were not told was that it was entirely dilapidated and waiting to collapse at the wink of an eye. They've inherited a dog.''

Lezala says he was generally aware of the state of the network. What was missing, he says, was the sort of data and research that underpins MTR's slick operation in Hong Kong. ''The thing that really shocked me was there wasn't the management data you need to understand where to apply your efforts.''

If the true physical conditions of Melbourne's network were elusive to Metro, then the political conditions of its operation were positively mysterious. When Metro arrived in Melbourne it was led by a mixture of Asian and English executives. They were new and challenging to a rail industry, bureaucracy and union leadership renowned for their clubby camaraderie.

Within weeks, those executives were facing the reality that a Hong Kong transport culture and Victorian politics did not mix. By year's end, only Lezala remained of the original management team; all the others had quit, been fired, or demoted.

Even Lezala's authority is questioned by sources within government and among his own former staff. Soon after taking over the company last year, he announced a change of duties for its CEO. He would devote his time to ''external issues'' - that is, media. A new chief operating officer, Simon Lane, was recruited from the government's Transport Department to run Metro's trains.

Lane, who was with the Public Transport Corporation of the pre-Kennett era, was managing director of the old Met trains, and in 1997 was named by Jeff Kennett as the head of doomed privatisation pioneer Bayside Trains.

Lezala insists he headhunted Lane. Others, including former Metro managers and former government insiders, say Lane was foisted on the company by the department. Either way, the dramatic change in senior personnel signalled to those familiar with the industry and bureaucracy that Metro was no longer in charge.

Says a former senior Brumby government adviser: ''Metro got beaten up initially when Andrew Lezala brought in a new management team. They [Metro] came in and said, 'There are all these

problems, we are starting again,' and he got beaten around the head by DOT [Department of Transport] and by ministers.''

On the government side, the large Transport Department is headed by bureaucrats who date back to the Kennett era and beyond, including Transport Department secretary Jim Betts and public transport division chief Hector McKenzie.

Their ongoing influence in transport policy and management, and their ability to outlive premiers, ministers and rail franchisees, lends weight to the criticism of a Yes Minister-style old guard that never lets go in Melbourne.

The relationship between the bureaucracy and rail union is a long and complex one, and was especially so under Labor. Rail, Tram and Bus Union secretary Trevor Dobbyn is Victorian president of the ALP.

Several of the most senior current and past Metro staff have told The Age that they believe Mr Dobbyn is more influential than either Metro itself or the government's transport bureaucracy.

When Metro human resources manager Bill Armstrong sought to challenge long-standing work practices including union control of rosters and who tests new trains, he found he had taken on a bigger opponent that he had realised. Armstrong was one of a string of senior figures moved out of Metro last year. He would not comment when contacted by The Age. However, a former senior colleague observes: ''Metro was prepared to back Bill up, but he was not able to implement his strategy because the government did not want to take on people like Trevor. So the consequence was that nothing happened.''

Metro had also committed to a streamlined operation with fewer staff than its predecessor, Connex, including a cut of administrative staff from 160 to 90. The figure is now about 200. Wider staff numbers have ballooned from 3200 at the time of the takeover to almost 3780 now.

Other changes flagged but not delivered were a major overhaul of safety, including mandatory drug and alcohol testing of all staff, and passenger management strategies to minimise the delays caused by the growing number of people getting on and off the trains.

IN HIS office, Lezala is uncomfortable on the question of the political culture his company encountered in Melbourne, especially in relation to unions. So much so, he is reluctant to identify work practices he would like to change. When pressed, he acknowledges that some of his senior staff had struggled with a ''social culture'' different to that of Hong Kong.

''It's about getting the right leaders in an Australian environment, which is why I brought Simon [Lane] in. We needed a leadership team that is compatible with how Melburnians work.''

Still, Metro and Labor did agree that upgrading work was needed across the antiquated network. Metro last year persuaded the government to bring forward maintenance spending for projects including fixing train faults, notably breaks, and replacing old signalling and wood sleepers with concrete.

Inevitably, such belated upgrading of the system caused delays and frustration for passengers. The political timing was bad; in fact it was lethal. Before the November election, voters were getting grumpy about disruptions and service alterations along the lines through south and eastern suburbs.

Labor's response was to stop talking about public transport altogether - even the maintenance initiatives - in a bid to minimise attention on its public transport record. The strategy backfired. On November 27, Labor's seats fell like dominoes along and in between the Frankston and Lilydale lines. It was a cruel irony, maybe, that Labor should pay such a price for belatedly recognising that rail upgrades were needed.

Yet, as one senior consultant close to Metro puts it: ''The main problem was that the government was 10 years behind on infrastructure. The more they did, the more Metro missed targets because they had to stop trains running to fix things up. These things go to a lack of long-term planning and support.''

As the November poll showed, political risk for transport cannot be transferred. Governments, not companies such as Metro, are ultimately held responsible for train and tram services.

Having won government in part on the back of Labor's transport quandary, the Coalition now faces the same conundrum.

Asked about his view of Melbourne's train franchise model, Transport Minister Terry Mulder is quick to criticise the Bracks/Brumby approach: ''What Labor did was to think, 'We will hand this to private operators and then it's their problem. We can go off and do what we like.' ''

Nonetheless, the Coalition has decided to persevere with the eight-year Metro contracts, while having a bob each way by repeatedly pointing out they were inherited from Labor.

In opposition, Mulder was merciless in his criticism of the system operated by Metro, if not of the company itself, and he had flagged he would have trouble working with Lezala. Now he calls for patience. ''They haven't been there long. There has been a considerable amount of [public] investment made for maintenance and asset renewal for this operator and they have got to be given an opportunity to prove themselves.''

