Melbourne Trams

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Melbourne's relationship with our trams is completely irrational

Catch a route 11 tram to the end of the line in Preston and you will find JS Grey Reserve, a nice if unremarkable neighbourhood park. There is plenty of grassy open space on which to fling a frisbee, trees for shade, kids' playground, a barbecue, even a small rose garden.

It's well used by locals, but in recent months they've watched on as a big chunk of it has disappeared behind temporary fencing and a hulking grey electrical substation has been built. Preston folk are not the only ones who have had to give up a bit of public space in recent times for new tram infrastructure.

About a dozen new substations have gone up across inner Melbourne, and while there is nothing pretty about them, and some communities have complained, it's clear the city needs them. They pump extra juice into the tram network, which is required to power the 70 large new E-Class trams that are being rolled into service at the rate of one a month.

The E-Class are the part of an investment of almost $1.4 billion in boosting the capacity of the tram system, without which Melbourne's public transport network would not have a hope of keeping up with the runaway pace of population growth. Melbourne's tram patronage surged 12 per cent to carry more than 200 million people last year, a figure that puts them in the same ballpark as the city's trains (which carried 233 million), and closer to becoming the backbone of the city's public transport system.

Though trams have always been a big deal in Melbourne, this is arguably more true than ever now. The city would grind to a halt without them. And yet it's hard to shake the feeling that Melbourne still doesn't truly respect its trams.

We love them, but as a sort of feelgood city mascot; rattly old things shuttling tourists around the Hoddle Grid or as pieces of art soaring above a full MCG stadium.

We are less sold on giving them the priority they need to move hundreds of thousands of people efficiently around the city each day, even as apartment buildings sprout like mushrooms along many of our tram corridors, a result of a planning policy that is explicit about building dense housing in public transport-rich areas. And yet despite the huge investment in trams, the city is still failing to put them to their best use to relieve road congestion that gets inexorably worse each year.

Consider this irrationality. About 200,000 passengers a day catch a tram along St Kilda Road. That's about as many people as drive over the West Gate Bridge each day.

If there's an accident on the bridge and the freeway is blocked for a few hours, politicians and commentators line up to argue that we urgently need to spend a lazy $18 billion on another east-west freeway. And yet the city's busiest tram corridor doesn't even have enough separation with general traffic to stop a delivery van driver shutting the whole thing down by doing an ill-timed U-turn in front of a moving tram.

This lack of separation means tram-on-car bingles happen two or three times a day on average. This causes serious tram delays and in too many cases, serious injuries for passengers on board.

Melbourne's tram network is unique. It's the world's biggest, and almost 80 per cent of it is along roads it shares with other traffic This makes it more like a slow streetcar system than an efficient light rail network. But the sheer weight of numbers demands Melbourne's trams be given light rail-style priority.

On inner-city streets such as Smith Street, Nicholson Street and Bridge Road, trams move more people than cars do.

Yarra Trams just had its best month ever for on-time running in January, when 87.8 per cent of trams ran on time. It's reasonable to assume the holiday drop-off in traffic contributed to this good result, but the city should be aiming for a similar result every month.

No smart city should be content to let a tram with 200 passengers on board crawl along at 10 km/h among a row of cars that each have one person inside. There are two main ways this can change: more traffic light priority, which should be straightforward, and less on-street parking on busy tram routes, which is trickier.

The issue of on-street parking has held back efforts to improve tram priority in Melbourne. The route 96 project, an attempt to turn the busy tram route into an end-to-end light rail, began in 2013 and still there is not a single platform tram stop between the East Brunswick terminus and the CBD.

Much of the delay has come down to resistance from traders, who fear loss of on-street parking will kill their businesses. This is understandable. Streets are fragile ecosystems with two essential functions. They are places to shop, eat and drink as well as thoroughfares. So where parking is removed so trams can get a better run, alternatives such as off-street parking should be investigated.

But traders, and the rest of us for that matter, must also realise that Melbourne has grown past the point where we should all expect to be able to get a rock star park outside the shopfront door. It's only fair given residents of Preston and elsewhere have already given up some of their much-loved parks to keep the city moving.

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Serious injuries on trams hits eight-year high

Melbourne has had its worst year for serious injuries on trams in almost a decade, new figures show, mainly due to passengers falling inside trams and at tram stops while boarding or alighting.

To deal with the growing problem, Yarra Trams is investigating changing the way its trams accelerate and brake, improving its driver training and identifying injury hot spots around the network.

