15 January 2009

Train system is run down and dangerous

The Metropolitan Transport Forum (MTF) has joined the chorus of concerns about the state of our public transport system, especially the struggling train network.

MTF Chair, Cr Jackie Fristacky said the dangers were made clear by Connex’s plan to close stations to prevent customers being pushed in front of trains at peak periods. ‘Some signalling and power boxes are nearly a hundred years old. They place the whole system in jeopardy,’ she said. ‘Instead of grandiose plans for 10 and 12 years ahead we need renovation of the railways now before tragic accidents occur. ‘Tracks, signals, power, stations, and trains all need upgrading urgently. ‘The Victorian Government seems determined to shift the congestion back on to the roads, creating more pollution and emissions, and even greater danger of deaths and injuries,’ she said.

Cr Fristacky also called for a return to local manufacturing of trains to suit Australian conditions.
‘Locally made trains and trams should replace European made trains that apparently malfunction under Australian extremes,’ she suggested.

What do you think?

3 comments:

tommycarron said...

Investing in local manufacturing makes sense: providing Jobs for Australians, reducing dependencies on imports and allowing customising the design to suit Melbourne's needs.

Anonymous said...

Archaic infrastructure which should have been replaced years should be replaced, and overcrowding should be addressed as soon as possible too.

Fristacky's says that "locally made trains should replace Euro-made trains", but Euro-made train will be ready and operational sooner than locally made trains. Maybe malfunctioning trains can be replaced with European-made trains that will function under 'Australian extremes'.

If new trains are not operational as soon as possible the overcrowding is will worsen and patronage may decrease as people choose to travel by other modes of transport - an outcome contrary to the opinion of many that public transport should be improved and upgraded and that the use of cars which run on petrol should be discouraged.

Unknown said...

The Government is doing a brilliant job. Everybody fails to see the big picture.
Lynne Kosky and her comrades are not interested in improving your trains and I will tell you why.

The Government receives all ticketing revenue and pays Connex to run the trains.
The more crowded the trains are the more money the Government makes. The less trains Connex has to run, the less the Government has to pay. The more trains that get cancelled the more Connex gets fined. They don’t mind a few disgruntled travellers finding other means of transport. It helps with the overcrowding.

That is why the Government had Connex remove all the seating from the stations and trains, so they could get more people standing as you can get two standing passengers for the price of one sitting.

The Government will do absolutely minimum required. Expect the trains to stay overcrowded. If the Government is not receiving enough income from the revenue cameras (speed) then they need to milk the public transport system. Running the train system at over 150% capacity is helping to pay for new roads. Voters have short memories. A bunch of new trains will arrive just before the next election and everybody will be happy and think what a wonderful job this Government is doing.

The Government is full of empty promises. They will continue to tell the public what they want to hear, but the reality of the matter is they are very short of cash and public transport will continue to suffer.