The Coalition has given itself the additional political pressure of promising a multibillion-dollar extension of the network, including a Doncaster line promised by the Liberals in the 1960s but never delivered. It has also promised an independent public transport development authority charged with driving improvements in train, tram and bus services, although details are sketchy. How this body works with the minister, the existing Transport Department and Metro is also hazy.

What is apparent is that if Melbourne's trains are run by the old guard of bureaucrats, former departmental consultants and unions, there is no obvious reason to think things are soon to change.

The Coalition government has promised to not cut public service levels or wield the axe at senior bureaucrats. Ted Baillieu has made it clear he has no appetite for a stoush with the transport unions.

Meanwhile, at Flinders Street Station there is an enduring Melbourne mystery - the frustratingly long stop every train makes on arrival. The delays are due to an old industrial agreement that requires that drivers change trains after every trip, lest they get bored. Such a practice would be laughable in Hong Kong. When asked what he intends to do about it, Mr Mulder is cautious. ''It would be an issue that Metro would be dealing with or talking to their train drivers about.''

Royce Millar is with The Age's investigative unit. Clay Lucas is transport reporter.

[#Metro]

What is apparent is that if Melbourne's trains are run by the old guard of bureaucrats, former departmental consultants and unions, there is no obvious reason to think things are soon to change.

Wow, that is one seriously diseased and sick system. Rotten infrastructure, rotten politics. If you have rotten apples and you privatize them, are they still rotten?

I haven't heard good things about Sydney's RailCorp either- how many ICAC corruption investigations have been into that?

Wow, an we wonder why it is only bus that governments spend time and improvements on...

[ozbob]

From my direct observations I think Metro are making a difference, progress is definitely occurring.

[ozbob]

From the Herald Sun click here!

Baillieu Government derails Labor plan for train station staff

Baillieu Government derails Labor plan for train station staff

    * Stephen McMahon
    * From: Herald Sun
    * January 25, 2011 12:00AM

COMMUTERS could face more hardship with plans to upgrade and staff 15 suburban rail stations under review by the Baillieu Government.

After increasing fares and cutting services on some lines, the Government is looking at ditching Labor's pledge to boost safety by providing staff from first to last train at key stations.

Instead, the much longer-term promise of putting two protective service officers on every station platform after dark will take priority.

Rail, Train and Bus Union state secretary Trevor Dobbyn yesterday said the public wanted more fully operational stations, quickly.

"At present, fewer than 80 of Melbourne's 211 stations are staffed from first to last train," he said.

"It is vital that the premium stations upgrade continues."

Upgrades for five stations -- Parkdale, Prahran, Holmesglen, Upwey and Ormond -- have been fully financed in the 2010-11 state Budget and will go ahead.

But plans for the other 15 stations to be upgraded, as promised by former premier John Brumby in May, are being reviewed.

They include Seaford, Westall, Moonee Ponds, Hoppers Crossing, North Brighton, East Richmond and Northcote.

Opposition Transport spokeswoman Fiona Richardson said rather than improving our public transport system, Ted Baillieu was determined to deliver more bad news for commuters.

"After announcing fare hikes, cuts to train services and now scrapping important station upgrades, this Liberal Premier is determined to punish commuters," she said.

- with John Masanauskas

[somebody]

$1bn isn't bad value compared to systems in Sydney and Brisbane.

[#Metro]

I actually disagree with the staffing thing. people can buy their tickets from machines. I have used Melbourne trains as well.
Station staff are not guards or security personnel, which is what is needed after dark.

A lot of money spent on that would be better used just on providing more frequent bus and train services.
There seems to be almost an obsession with putting a person into every station and every tram down in Melbourne.
That's not going to increase patronage anywhere near using that money for guards after dark and more frequent services.

[colinw]

Good point.  Rather than putting someone on the station, run more services and get the passengers off the station sooner.

[#Metro]

Yes, higher frequency I think increases safety, because it minimises the time spent waiting at the platform. Once you are on the train, there are other passengers, lights, cameras, an attacker can't escape easily, there is the driver or guard as well.

So I would really bang on about higher frequency leading to higher safety as well. With trains in both directions every 15 minutes, this gives a frequency such that there is a train going past at every 7.5 minutes on average, so even if there was an incident, guards on trains would mean a guard passing each station every 7.5 minutes- how long would it take to call the police and for them to respond and arrive? 5 minutes maybe?

[somebody]

Yes, higher frequency I think increases safety, because it minimises the time spent waiting at the platform. Once you are on the train, there are other passengers, lights, cameras, an attacker can't escape easily, there is the driver or guard as well.

So I would really bang on about higher frequency leading to higher safety as well. With trains in both directions every 15 minutes, this gives a frequency such that there is a train going past at every 7.5 minutes on average, so even if there was an incident, guards on trains would mean a guard passing each station every 7.5 minutes- how long would it take to call the police and for them to respond and arrive? 5 minutes maybe?

Also the larger number of people using the service makes it more safe.  I don't think you should underestimate this point.

[ozbob]

From the Melbourne Age click here!

Transport revenue falls short by $60m

Transport revenue falls short by $60m
Jason Dowling
February 24, 2011

FARE revenue across Melbourne's public transport network was $60 million less than forecast during myki's first year of operation, according to the state government.

News of the 2010 fare shortfall comes as a report shows the government has been forced to pay Metro Trains hundreds of millions of dollars in guaranteed ticketing revenue while myki is introduced.