There were 61 serious injuries on Melbourne's tram network last year, a 30 per cent rise from 2015.

It was the worst result since 2008, safety watchdog Transport Safety Victoria said.

The watchdog said distracted pedestrians straying into the path of trams were an increasing problem and "the rise of smartphone zombies doesn't show any sign of slowing".

"Transport Safety Victoria is receiving an increasing number of reports about distracted pedestrians walking in front of, or into the side of, trams in Melbourne," said TSV's Director of Rail Safety Jodie Talone.

"While there's a wide range of factors that can result in these types of incidents, we'd like to take this opportunity to remind people to stay alert around tram tracks, and hold on when you're on board."

A breakdown of the 61 serious injuries reveals distracted pedestrians were not the biggest cause of injuries. Half of the reported incidents occurred on a tram.

There were seven incidents in which a pedestrian was seriously injured from being hit by a tram, and 32 serious injuries from falls on board a tram. Thirteen people were badly hurt while getting on or off a tram.

One Yarra Trams employee was seriously injured in an electrical incident at the Preston workshops.

Transport Safety Victoria said it was working with Yarra Trams to investigate the increase in serious injuries on and around trams.

There are different theories as to what has caused the spike in people getting hurt.

A Yarra Trams spokesperson blamed some of the increase on poor driving habits and an increase in traffic density.

"Many of our incidents are as a result of drivers turning in front of trams or other unsafe road behaviours," she said.

"We're working closer than ever with our road partners to improve safety on our network, specifically around vehicle-to-tram incidents and serious injuries."

Daniel Bowen, spokesman for the Public Transport Users Association, said many seats had been stripped from trams in recent years to create more standing room, which made falls more likely.

"I suspect the proportion of passengers who are standing now when they are on the tram is much higher than in the past, partly because of crowding but also because on some of the trams there are so few seats," Mr Bowen said.

"If you're standing up, even if you're bracing yourself, a sudden stop really can have an impact."

Many sudden stops can be attributed to tram drivers hitting the brakes to avoid a vehicle that has entered its path.

The figures show there were 962 collisions between trams and vehicles last year, almost three a day on average, and the worst result in at least five years.

The number of slips, trips and falls, 285, was the highest in 10 years and represented a 41 per cent increase in one year.

Victorian Greens leader Greg Barber blamed overcrowding.

"It's the shocking level of overcrowding that's causing these accidents," he said. "You can barely reach a handhold, it's a struggle to get on and off and people standing up are very vulnerable if the tram suddenly stops."

Yarra Trams plans to increase the number of strap hangers on its E-Class trams and is installing safety cameras on board trams to give drivers greater internal and external visibility.

[ozbob]

Up early and on the no 11 tram on my way to join @sunriseon7 to discuss our big plans for Snowy Hydro pic.twitter.com/ApeqwC1RdY

— Malcolm Turnbull (@TurnbullMalcolm) March 16, 2017

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Safer, sleeker trams ready to roll in wake of sharp rise in injuries

Trams operating on three of Melbourne's busiest routes have been revamped to improve passenger safety.

The E-Class tram, the city's newest and largest tram type, has been redesigned following an explosion in use since the free tram zone was introduced in 2015 and a recent sharp rise in serious injuries on trams.

Energy, Environment and Climate Change Minister Lily D'Ambrosio says Melbourne's more than 400 trams will be powered by Victoria's first large-scale solar plant, set to be built by the end of 2018.

The new version, dubbed the E2-class, has also been given a sleek new look. It is expected to be unveiled at Bombardier's Dandenong factory on Tuesday.

It will include extra handholds and grab rails, reducing the risk of passenger falls, and much wider and less glary driver-side windows to give the driver a better view of road traffic.

Internal cameras will be fitted to the trams so drivers can more easily see passengers moving between the tram and platforms.

The changes follow a fivefold increase in the number of injuries among passengers getting on and off trams, a 50 per cent rise in falls on trams and a doubling in serious injuries in two years.

The rise in injuries has followed a shift towards mostly standing-room tram interiors, with fewer seats available on all but the oldest trams.

Bombardier has already made 50 E-Class trams, the last of which is scheduled to enter service in May. These will be retrofitted with many of the new safety features, the company said. 

Bombardier's managing director, Andrew Dudgeon, said the design changes followed discussions with passengers, and were developed with virtual reality technology at Swinburne University.

"From design all the way through to the build, our team in Dandenong manages the entire process and could not be more proud of these vehicles," Mr Dudgeon said. "We look forward to working with the Victorian government and Public Transport Victoria to continue delivering more of the best trams for Melbourne."

