Tag: rail network

Maroondah Leader: Battle for survival in train revival

Posted on by alex

The Maroondah Leader has reported on the worsening overcrowding experienced on the Belgrave and Lilydale lines caused due to the State Government failing to improve service levels to cater to the large influx of patronage on Melbourne’s rail network.

Mr Makin, who lobbied the State Government to scrap Zone 3, said the move had placed more pressure on car parks and services at outer suburban stations, including Lilydale and Croydon.

“With Zone 3 gone, people are using their closest station instead of driving to Heatherdale for cheaper fares, so trains are overcrowded earlier,” Mr Makin said.

The State Government must respond to this patronage growth through improving the frequency of Melbourne’s rail network. In particular there is a need to introduce more frequent shoulder-peak services to help distribute peak hour demand, as well as shoulder-peak express services to improve the speed of train travel during these times. The State Government must become proactive in managing Melbourne’s rail system and reaffirm its intent to meet the goal of 20% modal share by the year 2020.

The Age: Tolls urged to cut traffic

Posted on by alex

The Victorian Competition and Efficiency Commission report into traffic congestion was releases today, along with the State Government’s response to its recommendations.

The report, which was covered in The Age, has painted a dire picture for Melbourne’s worsening traffic congestion and its recommendations, which included much needed rail extensions and better bus services, rightfully called on the Government to take immediate action in tackling this situation.

Public Transport Users Association president Alex Makin said the report revealed holes in the Government’s transport policy. “There’s a need pointed out by the commission to accelerate bus and train projects, but the Government rests on its laurels saying these issues have been addressed in last year’s transport plan,” Mr Makin said.

The State Government can no longer afford to ignore Melbourne’s worsening traffic congestion. Melbourne requires expansion of the rail network in line with urban growth, logical extensions to the tram network and vastly improved bus services. It is only through providing real transport choice, in the form of being able to catch public transport, that the Government can mitigate rising traffic congestion.

The Age: A Dad's Army of shunted carriages called up in crisis

Posted on by alex

In an example of the lack of foresight typical of the former Minister for Transport, Peter Batchelor, The Age has revealed that the State Government has been forced to hire back the non air-conditioned Hitachi trains due to a shortage of rollingstock. The rollingstock shortage has been further compounded due to the withdrawal of 31 Siemens trains which were withdrawn from service after experiencing braking failure.

THE Victorian Government has been forced to lease six old Hitachi train carriages from a volunteer rail group and buy three from a private seller to cope with the city’s chronic train shortage.

In 2003, the Department of Infrastructure’s (DOI) Train Plan warned of an impending train shortage due to rising patronage and the need to improve service levels. Unfortunately the State Government, under the reins of former Minister for Transport, Peter Batchelor, chose to ignore this advice despite similar concerns being shared by groups such as the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA).

Alex Makin, vice-president of the Public Transport Users Association, said the Government made a “serious error” by scrapping most of its Hitachi trains when it began introducing newer models.

Mr Makin said the PTUA had lobbied the Government to “augment” the Hitachis with the new trains, not replace them.

“This demonstrates that the Victorian Government has realised far too late that it scrapped the Hitachi fleet prematurely,” Mr Makin said. “As a result, rail passengers are suffering. The State Government is ultimately responsible, but they’re quite happy to let (rail operator) Connex wear the blame.”

This lack of foresight has the caused the State Government into an embarrassing and financially irresponsible backflip where it must now purchase the Hitachi trains for considerable higher sums than they were sold.

The department is expected to pay private seller John Horne about $60,000 for three more carriages.

A source told The Sunday Age Mr Horne bought the carriages a few years ago for $2600 each. “It’s certainly a good deal for (Mr Horne), put it that way,” the source said.

Connex has once again been ordered to defend the inactions of the State Government by refusing to acknowledge its mistakes. As revealed by the poor state of rail maintenance and the endless myriad of excuses, Connex simply losing its grip in handling Melbourne’s rail network.