Figures released by the Department of Transport show ''ticketing revenue guarantee'' payments to Metro trains in 2010 totalled $262 million.

The revenue guarantee payments are the result of the ''new ticketing system'' and will continue until 18 months after Metcard is phased out, according to the department.

It is unclear what Metro's fare revenue would be without the revenue guarantee.

A spokesman for Public Transport Minister Terry Mulder blamed the $60 million fare shortfall in 2010 on the previous government.

''The previous Labor government gave commuters the green light to fare evade - all Victorians must now meet this shortfall,'' he said.

The new report also showed a big increase in maintenance payments to Metro - up from $34 million in the March 2010 quarter to $59 million for the December quarter.

Government payments to Metro overall increased from $157.5 million in the March 2010 quarter to $211 million for the December quarter.

The Track Record report also showed Metro was fined $950,000 for failing to meet the 88 per cent punctuality target in October and November. But it achieved an 89.5 per cent punctuality result last month - the best since the private operator took control of the network in November 2009.

[ozbob]

From the Melbourne Age click here!

Blame it on the rain: Metro's rail fail

Blame it on the rain: Metro's rail fail
Mex Cooper
March 4, 2011 - 1:48PM

Metro has been fined $1 milllion for failing to achieve its service delivery target after blaming storms for the cancellation of 500 trains within three days last month.

Melbourne's train system operator fell short of its 98 per cent service delivery target by failing to deliver 52,400 services.

More than 500 trains were cancelled on the weekend beginning February 4 when flash flooding and wild winds battered the state.

The train operator has in the past failed to meet punctuality targets but always achieved its service target since taking over from Connex 15 months ago.

In February, Metro did not deliver either with nearly 15 per cent of trains running late and more than two per cent cancelled.

Under Metro's contract with the Government it will have to pay $1 million for failing to meet its minimum standards.

Metro CEO Andrew Lezala said during the storms 16 train lines were suspended in sections, seven water-damaged trains were taken out of service, and tracks and pedestrian subways were flooded.

''It's no secret the storms knocked the network around, and it took us some weeks to recover,'' Mr Lezala said.

''The storms and the subsequent flash flooding caused major disruptions to the network, just as they caused disruptions to most of Melbourne and parts of Victoria that weekend.''

Train passengers with monthly, six-monthly or yearly Metcards and those with the equivalent of a monthly Myki pass can apply to be reimbursed two daily tickets.

In January, Metro recorded its best service delivery result when it ran 98.9 per cent of services.

For more information on compensation offered to commuters visit the website.

Comment:  Nearly as crazy as fining QR Passenger for sick passengers, bridge strikes, idiots driving through activated level crossings.  These fines disguise bureaucratic bungling and lack of proper planning.  Flash floods during due freakish rain, not good enough Metro ...   you need to bring back steam so you can run through floods I suppose.  What a joke!

[Fares_Fair]

From the Melbourne Age click here!

Blame it on the rain: Metro's rail fail

Blame it on the rain: Metro's rail fail
Mex Cooper
March 4, 2011 - 1:48PM

Metro has been fined $1 milllion for failing to achieve its service delivery target after blaming storms for the cancellation of 500 trains within three days last month.

Melbourne's train system operator fell short of its 98 per cent service delivery target by failing to deliver 52,400 services.

More than 500 trains were cancelled on the weekend beginning February 4 when flash flooding and wild winds battered the state.

The train operator has in the past failed to meet punctuality targets but always achieved its service target since taking over from Connex 15 months ago.

In February, Metro did not deliver either with nearly 15 per cent of trains running late and more than two per cent cancelled.

Under Metro's contract with the Government it will have to pay $1 million for failing to meet its minimum standards.

Metro CEO Andrew Lezala said during the storms 16 train lines were suspended in sections, seven water-damaged trains were taken out of service, and tracks and pedestrian subways were flooded.

''It's no secret the storms knocked the network around, and it took us some weeks to recover,'' Mr Lezala said.

''The storms and the subsequent flash flooding caused major disruptions to the network, just as they caused disruptions to most of Melbourne and parts of Victoria that weekend.''

Train passengers with monthly, six-monthly or yearly Metcards and those with the equivalent of a monthly Myki pass can apply to be reimbursed two daily tickets.
In January, Metro recorded its best service delivery result when it ran 98.9 per cent of services.

For more information on compensation offered to commuters visit the website.

Comment:  Nearly as crazy as fining QR Passenger for sick passengers, bridge strikes, idiots driving through activated level crossings.  These fines disguise bureaucratic bungling and lack of proper planning.  Flash floods during due freakish rain, not good enough Metro ...   you need to bring back steam so you can run through floods I suppose.  What a joke!

Agree Bob 

Where do I get one of these periodic Metcards ?
Would it work in Queensland ?  (facetious)

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[ozbob]

From the Melbourne Age click here!

Cloud over Metro's figures

Cloud over Metro's figures
Jason Dowling
March 7, 2011

METRO has been accused of deceiving commuters on how many scheduled train services it delivers, with new figures showing thousands of trains bypassing stations or only completing part of a scheduled journey, and only a fraction counted as cancellations.

Figures provided to The Age show there were 9343 ''short services'' (trains that did not complete a full scheduled service) and loop bypasses in the city and at Altona in 2010 - but only 1766 cancellations recorded for the incidents.

Metro officially achieved its 98 per cent service delivery target in every month last year but the train operator would not say if this would have been the case if every short service or bypass counted as a cancellation.

''We don't deal in hypotheticals,'' a spokesman for the train operator said.