The new-look tram is among the nominees for the 2017 Australian Good Design Awards.

According to its awards entry: "The design has enhanced the overall vehicle quality by utilising the latest in virtual reality technology from Swinburne University to optimise driver sight-lines and enhance driver and passenger safety."

Public Transport Users Association president Tony Morton said E-Class trams were not perfect but had been "a pretty good addition" to Melbourne's tram fleet.

"They do tend to reflect the way that we've been designing and fitting out our trams in recent years to have fewer seats and more standing room, on the basis that that is the cheapest way to accommodate more people on the system," he said.

Dr Morton said it was no surprise  an increase in slips and falls had followed  the reduction of seating.

Annual tram patronage soared above 200 million trips in 2015-16.

E-Class trams run on routes 96, 11 and 86, three of the most heavily used in Melbourne.

The 20 E2-Class trams are expected to cost $274 million.

[ozbob]

http://www.premier.vic.gov.au/in-a-class-of-their-own-melbournes-next-gen-trams/

In A Class Of Their Own: Melbourne's Next-Gen Trams

Minister for Industry and Employment Premier

21 March 2017

The first of 20 new trams ordered by the Andrews Labor Government and built in Melbourne, for Melbourne, has rolled off the production line.

Premier Daniel Andrews joined Minister for Industry and Employment Wade Noonan at Bombardier's Dandenong factory today to get a look at the new E-Class tram, which will soon enter service on the world's biggest tram network.

E-Class trams are the biggest and most accessible in Melbourne – featuring low floors, more myki readers, better information and space for more than 200 passengers.

The new E-Class models are being built right now and will be even safer and more comfortable than the current model, with more rails and handles for passengers to hold.

These trams are being built in right here in Victoria – supporting 500 local jobs at Bombardier and local suppliers.

The project is also supporting the transition of ex-automotive workers, with Bombardier identifying a number of opportunities for reskilling.

The Labor Government's $295 million order of 20 new trams in 2015 saved these jobs, after the former Liberal Government failed to order a single tram in four years.

The new trams are part of the Government's rolling stock strategy – Trains, Trams, Jobs – which sets out a ten-year order book for hundreds of new trains and trams for Victoria.

The strategy will ensure the supply of new trains and trams keeps pace with patronage growth, and provides certainty to manufacturers and workers in the local rolling stock industry, which employs up to 10,000 Victorians.

The 51st E-Class built in Dandenong will now undergo testing and commissioning at Yarra Trams' Preston workshop before joining the current E-Class fleet, which operates on routes 96, 86 and 11.

All 70 new E-Class trams ordered by successive Labor Governments will be in service by the end of next year.

Quotes attributable to Premier Daniel Andrews

"We're building better trams in Melbourne, for Melbourne, supporting hundreds of local jobs."

"These trams will carry hundreds more passengers around our city and all of us can take pride that they were built right here in Victoria."

Quotes attributable to Minister for Industry and Employment Wade Noonan

"These new trams are part of our record investment in public transport – to create jobs, support our manufacturers and get people home safer and sooner, every day."

"The former Liberal Government didn't order a single new tram in four years – putting the livelihoods of hundreds of workers at risk."

[techblitz]

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/tram-services-slashed-despite-runaway-passenger-growth-20170404-gvdeuu.html?platform=hootsuite

Tram services will be slashed on some of Melbourne's busiest routes next month, leading to longer wait times and increased crowding.

Tram frequency will be reduced on six of Melbourne's busiest tram routes when the timetable changes on May 1. Public transport advocates and the Opposition have slammed the move by the Andrews government.
The government has issued no public warning about the looming cuts, which will hit night-time services hardest, but also includes the loss of some services in the morning peak.

wtf? why? Melbourne is undergoing massive population growth each year with consistent 60-80k added each year....

Public Transport Victoria noted in its latest annual report that "strong population growth is likely to be driving tram patronage growth".

[ozbob]

^ something odd about this.  Getting mixed messages from Melbourne.  PTV saying no cuts but timetables clearly show there are.

Wait over ...

[SurfRail]

It's because they are replacing Z's etc with E's.  Capacity is up but frequency is down because the fleet isn't growing 1 for 1, due to the Es taking so long to arrive and because the system can't presently handle mass introduction of Es even if they were available due to the need to amp up the power in the grid.

The delivery timeframe issues could have been avoided if they had them built in Bautzen like the GCLR Flexity 2s, and it would have been cheaper.  (Our 4 new trams start to arrive from August IIRC.)  Politically would not have happened though.

