Article: Users sick of crowds, delays on public transport

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Article from: Sunday Herald Sun click here

Users sick of crowds, delays on public transport

Users sick of crowds, delays on public transport

Fiona Hudson

February 17, 2008 12:00am

SATISFACTION among Melbourne's public transport users has nose-dived as unhappy commuters tire of overcrowded conditions.

Tram, train and bus passengers give the system a score of only 60 out of 100, analysis of freshly obtained passenger surveys reveals.

Passengers on the Upfield train line are the least content, awarding the route only 53.7 out of 100. Lilydale passengers are the least crotchety, awarding the line 67.2 points.

The No.8 to Toorak carries the most dissatisfied tram passengers, with users awarding the line 60 out of 100.

Satisfaction among V/Line train users was significantly higher, with Echuca-bound passengers awarding the line a score of 92.

Fed-up travellers who regularly miss out on a seat were a key cause of sagging satisfaction levels among train and tram users for the year October 2006-September 2007.

Two-thirds of Connex passengers surveyed between July-September 2007 griped to researchers that the trains were not on time, a third demanded bigger carriages and many wanted more frequent peak-hour services.

Train users rated the metropolitan network 58.8 out of 100, down from 64.2 the previous year and a significant drop from the 2001 rating of 70.2.

Vexed tram travellers told researchers Wallis Consulting they wanted more trams, more seats and ticket machines to take either bank notes or EFTPOS.

Overall satisfaction with trams was 68.4, down from a score of 72 the previous year. The main complaints were about service delivery, comfort and cleanliness.

And the opinions of bus passengers dipped slightly, from 68.5 to 67.7 last September.

The Sunday Herald Sun obtained the quarterly Customer Satisfaction Monitoring Survey results for the period October 2006 - September 2007 from the Department of Infrastructure using Freedom of Information laws.

The reports are based on monthly phone interviews by Wallis Consulting. For the period July-September 2007, about 850 interviews were conducted with metropolitan train users and a further 850 tram users were quizzed.

Taxi statistics were compiled based on interviews with 425 passengers and the same number of bus users were asked to rate bus services.

Almost 1000 pages of extraordinarily detailed results feature customer views on issues, including the clarity of overhead announcements, the comfort of seats and the number of students giving up their seats when asked.

Tram passengers were particularly annoyed by students not offering to stand for full-paying adults.

And tram users were also unhappy with the level of airconditioning in summer.

A lack of control of loutish behaviour was identified by train and tram passengers as cause for alarm. Train passengers were happier than in previous years with ticketing and staff service.

But they bemoaned the lack of information about the delay or cancellation of trains and trams.

Trains running behind time were a big aggravation for many passengers. And significant decreases were noted in the control of graffiti, lighting at train stations and commuter car-parking.

V/Line trains and coaches recorded a notable increase in satisfaction with service delivery on the previous year.

Passengers told researchers trains were running on time and the frequency was sufficient.

Taxi users told researchers they would like cheaper fares and improved driver knowledge.

They scored the ability to hail a taxi on the street at 53.4 out of 100 and said availability on Fridays and weekends and during popular events was a big problem.

There were also concerns that some drivers were unwilling to take the most direct route and that some cabs were smelly and unclean.

Half of all bus users said they wanted more frequent services, a third want better connections with trains and trams and a fifth want bigger vehicles on the roads.

There were also worries among bus users about the quality of shelter and lighting at stops.

Connex spokesman John Rees said the huge growth in patronage meant crowded trains were unavoidable.

"We don't like it when trains are full and late -- why would anyone else?" he said.

"We're trying to improve things. It's about making the system work harder so people can get more out of it."

A spokeswoman for Public Transport Minister Lynne Kosky yesterday said the State Government was working with transport operators to ease congestion during peak times.

Trials of early bird trains on two lines were being assessed and could be extended to other lines, spokeswoman Manika Naidoo said.

The State Government was pumping $834 million over the next 10 years into improving services, which included new trains and leased trams, she said.

It was hoped other measures such as timetable changes would also go some way towards reducing crowding during peak periods.