12% increase?
So let me get this straight Kosky, Bracks and assorted pollies. You were looking for a threefold increase in passengers over the next decade or so, yet a 12% increase has so taken you by surprise that you have to pay a fortune to buy back and refurbish 30 year old scrap trains? If you aren't the most pathetic bunch of morons to ever run this state, please enlighten me as to who outdumbs you.
Peak hour trains are reminiscent of the Mumbai Special even when they run to time - as expressed in this blog many times, a small delay quickly makes them intolerable. So your well thought out reaction is to go and pay through the nose for a handful of junk? You incompetent buffoons!
Get off your fat arses and do the jobs we pay you for.
Peak hour trains are reminiscent of the Mumbai Special even when they run to time - as expressed in this blog many times, a small delay quickly makes them intolerable. So your well thought out reaction is to go and pay through the nose for a handful of junk? You incompetent buffoons!
Get off your fat arses and do the jobs we pay you for.
posted by Connex Whinger at 7:45 am
21 Comments:
My thoughts exactly. Didn't the Transport Plan aim for 20% of all trips to be taken by public transport in the next 10 years? And they are surprised the patronage has increased!!! They are surprised that their own plan is working, despite everything Connex and the Directorate of Public Transport are doing to stop it from working. We need a massive boost to PT funding to build new infrastructure. But the biggest impediment to improvement of public transport in this city is the power of VicRoads. Their staff and budget is so enormous that they virtually run the Department of Infrastructure and no Minister has got the guts to rein in their power. The first step to fixing public transport in this state is to cut the budget and staff of VicRoads by half, bring them in from their ivory tower in Kew, put them under the control of the Secretary of DOI. And locating them in the CBD will have the added benefit of forcing them to catch public transport to work!! Maybe then they can work with the Public Transport Directorate to come up with workable solutions for this state.
12% incease, absolute capacity now?
I don't get the train to work much these days as I don't work in the CBD therefore it becomes virtually inpractical to use PT. However my vehicle was in the shop the last few days and have been getting the train (1st time on peak hour for a while)and it is CROWDED. I tried getting on at Sth Yarra (to go to brighton) at 5.20pm... 1st train full, second train full, 3rd train forced my way on (with appologies).
Its rediculas that if your not getting on the sandy line at flinders you have virtually no hope at all. (and simarly trying to get on after elsterwick in the morning - going into town)
Where is the incentive for people to be eco freindly and use PT instead of cars?
We pay how much for the privilige of being sardines?
Now we are going to be sardines on older trains with no air cond.
We need more trains and a new signal system to run a higher capacity... we need these things NOW, not in some 2020 vision!
Bite the bullet, spend the money Kosky! and stop pi$$ing it away on band-aid solutions such as buying old rolling stock back at 700% more than what you dumped them for!
"If you aren't the most pathetic bunch of morons to ever run this state, please enlighten me as to who outdumbs you."
- I would probably hazard a guess at the Liberals. Last time they were in power, weren't they proposing to close down parts of or entire suburban railway lines?
And yes I agree the overcrowding has been getting worse every year. On a particular train I have taken for the last 4 years, it's been getting worse every year and I'd be guessing that in another 2 years time, we'll be leaving passengers behind more than 15km away from the city - even when it runs on time, which is rare.
I'm guessing that if the 12% increase were to continue annually, we would probably reach 20% by 2020. Considering that I think the current rate is less than 10% would that mean that we would need double the number of peak hour trains? Given that most are at capacity, without huge additional funding, I can't see how, leaving work at 5pm, a polite person would stand a chance of getting on a train by 7pm or 8pm - especially with there being less trains after 6.30pm and more 3 carriage trains after 6.30pm?
I guess given that the Federal Transport minister has also ignored the issue of public transport, preferring more funding for rural highways, we should be hoping that less people use trains in Melbourne to avoid overcrowding?
I like your bus home idea - I know that there is some capacity left on peak hour buses, unlike the trains.
The absolute truth is privatisation has failed. Simple as that. No ifs and buts, it sucks and only benefits French owned Connex. I cannot believe that those disgusting old shit heaps are being bought back for Melbourne, why the Government is not buying new trains immediately is baffling, why the systems contol upgrades weren't done in 2003 when they were supposed to is scary, not baffling but just plain scary. Petrol prices have also contributed to so many people using public transport, which has only made things worse. All these factors make Melbourne a joke and no wonder we lost the worlds most liveable city to Vancouver...what a disgrace.....
http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/customers-left-standing-on-platforms/2007/04/24/1177180651425.html?page=2
Yes I read the "Customers left standing on platforms" article. Yes - that's a fact of life for many people. Having often attempted to take the train home from Parliament and Clifton Hill stations during peak hour - if the train is 5 or more minutes late often you don't stand a chance of getting onboard.
Given how often this happens, on other lines especially, its a pity that the metcard contract with passengers basically only requires Connex to get you home on the last late night train leaving the city (last time I checked it), otherwise I might have been brave enough to take Connex to the Small Claims Tribunal for breach of contract.
Even the non peak hour trains are now standing room only from Malvern to the City. Yes the abolishment of zone 3 was a good idea, but without extra services to cope with it?
Soon Connexmelbourne will be getting the same amount of complaints of Connex (Sorry, Veolia, change the name, change the signage, change the marketing, but it is still the same company running it. re UK/Auckland.) as they do elsewhere in the world. Then perhaps something will be done about it.