[ozbob]

^ Thanks!  They are frothing a bit in Melbourne about this ..

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> The timing of the cuts to tram services is awfully suspicious

It was all self-congratulation in a government press release last week praising timetable changes that would "increase services and reduce crowding" on Melbourne's trams. Well, that was last week and a week is a long time in politics.

This week the story broke that tram services will be slashed on some of Melbourne's busiest routes. Fewer services and more crowding is the reality from the operator locked in secret negotiations with the government for a new contract to run Melbourne's trams.

In a stroke of legal genius, the current contract of Yarra Trams gives it the exclusive right to negotiate with the government behind closed doors for a seven-year franchise agreement. It certainly makes the bidding process easier when you are not facing competition.

Secret negotiations are just the start of this clandestine operation. Yarra Trams received $2.2 million in "incentive payments" on top of the $2.2 billion the government has paid for the group to operate Melbourne's trams. How those incentive payments are calculated is shrouded in mystery, with three of the five contractually agreed criteria kept secret.

What we do know is that key performance data used in the incentive formula is largely self-reported by Yarra Trams. The Victorian Auditor General put it this way: "PTV relies solely on Yarra Trams to assure the ongoing integrity of the system and the data it produces. This means that PTV is publicly reporting performance results and determining bonus and penalty payments with only limited assurance about the reliability of the performance data that underpins these results."

That's right – the contractor is responsible for the quality of the information that determines what bonus it will get.

After I raised these issues in Parliament and called for an expert panel to investigate this model I received a letter from the Minister for Public Transport saying "it is not appropriate" to appoint an expert panel. I was assured, however, that "the government is requiring significantly stronger standards, particularly in the areas of performance".

As a statement, "better performance" sounds great. How that will be achieved could be at the heart of the announced service slashes.

A cynical mind would say Yarra Trams is setting a low bar with these timetable changes that could be miraculously revised to increase performance once the new contract is in place.

If that is the negotiation tactic, it means the public is being held hostage so Yarra Trams can get what it wants.

With services already stretched, prices increasing and passenger numbers continuing to grow the public is not getting value for money. That is exactly why we need an independent panel to investigate how we can return to high quality services that are affordable for government and the public.

Until then, the continued secrecy puts all the power in the hands of Yarra Trams.

Fiona Patten is the Leader of the Australian Sex Party and Member for the Northern Metropolitan Region in the Victorian Parliament.

[ozbob]

Ever get dumped off a tram before end of the line? Yarra Trams short shunted 11,000 trams last month https://t.co/XLWcOdgkOG via @theage

— Adam Carey (@adamlcarey) April 19, 2017

[ozbob]

The 50th E-Class tram entered service today, improving accessibility and capacity on the world's largest tram network. pic.twitter.com/XyIfVt1L1I

— Yarra Trams (@yarratrams) April 23, 2017

[ozbob]

A tram has come off the tracks on Hawthorn Road. Route 64 trams are diverting via Glenhuntly Road. #7News pic.twitter.com/6gWrBXtU1x

— 7 News Melbourne (@7NewsMelbourne) May 5, 2017

[ozbob]

Just like PT in peak hour, not everything could fit into our newsletter - here's our piece on new tram timetables https://t.co/MdNxZnYtfn pic.twitter.com/XzbdUhdP4e

— PTUA (@ptua) May 21, 2017

[ozbob]

Big smash when 58 took out this tram in Royal Park. Everyone seems ok amazingly #theheraldsun pic.twitter.com/o0NRfyO7bv

— Andrew Jefferson (@AndyJeffo) May 21, 2017

[ozbob]

Herald Sun --> Truck collides with 58 tram in Royal Park

A TRUCK has smashed into the Number 58 tram full of commuters in Royal Park, throwing the tram off its tracks and causing major delays on the busy route.

The truck carrying soil collided with the tram carrying about 100 passengers just after 8am this morning.

The impact of the collision overturned the truck, while the tram's side and windows were smashed in.

Herald Sun transport reporter Andrew Jefferson was on the tram when the accident happened.

He said it appeared nobody was badly hurt, but the driver was complaining of a sore back.

Emergency crews are arriving on scene. ....

[ozbob]

Trams derailed by trucks in two separate accidents https://t.co/WnwvdBxnpm via @theage

— Clay Lucas (@ClayLucas) May 21, 2017

[ozbob]

http://www.premier.vic.gov.au/first-new-e-class-trams-on-melbourne-streets/

First New E-Class Trams On Melbourne Streets

Premier 13 June 2017

The first of 30 new E-Class trams ordered by the Andrews Labor Government will begin operating on the world's biggest tram network today.