In November, Metro officially ran 98.9 per cent of services, but there were 418 short services (which count as a quarter of one cancellation) and 176 loop bypasses (which count as one-eighth) that combined only counted as 126 cancellations.

''As far as the passenger is concerned, the train is cancelled if it doesn't arrive,'' Daniel Bowen from the Public Transport Users Association said.

''Clearly, if you are standing on the station and the train has bypassed that station and you can end up waiting 20 minutes for the next one, that has a big impact on delaying your journey and overcrowding the next service,'' he said.

A Frankston line train is believed to have recently run express back to the city in an attempt to make up time after running 17 minutes late.

Metro said: ''It is possible for this to happen, but it seems to be rare.'' Mr Bowen said the system for recording Metro's performance had to change.

''A train bypassing the loop could impact hundreds of passengers - the system needs to better reflect the impact on passengers,'' he said.

Public Transport Minister Terry Mulder said he was concerned by the number of trains bypassing stations.

''I have been concerned for more than a year about the number of Werribee line trains that are suddenly bypassing Seaholme, Altona and Westona stations,'' he said.

But he said train controllers only altered or cancelled a train ''if they believe it is in the best interest of commuters across Metro's network''.

Chris Whitefield from Metro Trains said services were sometimes diverted to run express (and not via the City or Westona loop) or were cancelled during a scheduled journey (short service) to avoid causing congestion or knock-on delays and disruptions for passengers.

He said bypasses and short services now counted towards the cancellation rate and this was not the case when Connex operated the trains.

''This new system recognises that bypasses and short services are equivalent to cancellations for those who miss out on using that service,'' he said.

He denied Metro was misleading commuters on how many services were cancelled or that Metro was bypassing stations and curtailing services to improve its punctuality result.

''The government applied a tougher measurement system under Metro's contract for both service delivery (number of services ran) and punctuality (number of services ran on time),'' he said.

[ozbob]

Bit pointless blaming Metro for a succession of Government infrastructure failings which began with a liberal government ... crikey, what a cop-out ...

From the Melbourne Age click here!

After 100 days: Metro, Canberra on notice

After 100 days: Metro, Canberra on notice
Reid Sexton and Josh Gordon
March 9, 2011

TED Baillieu has put Melbourne rail operator Metro on notice to improve performance just days after it was accused of using deceptive cancellation figures to hit punctuality targets.

In an interview to mark his first 100 days, the Premier also revealed he is intensifying plans to tackle Canberra over the loss of billions of dollars of GST funding and over a federal poker machine crackdown that could cost Victoria millions in gaming tax revenue.

Mr Baillieu said he ''could not be more delighted'' with his government's performance.

But he did not rule out tweaking commitments to cope with ''unprecedented'' financial pressures, including the potential loss of $2.5 billion in GST funds.

Asked if there was scope for adjustments to deal with those problems, Mr Baillieu told The Age: ''I don't want to get into the details of the budget process other than we recognise we now have an enormous challenge on our hands.''

The government is combing through the Commonwealth Grant Commission's complex funding calculations ''line by line'' as it prepares to mount its case, including claims that the state is suffering higher costs from the mining boom while reaping none of the benefits.

Mr Baillieu, who in opposition criticised Victoria's dependence on gaming tax revenue, said his government would demand compensation to offset any revenue losses triggered by a Gillard government plan to introduce mandatory ''pre-commitment'' technology for all poker machines, forcing players to set binding limits on losses.

''If the Commonwealth intervenes and dictates changes which have a dramatic impact on Victoria's finances, yes that would be the case,'' he said.

Mr Baillieu said his government was disappointed by Metro's repeated failure to meet punctuality targets, warning that the neglected state of the rail network was no excuse.

But he could not say when the government would deliver on its promise to introduce 940 armed guards to the network.

Metro took over the network in November 2009 promising to improve performance.

It met targets to January but failed both punctuality and cancellation targets for the first time last month.

Metro spokesman Chris Whitefield said the February result was better than last year, but conceded ''it's not good enough and we'll continue working towards the long-term improvement of the network, and one of the ways we're doing that is through improving the timetable''.

On Monday, The Age reported that Metro only counts a fraction of services that make unplanned bypasses of stations as cancellations.

Mr Baillieu said his government had warned Metro that it expected better and could not shift the blame to network underfunding.

''We recognise that the system has been short of investment for the better part of a decade and at a time when money was available,'' he said.

''We recognise that leaves them with problems.

''But they got on board, they did their assessment ... so we can only presume that they took it into account fully.''

He said the government was in the process of passing legislation to employ 940 protective service officers to patrol every Melbourne and major regional station at night.

But despite surveys showing travellers' fears at night, he refused to commit to a time frame, beyond saying it would happen in the first term.

[ozbob]

From the Herald Sun click here!

Metro train ploughs into Bendigo Bank in Sandringham

Metro train ploughs into Bendigo Bank in Sandringham

    * Nathan Mawby
    * From: Herald Sun
    * March 10, 2011 1:05AM

A BANK received an unwelcome deposit last night after a Metro train came off its track and hurtled into the bank's back wall.

The train made the unscheduled stop at the Sandringham branch of the Bendigo Bank about 8.10pm.

The driver had been using a siding at Sandringham station to turn the train around, but overshot the end.

The rear wall of the bank was smashed open, with a two-metre gap torn in the brickwork.

Bricks and torn plaster from the bank interior were wedged beneath the train, which had its windshield
shattered.

Metro spokesman Chris Whitefield said the matter was being investigated.

"For some reason the train has ended up further along the siding than it should have," he said.