For me the first line of the below article sums it up: "Catching a train shouldn't be that hard..."
http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/tired-of-playing-squash-on-trains/2007/04/26/1177459880045.html
They are copping a lot of bad publicity but i hear nothing of anything changing. I would hope something has got to give, and soon.
Why is it that our State politicians (of all hues) receive a pass that entitles them to free public transport... but instead choose to use a very expensive fleet of drivers/cars? Surely they can catch public transport like the rest of us and cabcharge it home at night if they work back during sitting sessions. No wonder they don't have a clue. If they did commute like us ordinary folk, then they may possibly develop an understanding of what an increase in patronage really means for infrastructure and rolling stock investment requirements. Then again, the current state government is renowned for announcing grand plans... with no budget attached.
I was annoyed yesterday when both my morning train (8.05 from gardenvale) and my evening train (5.52 from richmond) were cancelled. Then I got another message this morning telling me two more trains were cancelled!!
The great thing is that connex can now blame this on "defective train" because they have been in the news (both the old ones and the new ones) and not blame anythign else.
Public transport is but one shining example of how much damage Labour Government can do. Look no further than (this is the shortened list) water infrastructure (water restrictions started after last years election!), road and rail infrastructure (this blog), health (since Kennett, hospital waiting lists have gone up), education (or complete lack of it) land Management (this years bush fire season). The list is endless. What is of more concern is when the same lunatics get a hold of Canberra
Go to www.linkupmelbourne.org.au
for the campaign site. Add your name to the petition and sign up to email updates and you have become like me, a frustrated commuter-come activist.
"Public transport is but one shining example of how much damage Labour Government can do."
I do not believe the current government has done a great job on public transport, I wish they had have done much better. However, the current government is a breath of fresh air when contrasted with the prior Kennett government's approach of threatening to shut down parts of suburban electric railway lines. Some such parts of the network that were threatened with closure by Kennett are now receiving upgrades under Labor to boost capacity. Likewise Kennett left is with the ghastly ticketing system that is in use at present. We should also not forget that the previous government privatised the suburban rail system.
I know who I trust more with public transport.
oh my, how harsh. what do you mean that you expect the state government to do something? i mean, are they actually supposed to do something? no way..... surely they are there so that we can pay them big dollars and get a pat on the head from them once a while?
while it is true our public transport is a bit crowded:
http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/tired-of-playing-squash/2007/04/26/1177459880045.html
extract
"
One regular commuter said the City Loop was also bursting. "We have been crammed in so tightly on occasion that there is a very real danger of falling pregnant to a total stranger between Melbourne Central and Parliament stations," she said.
"
it is a chance for some of us who are single to make the best out of this situation! also its can serve as a sauna in the hottest time of summer in a pinch. if you ever feel lonely? no more of that! just dive head straight into the the peak time train at 7:30AM!
3 terms of goverment and nothing to show, except for indecisiveness and lack of response on water, public transport and other issues. but surely, we dont need all that water or public transport anyway... right?
I work three days a week and there is rarely a week that goes by when the train that I have planned to catch I cannot take, especially in the morning.
Remember the hospitals in the Yes Minister episode that ran to budget but had no patients. I believe that is how our Government sees the Public transport system, works great but stuffs up when people actually want to use it.
Any rhetoric & dribble you hear from the Government about how they are "concerned" about the state of public tpt. is just that - RHETORIC & DRIBBLE. Public Tpt users need to remind themselves that any Victorian Government will NEVER make public tpt truly efficient. It is the worst thing any Government could do. Why you ask? Because Citylink is owned privately & the Government is committed to ensuring as many vehicles use it as possible.... The Government cannot make changes (improvements) to public tpt that will result in less revenue to Citylink. If they do, they (Citylink) are entitled to massive taxpayer compensation.
Sydney has a similar situation with some of their toll roads - Macquarie Bank is the owner up there...
Thanks whinger for this blog and to all contributors to this discussion forum. Please try to keep it positive though if you can. Can I'd likee to endorse the suggestion of a new railway underground from North Melbourne to Caulfield via Melbourne, University, Melbourne Central, Flinders St, Domain Interchange, then presumably South Yarra, Prahran, Malvern. Slight improvement might be Domain Interchange, Alfred Hospital, Prahran station, Williams Rd & High St, Orrong & High, Armadale, North Caulfield, Balaclava Junction, Caulfield station. Malvern, Armadale and Caulfield though are already served well with trams. Basic point is to get people out of cars. Perhaps new lines to Doncaster and Rowville should be priorities as well as more reliable services on existing routes. And a few more level crossing abolitions, which would also appeal to the car lobby.
Brian
Apologies for "typo" in previous comment. I meant to say "Can I endorse the suggestion ....? "
Brian
"I was annoyed yesterday when both my morning train (8.05 from gardenvale) and my evening train (5.52 from richmond) were cancelled. Then I got another message this morning telling me two more trains were cancelled!!"
I reckon you should get a free daily ticket when that happens.
Train cancelled. No SMS. Not impressed.
What an innovative and forward thinking Vic Govt we have. Spending money on new trains, 10 of them to be precise which won't be here until 2009 (probably more like 2012 given the gov't record of completing projects on time). These carry a megre 8000 more people on a train system running at capacity in peak hour.... That also assumes the trains are equipped for aussie conditions and don't break down every 5 minutes because its over 30 degrees.
sounds like, at best, a crappy band-aid fix!
We need a new state of the art signal system! now, not in some 2020 vision.
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