Premier Daniel Andrews joined Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan in Wellington Parade to inspect tram 51, before it and tram 52 enter passenger service later this week.

The low-floor E-Class trams are the biggest and most accessible in Victoria, with low floors, more myki readers, better information and space for more than 200 passengers.

They include audio and visual passenger information, air conditioning and dedicated spaces for passengers with prams and mobility aids.

The newest E-Class trams feature a new cab design which makes passengers safer including eight extra hand rails and 24 more strap hangers.

These trams were built right here in Victoria – supporting 500 local jobs at Bombardier in Dandenong and local suppliers.

Trams 51 and 52 are the first of 20 ordered by the Labor Government in 2015 to enter service, and will operate on routes 96, 86 and 11.

The Victorian Budget 2017/18 funded a further 10, taking the total number of E-Class trams to  be purchased to 80.

All 80 trams are expected to be in service by mid-2019, providing space for more than 17,000 extra passengers.

Quotes attributable to Premier Daniel Andrews

"We're building bigger, better trams in Melbourne, for Melbourne – supporting hundreds of local jobs."

"The E-Class tram is local manufacturing at its best – and we can take great pride that these locally manufactured trams will move locals and tourists efficiently and comfortably around our city."

Quotes attributable to Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan

"These trams will carry hundreds more passengers around our city and we can be proud they're designed and built in Victoria."

"The former Liberal Government didn't order a single new tram in four years. We've already ordered 30 to support jobs and carry more passengers on the world's biggest tram network."

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/7NewsMelbourne/status/874510469351866369

[Otto]

Can't wait to ride them in September.. 

[ozbob]

Can't wait to ride them in September.. 

I hope I can jag one when in Melbourne town in a few weeks when I am #FleeQLD  ...

Meanwhile ...

https://twitter.com/yarratrams/status/874450220859502592

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Melb_Chamb/status/874429782393487360

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/DanielAndrewsMP/status/885337820134391808

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/9NewsMelb/status/891936029740945409

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/yarratrams/status/893251407058489348

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/898595520020533249

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/UrbanMelbourne/status/900175974553198592

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> 'It sort of exploded': Commuters flee burning tram after power lines spark blaze

Terrified commuters were forced to flee a burning Melbourne tram on Tuesday morning, after it was set on fire by live overhead power lines.

Witnesses say they heard a series of "bang noises" come from a Route 58 tram, when it caught alight about 9.30am on Tuesday near the corner of Toorak and St Kilda roads.
'It sort of exploded': commuters flee tram

Terrified commuters were forced to flee from a burning Melbourne tram after it was set on fire when overhead power lines overheated.

They then saw live, sparking electric wires flying across the top of the tram. Construction workers, who were working on the tram stop, came to the rescue of 30 passengers on board the tram, who had to be evacuated.

The tram was at a newly-installed tram stop, one of two that were built along Toorak Road West during a school holiday "construction blitz" in early July.

At this early stage however, Yarra Trams say the focus of their investigation is a possible fault with the tram and not the infrastructure.

George Gereige, owner of Cafe Rosco, which is opposite the scene, said he heard "bang noises, like a firecracker" just after 9am.
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"When I looked at the tram, the electricity line above it catapulted across to the left hand side of the tram," he said.
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"People were working there, minding the road, and they helped people come out of the tram and go onto the right side of it.

"The line was still live, so if they had've walked onto the other side somebody could have stepped on it and been electrocuted. I heard the workers say, 'walk away from the line I think it is still live'."

Tim Yen, who took photos of smoke billowing out of the tram, said he saw "a large broken cable flopping onto the top of the tram from overhead with sparks flying and smoke".

"I didn't really want to go near just in case it was dangerous," he said.

Victoria's Rail Tram and Bus Union secretary Phil Altieri​ said it was lucky that no one was injured, considering the lives wires could easily have electrocuted the driver or passengers.

"So the tram not only caught fire, but it became live," Mr Altieri said.

Mr Gereige said he did not understand how that had happened to a new electrical wire.

"It was a new electricity line, everything there should be new, it's not even a month old," he said. "So that's very surprising.

"It was very lucky nobody was walking around, it could have been a lot worse if somebody got hit, and that is normally a very busy corner with a lot of people walking around."

Another witness, Kate, told radio station 3AW that the tram "had sort of exploded and then was on fire underneath."