The driver was uninjured and no passengers were aboard. The train had been due to be taken on to Brighton Beach station to be parked for the night.

Bendigo Bank's regional manager attended the scene last evening, but declined to comment.

A security guard was posted outside the bank branch overnight.

[ozbob]

From the Melbourne Age click here!

Train smashes into bank

Train smashes into bank
March 10, 2011

A SUBURBAN train overshot the end of the line at Sandringham last night and smashed through the wall of a Bendigo Bank, raising fresh safety concerns over Melbourne's trouble-plagued Siemens trains.

The incident happened less than an hour after another Siemens train derailed at Pakenham.

Metro spokesman Chris Whitefield said wet weather may have contributed to both incidents, and that the company would investigate. The incidents, at 7.15pm and 8.10pm, involved empty trains being shunted. The drivers were unhurt.

Emergency crews were trying to prop up the damaged Bendigo Bank building at the end of the Sandringham station platform last night.

Siemens trains make up about a fifth of Metro's fleet. They have had a history of problems with braking, which at various stages forced many to be suspended from service.

Mr Whitefield said last night's incidents involved issues of ''adhesion'', not braking.

[ozbob]

From the Melbourne Age click http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/metro-crash-train-speeding-20110311-1bqbl.htmlhere!

Metro crash train 'speeding'

Metro crash train 'speeding'
Megan Levy
March 11, 2011

A suburban train that overshot a platform and crashed into a bank in Sandringham this week was travelling at more than twice the speed limit at the time, according to train operator Metro.

An initial investigation concluded that the Siemens train was travelling at 33km/h when it entered the rail siding, well above the 15km/h speed limit, before it smashed into the Bendigo Bank and tore a two-metre hole in the brickwork on Wednesday night.

The crash at 8.15pm happened less than an hour after another Siemens train derailed at Pakenham.

Metro's investigation has found that the Pakenham train was also speeding when it entered the siding - at 40km/h, nearly three times the 15km/h limit.

Metro spokesman Chris Whitefield said speed, and not the trains' brakes, was responsible for the incidents.

"Our drivers are highly trained over an intense 73-week period and we now need to understand why these particular drivers chose to travel at more than double the speed in a siding," Mr Whitefield said.

The trains were not in service at the time, and no one was injured.

Emergency crews had to prop up the damaged Bendigo Bank building, which has left a gaping hole in a rear wall facing Sandringham station.

The bank will remain closed until further notice until the building is assessed.

The state government's VicTrack agency leases the building to Bendigo Bank.

A VicTrack spokesman said the building would need to be propped up while the wall was rebuilt.

The Sandringham crash caused the train's windscreen to shatter and scattered bricks and plaster from the bank's interior around the site.

Siemens trains make up about a fifth of Metro's fleet.

They have had a history of problems with braking, which at various stages forced many to be suspended from service.

Rail, Tram and Bus Union locomotive division secretary Marc Marotta said yesterday the driver of the train involved in the Sandringham crash had made every attempt to stop, including applying emergency brakes.

The Rail, Tram and Bus Union have been contacted for comment today.

[#Metro]

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/metro-cancelling-trains-20110324-1c8ka.html?comments=30#comments

Another platform overshoot

[ozbob]

From the Melbourne Age click here!

Taxpayers fund $25m Metro makeover

Taxpayers fund $25m Metro makeover
Clay Lucas, Royce Millar
April 4, 2011

VICTORIANS paid $25 million to erase the Connex brand from Melbourne and replace it with the logo of the company's more expensive but poorer performing successor Metro.

Figures sought by The Age and released by the Baillieu government show Victorians paid $20.4 million for stickers and artwork to remove more than 11,000 references to Connex on the city's rail network.

The new operator got $3.4 million for an ad campaign to launch the Metro brand name and marketing events.

Metro also received $1.1 million for the ''creative development'' work behind the design of new uniforms for staff, a website makeover, and new electronic announcements.

The figures are from the contract between Metro and the Victorian government signed in 2009 - worth more than the Connex contract - but until now kept secret. The contract was previously published on a government website, but with key financial details redacted.

The figures show Metro also has a public relations budget of $10 million over its eight-year contract.

However, Metro continues to fail to meet the performance standards achieved by its less costly predecessor.

It has not met the monthly performance target set for it by the Department of Transport.

The targets require Metro to run at least 88 per cent of trains ''on time'', or face penalties of up to $1 million a month. An on-time train must arrive within five minutes of its scheduled time.

In March, Metro ran 83 per cent of the city's trains on time.

In the 16 months since it replaced Connex, Metro has met its on-time performance target three times.

While Metro has performed poorly in running Melbourne's trains on time, its record for cancellations is far better, with about 1 per cent of services not delivered since taking over from Connex.

Metro spokeswoman Leah Waymark said the operator's public relations budget was for essential communications with train travellers, including ads telling commuters where works were being carried out, or announcements of extra services for events.

Ms Waymark said Metro's public relations budget was ''modest compared to the previous franchisee and is an important way of helping customers to make the best choices for their journey''.

Metro's yearly budget for public relations and advertising is understood to be about 60 per cent less than that of Connex.

The amount Victorians are spending on extra train services from Metro has also come under the spotlight, with recently released government figures showing extra payments being made to the operator. The government's 2010-11 Mid-Year Financial Report, released last month, shows Metro will have its payments increased by $74 million over the remaining seven years of its contract with the state of Victoria.

The $74 million is for operating 496 additional train services each week, which began running from last June and October.

The increased payments, agreed to under the contract Metro signed with the government in 2009, are based on the increase in kilometres of services, and cover the costs associated with running the extra services such as drivers and maintenance.