But Connex spokesman Andrew Cassidy said any suggestion that the Hitachi fleet should have been retained was “ludicrous”.

“The Hitachi trains were at the end of their working life,” Mr Cassidy said. “Many were 30 years old. This would have made it prohibitively expensive to continue to maintain them in a safe operating condition.

The comments by Connex demonstrate the failure of the company to have any concern over the needs of Melbourne’s rail network. The Hitachi trains are mechanically very reliable and were expected to have a life expectancy similar to the Tait trains, which were in service for well over 50 years.

“We would have been forced to invest more and more to keep them running, which would have tied up resources that could not be used to improve services. In the end, customers would have made a loss, not a gain.”

In fact it is ‘ludicrous’ of Connex to claim that resources would have prevented Connex from maintaining the Hitachi fleet. Both the State Government and Connex knew since 2003 that there was a shortage of rollingstock and the endless excuses Connex uses to fudge its ongoing poor performance demonstrates that both the State Government and Connex have failed to adequately maintain its fleet to a high level of service.

The Age: Dangerous tracks slow rail speeds on busy lines

Posted on by alex

The Age has exposed the decrepit state of Melbourne’s rail tracks, amid ongoing negligence by both Connex and the State Government in maintaining Melbourne’s physical rail infrastructure:

DANGEROUS tracks and poor maintenance on some of Melbourne’s busiest suburban rail lines are forcing trains to run at speeds as slow as 30 km/h, increasing journey times for frustrated commuters.

While Connex is responsible for track maintenance under its franchise agreements, the State Government has failed to hold Connex accountable for the deteriorating state of the rail network.

Speed restrictions are in place because of the condition of tracks on the busy Sydenham, Cranbourne and Pakenham lines. Under its franchise agreement with the State Government, Connex is responsible for maintaining them.

The poor state of maintainence as well as a failure to reflect the capabilities of Melbourne’s train fleet result in slow rail speeds.

Public Transport Users Association vice-president Alex Makin said Melbourne had the slowest rail system in Australia.

“Melbourne’s rail speeds have not altered since the Tait trains (the “Red Rattlers”) were introduced in 1919. This is despite the fact that the modern train fleets have superior acceleration and braking,” he said.

Melbourne’s slow speeds are caused by the fact that rail timetables have not been adjusted to reflect the capability of the modern train fleet and this compounded by a lack of adequate track maintenance. This latest revelation further demonstrates the need for an accountable public transport authority that maintains and coordinates Melbourne’s public transport system.

Melbourne’s public transport network can no longer afford the State Government hiding behind Connex to avoid taking responsibility.

3AW with Derryn Hinch: Discussing Melbourne's public transport neglect

Posted on by alex

This evening I was invited to speak on the 3AW Drive program with Derryn Hinch to discuss the ongoing issues facing Melbourne’s rail system.

While the Premier had announced a freeze on fare prices for months, this is nothing more than a cold comfort for Melbourne’s public transport users that have had to put up with an ongoing saga of cancellations, delays and excuses from Connex.

Instead of improving services, Connex has simply resorted to finding excuses in attempt to blame others for their incompetence and mismanagement. The State Government has allowed Connex to get away with far too much, simply because the Government benefits by gaining a financial windfall from the penalties imposed on Connex and has the ability to use Connex as a buffer to avoid taking any real responsibility.

The latest train debacle from the Siemems braking system comes on driver shortages, vandalism, weather conditions and numerous other excuses that Connex has attempted to throw at rail passengers to vainly defend its continuing poor service. The State Government must step in to resolve this ongoing saga by bringing forward the purchase of new train fleets and enacting a comprehensive review of the rail network’s efficiency.

Melbourne currently has the slowest rail speeds compared to other Australian capital cities and this has resulted in in severe inefficiencies and passenger inconvenience compounded by the latest woes facing Connex.