"People were trying to get off and then it exploded again. There was ... babies, mothers, people going to work, but they couldn't see that there was fire under the tram.

"All the workmen who were around that area told them to get off ... they were fabulous, they stopped all the traffic."

Kate said she was driving when she witnessed the incident unfold. "Oh my God, I feel sick. I just kept driving, it was terrible," she said.

Route 58 is a new tram route, with a new section that replaces services on Domain Road.

Domain Road is closed for five years to make way for the Metro Tunnel.

A Yarra Trams spokesman said the fire was started by overhead power wires that came down near the corner of St Kilda Road and Toorak Road.

He confirmed that the overhead wires were installed in July, when the tram stop was built, but said the focus of their investigation was "with the tram not the overhead wires."

"We are investigating a potential fault with the tram, which could have caused the damage to the overhead wire," the spokesman said.

About eight firefighters arrived shortly after and contained the blaze in nine minutes, an MFB spokeswoman said. There were no injuries.
graphic

The tram, number 2107, is listed on its profile page as being 25 years old.

The damaged tram was removed from the tracks about 11.30am on Tuesday.

Tram services on St Kilda Road resumed about 12.10pm, but Yarra Trams said there would be delays as they worked to restore the timetable.

St Kilda Road tram replacement buses continued to operate between the Arts Precinct and St Kilda Junction, and Arts Precinct and Toorak, as services resume.

[verbatim9]

Yeah saw that online. Time to speed up livery of the newer trams.

[ozbob]

ABC News --> Metro Trains and Yarra Trams win new $7b contracts with tougher performance targets

Metro Trains and Yarra Trams will continue to operate Melbourne's public transport after the Andrews Government awarded the pair new contracts worth $7 billion.

The widely expected seven-year deal to grant the contracts comes despite recent chaos on the train network and a push for public transport to be returned to public hands.

Under the new deal, Metro Trains, partly owned by Hong Kong's MTR Corporation, will be banned from the controversial practice of station skipping, a policy used to meet punctuality standards by not stopping when delayed.

The Government is also imposing tougher performance targets and penalties.

Trains will now need to be on time 92 per cent of the time per month, up from 88 per cent.

Trams will need be on time 82 per cent of the time, up from 77 per cent.

Metro will face fines of up to $700,000 if half the network shuts down, on top of performance penalties.

Daily inspections of stations, trains and major tram stops will be introduced, and restrictions on advertising — including a ban on wrap-around tram ads — will be put in place.

The French-owned Yarra Trams will also be banned from changing its services to meet punctuality standards.

There will also be a major investment boost to maintenance and recruitment, including a push to create 700 new jobs.

The Government said 150 new train drivers, 270 support staff for passengers and 90 maintenance workers would be recruited, with a push for people from disadvantaged backgrounds to be employed.

Failure to meet maintenance of the network could incur $10 million in fines.

Earlier this month, the Victorian Government revealed Metro Trains had been fined the maximum penalty of $1.2 million over a computer glitch that forced a temporary shutdown of the network in July.

Under the previous contract, the operators had an exclusive right to negotiate with the Victorian Government for a new deal before other businesses could bid.

The exclusivity agreement is not in the new contract.

The contract's seven years include a major period of disruption on the network, with the construction of the Metro tunnel, signal upgrades and Mernda rail extension all planned.

Metro will receive a more lucrative performance bonus of $1.25 million per month.

The Rail, Tram and Bus Union has been leading a campaign for more than a year for trains and trams to return to public hands, arguing profits are going overseas rather than being reinvested in network service improvements.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/theheraldsun/status/907411787787759616

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/907411832314380288

[ozbob]

http://www.premier.vic.gov.au/putting-people-first-a-better-deal-for-passengers/

Putting People First: A Better Deal For Passengers

Minister for Public Transport 12 September 2017

The Andrews Labor Government is putting passengers first with new contracts to operate Melbourne's trains and trams that will mandate higher performance targets and enforce tougher penalties if these targets are not met.

Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan today announced Metro Trains Melbourne (MTM) and Keolis Downer (KDR) will operate Melbourne's train and tram networks for the next seven years.

The new train and tram contracts also deliver 700 new jobs including 375 apprenticeships and include a minimum 85 per cent local content.

Passengers have said they want to see improved performance and these new contracts will crackdown on operational practices such as city-loop and station skipping, short running of trams, graffiti, poor communication and information and dirty trains and trams.