[ozbob]

http://www.metrotrains.com.au/About-us/News/Metro-misses-punctuality-exceeds-service-delivery-in-March.html

Metro misses punctuality, exceeds service delivery in March

Metro misses punctuality, exceeds service delivery in March
7 April

Metro's performance results for March have been released, confirming it exceeded its service delivery target but failed to reach its punctuality target.

The operator improved on February's service delivery result, running 98.9 per cent of services during March to exceed its 98 per cent target for the 15th time.

And although the 83.3 per cent punctuality result was the best March result in three years, it fell short of the 88 per cent target.

Metro CEO Andrew Lezala said he was pleased to have once again exceeded the service delivery target but was disappointed to not have met the on-time measure.

"Although March's punctuality result is nearly three percentage points better than the same time last year, and the best March result seen in Melbourne in three years, it's still not good enough," Mr Lezala said.

"We still have more work to do in implementing our plan to achieve on-time performance that consistently exceeds 88 per cent."

Mr Lezala also said despite some fleet restrictions caused by derailments in sidings and the shortage of rolling stock due to those incidents, Metro was able to keep cancellations low.

"The shortage of sidings caused by the derailments in sidings at Carrum, Pakenham and Sandringham, and the subsequent shortage of trains affected us during March," Mr Lezala said.

"Those incidents, in combination with recent upgrades to sidings at Mordialloc and Upfield, meant some service constraints across the network in March, but we were still able to keep cancellations to a minimum."

Metro will pay compensation for falling below its punctuality target in March. Customers with a monthly, six-monthly or yearly Metcard, and customers with an eligible myki pass may apply for compensation by filling out a claim form available at premium stations or download an application form from here.

[ozbob]

From the Melbourne Age click here!

Query over brakes as train overshoots

Query over brakes as train overshoots
Clay Lucas
April 12, 2011

ANOTHER of Melbourne's fleet of Siemens trains has been involved in a braking incident, failing to stop at Armadale station on Sunday afternoon.

''That train has been taken from service pending the outcome of the investigation as to the cause of the overshoot,'' Metro spokesman Chris Whitefield said last night.

The Siemens train overshot Armadale platform by about five to six metres, despite the driver saying he had applied the brakes.

Melbourne's 36 Siemens trains, which were made in Vienna, have had sporadic braking failures since their introduction to Melbourne in 2003. At the height of problems with the trains, in 2007, then-operator Connex considered withdrawing the entire fleet from service.

Siemens executives have repeatedly said that it is not faulty brakes on their trains causing the problem, and that ''degraded track conditions'' are a more likely cause.

CLAY LUCAS

[ozbob]

Herald Sun --> Metro investigates drivers amid suspicions timetable is being derailed

[ozbob]

From the Melbourne Age click here!

Metro blames train drivers for unpunctual April

Metro blames train drivers for unpunctual April
Clay Lucas
April 28, 2011

FOR the first time since Melbourne's public transport system was privatised in 1999, the city's trains are less reliable than its trams - with one in four rail services now running five minutes or more late.

With Metro to post its worst performance yet for late trains for the month of April, passengers have been caught in the middle of a battle between the operator and its train drivers.

Yesterday Metro's chief executive Andrew Lezala blamed this month's poor performance on a ''small number of drivers'' who he said were deliberately running train services late.

He said Metro had sacked one driver and disciplined nine others over the ''go slow''. He refused to go into details.

Mr Lezala said he was not sure of the motivation of drivers for allegedly slowing the system. Train drivers this year will begin negotiating a new enterprise agreement with Metro.

The Rail, Tram and Bus Union's locomotive division president, Terry Sheedy, said Mr Lezala was ''making it all up'' about a go-slow. Mr Sheedy rejected any accusation that train drivers were deliberately running late. He said two drivers had been questioned about late running, but there had been no sackings and no formal warnings to drivers.

Transport Minister Terry Mulder said it was up to Metro and the union to sort out the mess.

Mr Lezala signalled that Metro would be taking on key union office holders, potentially causing more trouble for commuters.

''A few individuals have had a disproportionately high amount of influence over the way the railway runs for years. If we are going to have a great railway, which Melbourne deserves, we need to deal with all the issues, including the industrial ones,'' he said.

Metro has run the city's trains ''on time'' in only three of the 16 months since it took over in 2009.

In April, performance dropped to an all-time low, with Metro figures showing 77 per cent of the city's trains ran within five minutes of their scheduled time. By comparison, Yarra Trams ran about 80 per cent of services on time.

Mr Mulder said yesterday it was up to Metro and the Rail, Tram and Bus Union to sort out the problems. ''It is between Metro and their drivers, but I would be very, very concerned if some of these allegations were proven to be correct,'' he said.

He said he would wait for the completion of an investigation Metro was running before passing judgment.

RMIT transport and planning lecturer Paul Mees said Mr Mulder had promised to do far more to sort out Metro's problems before the Baillieu government was elected.

''This is the sort of thing that destroyed Lynne Kosky's credibility and brought down the previous government,'' Dr Mees said.

''People are entitled to ask what the point of changing governments last year was if we have another transport minister that's happy to leave it up to his department and the private operator to fix the problems.''

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/metro-blames-train-drivers-for-unpunctual-april-20110427-1dwtr.html#ixzz1KkAecTnw

[ozbob]

Herald Sun --> Metro's tricks to track late train drivers

[ozbob]

Channel 7 News Report

--> http://au.news.yahoo.com/video/national/-/watch/25037543/claims-of-deliberately-late-trains/

[ozbob]

Metro --> April performance and new timetables

[ozbob]

From the Herald Sun click here!

