Late trains rile MP

By Alison Noonan
EUMEMMERRING Province MP Gordon RichPhillips has slammed local MPs for their failure to improve Cranbourne, Dandenong and Pakenham train services.
Mr RichPhillips said he held Labor members Luke Donnellan, Dale Wilson, John Pandazopoulos and Jude Perera responsible for Connex’s constant delays and cancellations.
He claimed the Cranbourne line suffers the worst delays of any rail line in Melbourne, followed closely by Pakenham.
“Fifteen per cent of Cranbourne line trains ran six minutes or more late in July 2005, compared with a target of a maximum of eight per cent of trains to be classed as ‘late’.
“In the year to July 2005, 12.9 per cent of trains on the Pakenham line were at least six minutes late, so it is of great concern that the trend is worsening,” he said.
Mr RichPhillips said commuters finishing work at 5.30pm in Melbourne’s CBD faced a 21 minute gap between trains arriving at Hallam or Berwick, with any unscheduled delays resulting in a long trip home.
“With most of the late trains running during weekday peak hours, local travellers are almost certain to be late for work or late home.
“In July 2005 there were also 22 cancelled trains on the Pakenham line.
“Whenever a train to or from Pakenham is cancelled, Narre Warren commuters who just miss the previous train face a wait of as much as 40 minutes for the next train.
“Steve Bracks, Peter Batchelor and local Labor MPs hold residents of the southeastern suburbs in contempt. Otherwise they would have ensured the trains were running on time by now,” he said.
However Narre Warren South MP Dale Wilson defended Connex’s performance, claiming that cancellations were at a low for July and August figures showed that 99.5 per cent of trains had run on time.
“I would obviously like 100 per cent performance but 99.2 per cent of trains running on time for July isn’t disastrous.
“The driver shortages are also reducing now and we are doing everything we can to improve the situation.
“Many constituents ring when there is a problem and I discuss each of those problems with Connex straight away,” he said.
A Connex spokesperson said the number of cancelled trains had reduced across the entire network over the 12 months to April 2005.
“However we accept that cancellations are still too high.
“We have put in place strategies that will deliver an incremental, stepbystep improvement in ontime performance and reduce cancellations even further,” the spokesperson said.