A massive 37 per cent increase in maintenance and renewal investment will improve network infrastructure to reduce the number of faults on the system including signalling failures, overhead wires and points failures which lead to train delays and cancellations.

For the first time, MTM will face a $10 million penalty if they do not achieve new higher maintenance standards in the first two and half years of the contracts.

The new contract will also ensure that MTM will be penalised up to $700,000 to compensate passengers if a network failure results in more than 50 per cent of services cancelled or delayed by 30 minutes or more within a two hour period.

Passengers will no longer have to deal with overbearing and in your face advertising at stations and on trams and trains.

Passengers will benefit from more timely and accurate information through face-to-face, onboard and digital channels with station staff provided with up-to-date information and the tools needed to give passengers the information they need.

The Labor Government is investing more than $20 billion in our public transport network to ensure passengers who use trains and trams get to their destinations.

The new franchise term commences on 30 November 2017.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan

"Passengers have said that they want cleaner trains and stations, more reliable services, more timely and accurate information, less graffiti and scratching and that's what these contracts will do."

"We've listened to passengers, staff and unions so that these new contracts hold MTM and KDR to account in delivering increased maintenance, better services and real time information."

"We're fixing services now as well as making the biggest investment in public transport infrastructure in Victoria's history by building the Metro Tunnel, removing 50 dangerous and congested level crossings and upgrading high capacity signalling."

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/9NewsMelb/status/919737255719079936

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Thousands of tram trips cut short to avoid delay penalties, leaked data reveals

Thousands of Melbourne tram trips are being abruptly cut short and commuters left stranded, as Yarra Trams tries to dodge tough penalties for delays, leaked internal data reveals.

Monthly performance tram data obtained by The Age reveals there were about 10,670 short shunts in November last year, an average of about 356 times a day.

This was up from about 7670 short shunts the year before, marking a 33 per cent decline in performance over the year.

A short shunt occurs when a tram is stopped before it has reached the end of the line and turned back. This enables the tram to collect passengers travelling in the opposite direction and return on time.

Under the terms of Yarra Trams' contract with the state, the operator is penalised for failing to meet performance targets, with lateness and cancellations triggering fines.

The leaked results relate to the tram network's performance in the final month before the new seven-year contract with the state government kicked in on November 30, which imposes tougher penalties for short shunts.

Collisions, emergency services requests, infrastructure faults and traffic jams often trigger short shunts.

Last year's results suggest that the contract's new performance targets may be difficult to meet.

But a spokeswoman for acting public transport minister Philip Dalidakis said the new contract was "putting passengers first".

"We have also introduced a passenger experience regime with associated penalties for under performance and increased fines – for things such as short-shunting," the spokesman said.

A Yarra Trams spokesman said high temperatures and a string of protests in November triggered 1500 short shunts and 52 service cancellations.

"Operational decisions are made in real time and we always aim to deliver the best possible service to passengers," he said.

    Tram drivers keep saying to us that this is ridiculous, we cannot stick to this time unless we break road laws.
    Phil Altieri, Rail Tram & Bus Union

The internal document also reveals that Yarra Trams' punctuality was 79.6 per cent, which met the old contract's targets of 77 per cent, but not the new requirement for trams to run on time 82 per cent of the time.

It is understood that the number of passengers on a tram and the delays they endured are factored into the complex formula used to determine penalties.

Yarra Trams estimated that it would have to pay over $2 million in penalties in November, according to the leaked data, up from about $700,000 the year before.

This is after 1378 services were cancelled – nearly double the 716 cancellations the previous year.

Rail Tram & Bus Union tram division secretary Phil Altieri said the problem came down to Yarra Trams "excessively" reducing tram running time, which created impossible targets for drivers.

He said short shunts incur a penalty, though the penalty may be smaller than a delayed train running to the end of the route.

"Since 2011 and 2012, there has been a dramatic push to reduce running times. Tram drivers keep saying to us that this is ridiculous, we cannot stick to this time unless we break road laws and Yarra Tram rules," Mr Altieri said.

"Essential services like public transport should never be privatised, because it inevitably comes down to the bottom line ... services suffer, the people suffer and safety is compromised."

Public Transport Users Association spokesman Daniel Bowen said short-shunting was symptomatic of a lack of traffic lane and priority given to trams at traffic lights.

Three quarters of the tram network operates on shared roads with other vehicles and 17 per cent of journey time is spent at red lights, which is below the international standard of 3 per cent.

"Running times do need to be regularly reviewed and revised, they have to be realistic," said Mr Bowen.