Commuters win and lose with new Metro timetable

Commuters win and lose with new Metro timetable

    Ashley Gardiner
    From: Herald Sun
    May 05, 2011 12:00AM

COMMUTERS are bracing for big changes next week when Metro introduces its new timetable.

The changes have sparked protests in Altona, and services to Laburnum station will be cut.

The Coalition voted down a Green bid for a parliamentary inquiry into the new schedules.

Metro chief executive Andrew Lezala said it was the biggest change in a decade.

Extra services will run along the Werribee, Belgrave-Lilydale, Sandringham, Cranbourne-Pakenham, Frankston and Glen Waverley lines.

But some journeys will be more inconvenient. A shuttle service will serve Altona, Seaholme and Westona during the day between the peaks, forcing commuters to change at Newport for a city-bound service.

At other times, those stations will get a direct train to Flinders St.

Glen Waverley trains will run direct to Flinders St, meaning a change at Richmond for City Loop passengers.

On the Belgrave-Lilydale line, Laburnum will get fewer services, with more trains running express through the station.

Metro spokesman Chris Whitefield said simpler stopping patterns meant more services could be run.

"Service frequency and stopping patterns are determined by patronage levels as reflected in the twice-yearly Department of Transport audits," Mr Whitefield said.

Greens MP Greg Barber, who unsuccessfully sought to have Parliament inquire into the timetables, said commuters had been forgotten by the Government.

"People along the Glen Waverley and Frankston lines put the Baillieu Government into office and how do they get repaid? Cuts to their train services," Mr Barber said.

Metro yesterday released its performance figures for last month, which showed that only 76.2 per cent of trains ran on time, well below the 88 per cent minimum.

The Herald Sun revealed last week that 10 drivers had been investigated, including some who were deliberately driving slowly.

[somebody]

Sounds like changes which many observers have been recommending have been implemented by Metro.

[ozbob]

From the Melbourne Age click here!

Stations to lose peak services

Stations to lose peak services
Clay Lucas
May 6, 2011

RAILWAY stations in Melbourne's east will lose up to 10 morning peak-hour services each weekday, according to a Metro report outlining the biggest change to timetables in a decade.

Metro's ''passenger impact statement'' was handed to the Baillieu government in March, and remained confidential until yesterday.

The report nominates ''winners'' and ''losers'' in the new timetable, which begins on Sunday and introduces 127 extra services each weekday.

Many will benefit from the changes, but the report also shows that Laburnum and Camberwell stations will get 10 fewer trains to the city between 7.30am and 9am, with more express services not stopping.

Glenferrie will also have fewer services to the CBD stopping between 7.30am and 9am, while East Richmond will get 17 fewer trains to the city between 7.30am and 11am, also as a result of more express services.

The government's public relations campaign spruiking the timetable gained momentum last night, with marketing agency Metlink saying commuters would benefit.

But the reality outlined in the impact statement, released after a request in Parliament from Greens MP Greg Barber, shows a different outcome for many.

Some passengers will be happy, while others may be frustrated.

The report shows that Metro wants the government to pay it $6.6 million more a year to provide the extra services.

Mr Barber made his request to Parliament for the document on March 23, the day after it was given to the Department of Transport. But it was released only yesterday - just three days before the timetable change.

Mr Barber said the timetable would slow some services, and disadvantage thousands of commuters.

''And then it pays over $6½ million extra to the operator,'' he said. ''Now we know why they've been sitting on this report till the last minute.''

A copy of the eight-page document has been placed on The Age website. It explains clearly the effect the changes will have on Melbourne's 15 rail lines, even nominating winners and losers.

Residents in the area surrounding Laburnum station are clear ''losers'', and have this week been campaigning against the change. One resident, Peter Harry, said it was extraordinary the station would get a worse service when rail services had been such a huge election issue.

Liberal MP Dee Ryall won the seat of Mitcham off Labor's Tony Robinson, and agreed that frustration over public transport was a key issue. She said last night she was aware of the dissatisfaction.

''There is a reduction [in train services at Laburnum], but ... we have to look at the future and how can we improve the problems on that line if we don't deal with the fundamental problems?'' Ms Ryall said.

Since The Age reported in January that Metro had applied to the government to make major changes to the timetable, protests with up to 500 people have occurred in Altona. Passengers there will also have a reduced service and will often have to change at Newport.

Public Transport Users Association president Daniel Bowen said the Metro impact statement clearly and honestly laid out the winners and losers, and should have been released long ago.

Transport Minister Terry Mulder confirmed he had signed off on the changes after seeing the impact statement. But he argued his hands were tied because it was part of Metro's contract, signed by the previous government.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/stations-to-lose-peak-services-20110505-1eai1.html#ixzz1LW4g39jG

[#Metro]

It is all about geometry and networks. Rail timetabling is horrifically complex, particularly on something as big and unwieldy as the Melbourne train network. Advanced mathematics have to be used to figure out how to optimise the network.

Like I always say- It is impossible to devise a situation where there are only winners and no losers. On average, you want a situation where there are more winners than losers.

[ozbob]

Details have emerged, of a widespread shake- up, to Melbourne's train timetables.

[#Metro]

$7.1 million dollars. Is that all!?

How much do Brisbane QR station upgrades cost?

Compare this cost to the costs of extension for ONE KILOMETRE of rail or busway ($100 million? = about a decade of improved frequency?)...