The Age: Fare freeze gets cold reception

Posted on by alex

The State Government has announced a freeze on Melbourne’s public transport fares to deflect rising criticism over the latest spate of cancellations on Melbourne’s rail network.

Premier Steve Bracks this morning announced the decision by the State Government to freeze the price increases, which were due on March 4.

The freeze in public transport fares provides little comfort for rail passengers who have had to tolerate yet another round of unreliable services and cancellations. Connex has failed to deliver reliable and frequent rail services and it is imperative that the State Government resolves this ongoing situation.

Meanwhile, lobby group Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has called for Connex’s contract not to be renewed after it expires next year.

The PTUA is proposing a model similar to that used within cities such as Zurich, and the Australian example of Perth, where there is an independent public transport authority that retains control over scheduling, maintenance and coordination. Private operators would be charged with the responsibility of operating their services on a fee-for-service basis with terms determined by the relevant transport authority.

PTUA president Daniel Bowen said Connex had been aware of brake problems on its Siemens trains for more than two years but still went ahead with plans to scrap its older Hitachi trains.

The current arrangements simply allow for buck-passing between the State Government and operators such as Connex, so that no one appears to take any real responsibility for the decaying state of Melbourne’s rail system. Rail passengers have been rightfully concerned about ongoing cancellations, despite claims by Connex that the indefinite withdrawal of services would improve reliability:

Mr Makin said passengers were most concerned about ongoing cancellations. “Connex claimed that by withdrawing 37 services it would provide certainty and yet passengers are now facing another spate of quite random cancellations.”

Melbourne’s rail passengers and public transport users need to show that they expect action and resolution to the ongoing reliability issues plaguing Connex. The State Government knew about the braking issues back in 2004 and yet failed to act responsibly at the time.

“We urge rail passengers to express their frustration to local politicians and to the transport minister. It’s quite clear that action is required.”

The State Government must take responsibility and start implementing a structure that will lead to higher accountability and a higher level of service for Melbourne’s public trnasport users.

ABC 774: Discussing Melbourne rail woes

Posted on by alex

This evening I was invited to discuss the discuss the ongoing dramas and inconvenience suffered by Melbourne’s rail passengers on ABC’s Radio 774.

The interview, which included a number of talkback callers, focused on the endless excuses used by Connex to defend its ever diminishing performance in operating Mekbourne’s rail network. While it is correct that the Kennett Government initially privatised Melbourne’s rail system, the Bracks Government chose to re-privatise the system in 2004 and in doing so removed a number of checks and balances that existed within the initial contracts.

In fact, when M>Train abandoned Melbourne’s rail network in 2004, the former Minister for Transport Peter Batchelor, stated publicly that the government was not going to consider inviting new tenders, or return Melbourne’s rail network back to government control. As a result Connex succeeded in diminishing reporting and accountability requirements and the State Government is now in a situation where the subsidy for Connex increases every year without any corresponding service improvements.

The State Government knew there was both a looming train and driver shortage when it entered into the new contracts in 2004. Connex was offered lower reporting standards so that the State Government could avoid taking responsibility for a problem it created. Despite annual subsidiary to Connex the State Government is now taking on responsibilities that were previously the domain of the private operators. In 2004 the State Government refused a request by M>Train to fund additional driver training programs, citing that it was the responsibility of the operator to fund its own driver programs. Despite this, the State Government through its Meeting Our Transport Challenges document, is now funding additional driver training programs and purchasing additional trains, which will be delivered almost a decade after the government knew about impending train shortages.

The issue of the fare boycott was also discussed and while Melbourne’s public transport users should voice their disgust over the latest rail debacles, this must be directed towards the State Government which holds ultimate responsibility for the rail network. Public transport users would achieve better results contacting their local MP, the Premier and the Public Transport Minister rather than attempting a fare boycott.

