Fri 24 March - Well done Connex...
If you believe the spin in this article then Connex has delivered a great service during the Games. As I've mostly used the early morning trains or been interstate, I can't really comment. But there seems to be a lot of complaint from people that trains are very crowded and there were some VERY long waiting times. Queuing for an hour just to get onto the platform holds very little appeal to me, but if Connex considers that fine, I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree.
In the end it all depends on your perspective I suppose. If you're a visitor to Melbourne for the Games, you'll be advised to allow a lot of time to get to your venue, get through your security check, find your seat etc. So you probably won't be all that fazed by hanging around waiting for a train that has enough room for you and the missus to squeeze into. But if you're a curmudgeonly commuter who just wants to get into work and get home again and couldn't give a toss about the Games, I doubt you'd be so forgiving about all this disruption to your daily routine.
Anyway, it's just about over for most people and it is over for me. I have the day off today as Mrs CW is going away for a few days leaving me to look after the kids and finish a uni assignment. Might even watch some of the Games on TV... Looking forward to getting back to normal next week, whatever "normal" is!
In the end it all depends on your perspective I suppose. If you're a visitor to Melbourne for the Games, you'll be advised to allow a lot of time to get to your venue, get through your security check, find your seat etc. So you probably won't be all that fazed by hanging around waiting for a train that has enough room for you and the missus to squeeze into. But if you're a curmudgeonly commuter who just wants to get into work and get home again and couldn't give a toss about the Games, I doubt you'd be so forgiving about all this disruption to your daily routine.
Anyway, it's just about over for most people and it is over for me. I have the day off today as Mrs CW is going away for a few days leaving me to look after the kids and finish a uni assignment. Might even watch some of the Games on TV... Looking forward to getting back to normal next week, whatever "normal" is!
posted by Connex Whinger at 7:45 am
9 Comments:
Well, i'm certainly not smiling about the services over the last 2 weeks. I have caught the traint to and from work for 2 weeks except public holiday monday and I would say 70-80% of the trains were delayed. However, as it is the games I accept that but I don't accept that connex or the state government think it went smoothly. For them I think they think running smoothly is not an out right collapse of the system. They both (connex & state government) seem to run under the philosophy of near enough is good enough... well thats not good enough for me!
Hmmm, strangely, I have had a really good two weeks. In at 7.30-8, home 4.30-5 and I haven't had a single cancelled or seriously late train. Things have been more crowded for sure, but as a regular commuter I'm used to that. The most painful experience for me was travelling home with a group of little ferals on their way back to Franga, but that is par for the course at least once during school holidays. So while I have stayed away from the arvo peak times, I have to say Connex did well from my persepctive.
Of course I've probably just jinxed myself for the trip home today...
Sam
Well I had a really shitty time for a coupla weeks now while the games happened. Sam maybe you didn't travel after 5 coz that's when its been real bad.
I travel on the Sandringham line and I was expecting it to be impossible, it wasn't quite that bad. My experience was not the same as what that article suggests it might have been. I don't think we had any cancelations but we had enough that were late going in and going home again. Loads of people seemed to be fed up with waiting and no words from Connex when the trains would be leaving. Could of been worse I suppose :(
I think it is interesting that I have not seen a single wannabe cop, er, I mean group of inspectors since the games....is it that they had their initial swoop before the games and are hidden from the tourists so they don't see their behaviour...I can imagine them really wanting to get back to work when the games are over. Funny they are never around when security and safe travel is an issue.
I too have tried to contact Peter Bachelor about some serious concerns with Connex as a company and no response at all. I would love to offer the man a challenge and that is to be treated the way I have by Connex as a company and for him to give his opinion. My question is who is accountable for such a mess...........any takers??????
please don't start. What do you think were all here for?....
Then again do you want a large large post...
http://whingingconnex.blogspot.com
Chris
You know now that i recollect, i only saw some good things from Connex.
- Experienced very low amount of delays (6 minutes or more) 3/20 ain't bad, the other delays were less than 15 minutes.
- Trains were cleaner than usual. (yes! i also noticed more cleaners. As I have noticed at termini and Flinder Street, and, stations themselves cleaner too.
- Crowds aren't terribly bad
Here passenger stupidity accounts for delays:
I witnessed, a large amount of passenger waiting. But the problems is that most were congregating outside the escalators. (Entering passengers of course) I looked at the Western end of Flinder Street, and what I see, EMPTY SPACE. And the thing is Connex staff were asking passenger to move down the station, further down the station.
I'd daresay anybody can complain more, in 'that' situation. Just because people are lazy, those that can't walk slightly further, 30 metres won't kill you. It doesn't mean you can complain your arse off, because the train was packed.
--
Not only that but, another day, during early-peak, i noticed a train getting full, or rather only towards the middle. Again passenger stupidity, those that couldn't be walking a short distance. (I'll exempt the disabled/elderly)as I saw a train depart.
Carriages that were near escalators were more packed, than those that were towards the end of the train. And only a small amount; were those desperately running, not to miss their train...
And not only THAT, but door-way crowding, I see a train, not even packed yet. But what do i see, passenger standing in the doorways, gradually that builds up, causing limited movement. There was AMPLE sitting space, enough to leave up no-one standing.
Who stands up just after leaving a station?, Unless there were passenger only going to the next station, of course...
------------- (in relation)
I recollect from the article: "I'm only monitoring it in peak hour — but that's the point. It's easy to run a train line in off-peak times." Phil M (CW)
Well, no. Peak time are important because they carry more people. True. This is also another reason why Connex has a higher percentage of things potentially going wrong. More people - more chance of something stuffing up.
Simplicity within itself.
Delays and Cancellations USUALLY and MOSTLY occur during PEAK times. Where there are more people to deal with, therefore and obviously, more chance of something stuffing up.
With those figures, you seriously can't say that 'passenger' don't account for some if not most of the problems that Connex has to face.
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http://whingingconnex.blogspot.com
Chris
Trains way too delayed, waited 50 min for Werribee and it was completly full and crammed, and full of graffiti in the train i was in.
As an 18 yr old, i find it appalling not being able to get a seat, i stood up for over an hour; and i had a broken ankle
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