My view is that we should be very very harsh on proposals for infrastructure extensions, and have them limited to those only absolutely necessary like Sunshine Coast Line and stub CAMCOS to Caloundra.

So money for things like rail extension to Gold Coast Airport, Helidon Rail, Ferny Grove extension to Samford, Flagstone, Yarabilla, Ripley, paris-style metro systems in the CBD etc and possibly even the Eastern Busway as it stands, Northern busways beyond Chermside (I guess you could throw in some roads in here too like state money for KSD 'roads in rivers') should be diverted to make the system we have now work better. You can always put on rocket buses, bus lanes and bus priority to allow people to move in the mean time (this is less of a solution for the Sunshine Coast CAMCOS simply due to distance).

What we need is services we can catch. Not low frequency, non-useful but pretty decorations.

[ozbob]

From the Herald Sun click here!

Metro commuters brace for new timetable, big crush

Metro commuters brace for new timetable, big crush

    Ashley Gardiner
    From: Herald Sun
    May 09, 2011 12:00AM

MELBOURNE'S ageing fleet of Hitachi trains have been rushed back into service so Metro can cope with its new timetable.

Today is a major test for the rail operator, with the introduction of the biggest shake-up to rail travel in Melbourne for more than a decade, including an extra 635 services a week.

A shortage of trains has forced Metro to use the old Hitachis throughout the day, instead of only during the morning peak.

Metro spokeswoman Geraldine Mitchell said the old trains would be in service for at least a month while damaged trains were repaired.

"We have sufficient drivers to operate the new timetable," Ms Mitchell said.

"The roster will require normal levels of overtime to be worked."

Crowds are expected to grow at Flinders St and Richmond station, where more passengers will change trains.

A consultants' report said the pinch-points would be at the:

CENTRAL subway at Richmond station;

ELIZABETH St subway and the ramps leading to it at Flinders St;

ESCALATORS leading to platforms 2 and 3, and those leading to platforms 12 and 13, also at Flinders St.

But Flagstaff, Melbourne Central, Parliament and Southern Cross were expected to be less busy.

Greens MP Greg Barber, who obtained the report in State Parliament, said crowding was already at extreme levels.

"The Government has approved a timetable that suits Metro, at the expense of passengers," Mr Barber said.

But the report concludes that both Flinders St and Richmond can cope with the extra foot traffic.

[ozbob]

From the Melbourne Age click here!

Old trains back on track

Old trains back on track
Clay Lucas
May 9, 2011

A SHORTAGE of working trains has forced Metro to put Melbourne's seven oldest trains back on the rails almost full-time to meet a new timetable starting today.

The oldest of the seven silver Hitachi trains is nearing 40 years old, having first hit Melbourne's rails in 1973.

The new timetable, approved by Transport Minister Terry Mulder, will see services added to all lines except Epping and Hurstbridge.

It is being launched as relations between Metro's management and its drivers reach an all-time low.

Chief executive Andrew Lezala last month blamed the company's poor performance meeting timetable targets on a ''go-slow'' by some drivers, prompting an angry reaction by drivers who said they were being made scapegoats.

Many drivers have attempted to have themselves rostered off for today, and three drivers yesterday told The Age there would be a shortfall of around 50 staff for the new timetable.

Metro spokeswoman Geraldine Mitchell rejected this: ''We have sufficient drivers to operate the new timetable. The roster will require normal levels of overtime to be worked.''

Problems with trains involved in crashes or other incidents have forced the operator to rely on the old Hitachi units, previously used only in morning peak hours.

Many commuters will welcome the timetable changes others will feel disadvantaged, including those losing access to the City Loop and those at stations where fewer trains will stop.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/old-trains-back-on-track-20110508-1eegg.html#ixzz1LmsHaq5c

[ozbob]

From the Melbourne Age click here!

Train delays mar timetable changes

Train delays mar timetable changes
Clay Lucas
May 9, 2011 - 10:09AM

Late services and cancelled trains have slowed the commute of many this morning as operator Metro implemented a new timetable devised to improve reliability and increase the number of peak-hour services.

An equipment fault on the Glen Waverley line early this morning saw trains at one point running between 15 and 20 minutes late, while a delay at Footscray — which Metro said was caused by an ill passenger — clogged up many services coming in from the western suburbs.

The new timetable, approved by Transport Minister Terry Mulder, has seen services added to all lines except Epping and Hurstbridge.

Things went reasonably smoothly at Richmond station, a key crunch point where many passengers will now have to change their morning trip as a result of alterations to services being taken out of or added to the City Loop.

Some City Loop trains were stopped at Richmond station for between one and two minutes as passengers crammed on to Loop services.

Passenger Serina Harris, who attempted to change onto a City Loop service at Richmond only to find there was not enough room, said she was already late because her morning service ran 10 minutes behind schedule.

"If this is the best we can do [from a new timetable] then I don't know if it works, it's taking me much longer," she said.

Metro was today forced to put Melbourne's seven oldest trains back on the rails almost full-time, to meet the demands of the new timetable.

The oldest of the seven silver Hitachi trains is nearing 40 years old, having first hit Melbourne's rails in 1973. Problems with trains involved in crashes or other incidents have forced the operator to rely on the old Hitachi units, previously used only in morning peak hours.

The new timetable is being launched as relations between Metro's management and its drivers reach an all-time low.

Chief executive Andrew Lezala last month blamed the company's poor performance meeting timetable targets on a "go-slow" by some drivers, prompting an angry reaction by drivers who said they were being made scapegoats.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/train-delays-mar-timetable-changes-20110509-1eerl.html#ixzz1LoxhAMsj