It is clear that the State Government must take responsibility for its poor handling of Melbourne’s rail network rather than simply trying to hide Connex as it lurches from one blunder through to another.

The Age video news bulletin: Ride trains at your own risk

Posted on by alex

Melbourne’s rail network is in disarray amid the removal of 31 Siemens trains from service due to ongoing braking issues. Furthermore a senior transport official has told The Age that all of the 72 Siemens trains should be removed from service due to safety reasons.

As Melbourne’s rail passengers face worsening cancellations due to a shortage of rollingstock, The Age interviewed me as part of their video broadcast which explored how the latest debacle is affecting public transport users. These braking issues were first identified in 2004 and yet both the State Government and Connex failed to rectify these issues or to ensure that an adequate number of surplus trains were available.

Herald-Sun: Delays are off the rails

Posted on by alex

During January, as people return to work and international events such as the Australian Open are hosted in Melbourne, rail passengers have had to endure some of the worst levels of rail services across the metropolitan rail network, with one in 25 services being cancelled and a number of severe delays.

The Sunday Herald-Sun has reported on the ongoing litany of excuses provided by Connex as it continually fails to lift its languishing performance standards:

Connex blames weather, brake problems, vandalism and drivers being required on trains beyond the Middleborough Rd rail underpass project at Box Hill.

Unfortunately there appears to be little relief in sight, as passengers and tourists reliant on Melbourne’s public transport system, need to contend with both summer timetable cutbacks and a poor level of service.

Public Transport Users’ Association spokesman Alex Makin said Connex and the State Government were short-changing commuters.

“It has been an ongoing saga on reliability,” he said. “Connex seems to pick one excuse after the other.”

Ultimately the State Government must take responsibility for the failings of Connex and for failing to ensure that adequate backup systems (such as backup trains and backup communication systems) are available during times of disruption.

The State Government neglect is demonstrated by the fact that the backup system for Metrol, the central control centre for Melbourne’s rail network, was salvaged for spare parts due to the archaic nature of the existing system.

The Age: City of lost, delayed trains

Posted on by alex

The Sunday Age has exposed the extent of the State Government’s neglect of Melbourne’s rail network, over the failure to replace the aging Metrol communication system with a system that can ensure safe and efficient movement of Melbourne’s trains.

MELBOURNE’S rail operator Connex can pinpoint the location of trains on as little as 10 per cent of its network, The Sunday Age has found.

The 25 year old Metrol system, provides visibility for little more than Melbourne’s city loop, meaning that the rest of Melbourne’s rail network is dependent on even older and less-efficient signalling and radio technologies.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) called for an overhaul of the suburban rail system after a passenger train crashed into a stationary V/Line train at the then Spencer Street Station in February 2003.

The former Minister for Transport Peter Batchelor scrapped an promised upgrade of Metrol in 2003, only to relaunch the promise of an upgrade last year.

Commuter groups say an upgrade could double the number of suburban trains using city stations in peak hours. The failure to do so slows trains on a network that averages 87 delays a day, they say.

A comprehensive and holistic signalling and communications upgrade through the replacement of Metrol with a metropolitan wide system would provide an instant capacity boost along Melbourne’s rail network, without the need for costly infrastructure such as the proposed third track to Dandenong.

Public Transport Users Association spokesman Alex Makin said the current “archaic” system “can’t track where most of the trains go”. Now, suburban trains needed two to three minutes “headway”. With a fully computerised and integrated system, Mr Makin said, “you would be able to operate with a 60-second headway like what generally happens in Perth and Sydney. This would effectively allow twice as many trains during peak hour”.

While the Victorian State Government would rather mismanage public transport projects, ALP Government’s in both Western Australia and New South Wales have dramatically upgraded their metropolitan rail signalling systems.

The fact that Melbourne is still reliant of a 25 year old communications system is further evidence that the former Minister for Transport did little other than neglect the public transport portfolio. The State Government is running of out of excuses to rectify these mistakes.