"But equally, the government should be doing more to cut delays for trams."

Yarra Trams' performance for December – the first month after the new contract started – has not yet been released.

[#Metro]

"Essential services like public transport should never be privatised, because it inevitably comes down to the bottom line ... services suffer, the people suffer and safety is compromised."

Err... Toronto Transit Commission - 100% public operator - also short turns their buses and trams routinely.

Rare in Australia, but more common in North America. Never miss an opportunity to plug anti-business rhetoric!!

TTC - why buses and streetcars short-turn

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/951855374172225536

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Melbourne trams and cars on a collision course, new data reveals

Melbourne: Trams and other vehicles are crashing into each other nearly three times a day on average, and 99 passengers were injured while boarding or alighting trams last year, more than double the number for 2015.

The Yarra Trams data reveals that trams and vehicles collided 979 times last year, up from 872 in 2015, prompting further calls to separate trams from road traffic.

Meanwhile, separate figures from Transport Safety Victoria reveal a rise in the number of passenger injuries on trams.

It comes as the government rolls out newer tram models that accelerate faster, but can pose a risk to passengers when there is a sudden break, especially as overcrowded trams lose seating.

Slips, trips or falls on trams reached 241 in the first nine months of last year, up from 232 in the first nine months the year before and 148 in 2015.

The number of passengers who were injured while getting on or off trams rose to 99 last year, a significant increase from 46 in 2015, Yarra Trams data shows.

New level-access tram stops are being built as part of a requirement to ensure that all tram stops meet accessibility standards by 2022.

Greens' transport spokesman Sam Hibbins said the upgrades, which would improve passenger safety, were occurring too slowly, with many stops on Melbourne's busiest routes still needing to be converted.

"Obviously, this will take some time ... but the government is lacking a plan for this transition."

A recent study found a 43 per cent reduction in pedestrian injury rates after 15 busy inner Melbourne tram stops were changed from being "safety stops" – which is where a thin metal barrier separates people from traffic – to platform stops.

A Yarra Trams spokesman said more than 70 per cent of tram and vehicle collisions were due to motor vehicles turning or merging onto tram tracks.

New tram prioritisation initiatives, expanded driver training and work to fine-tune data identifying crash locations is underway at Yarra Trams, he said.

Public Transport Users Association spokesman Daniel Bowen said separating trams from motor vehicles would boost safety, but there was more that the Andrews government could do, such as installing safety cameras on trams to catch out dangerous drivers.

"Many passengers say they've seen or experienced near-misses, and it's disappointing that the government is reluctant to fit cameras onto trams to penalise this dangerous and illegal act."

Mr Bowen said creating more zebra crossings around stops would save passengers from being forced to  "run the gauntlet of motorists, or face a long wait to cross due to poorly-programmed traffic lights".

A government spokeswoman said the Public Transport Victoria, Yarra Trams and VicRoads was working with the government to improve safety.

Recent works to renew 2.2 kilometres of double tracks and overhead lines on Lygon Street, between Weston and Elgin streets, included installing raised kerbs, road markings and coloured asphalt to reduce the risk of tram and vehicle collisions, she said.

"There are more than 200 million trips on Melbourne's tram network each year – the majority of which are safe. However, work is under way on passenger and motorist awareness campaigns, driver awareness and upgrading tram stops to improve pedestrian access, safety and accessibility."

Mr Hibbins backed calls for safety cameras to be installed on trams, and said trams needed to be given priority on the roads.

"Unless the government has a plan to create greater tram separation from traffic ... then we are just going to see more accidents, more collisions and near-misses."

Seventy-five per cent of the Melbourne's tram network is shared with road traffic, with almost 10,000 new cars added to Victorian roads each month, according to VicRoads.

The Victorian opposition's public transport spokesman, David Davis, said the collisions were occurring as a result of "congestion that is strangling Melbourne" – a problem requiring a multi-step solution and "proper investment".

More than 390 of the 1761 tram stops in Melbourne have been upgraded to level access stops.

[SurfRail]

^ And people jump on trams on the Gold Coast for having the occasional collision once a month or less despite having about 8% of the route length of Melbourne.  If we were as prone to these issues as the Melbourne system, there would be around 80 prangs a year.

[red dragin]

^ And people jump on trams on the Gold Coast for having the occasional collision once a month or less despite having about 8% of the route length of Melbourne.  If we were as prone to these issues as the Melbourne system, there would be around 80 prangs a year.

The gold coast figures are impressive, considering people didn't grow up with them around, whereas in Melbourne they have.