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Connex Trains to be allowed to run slower
Thu May 31, 2007 11:36 am by Yellow 13
7 News wrote:
The performance of Melbourne train operator Connex so far this year has been rated worse than ever before.

The company has already paid $10 million in fines for poor performance in 2007.

Victorian Transport Minister Lynne Kosky said some train services may be given a longer time to make their trips, but additional train services would also run.
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Rather than making trains run faster, authorities will change the timetables, allowing them to run slower.

In the short term, the change may mean fewer fines for Connex and fewer embarrassing headlines for the government.

"We wanted those short-term changes, so the commuters feel that they're being listened to," Ms Kosky said.

Opposition Transport spokesman Terry Mulder was unimpressed.

"We had a fast train fiasco in the country, now we have a slow train sell-out for Melbourne," Mr Mulder said.

For Connex spokesman Andrew Cassidy, the relaxed timetable was not simpy reducing lateness by changing the definition of "late".

"Well, it's recognising that you have more people travelling, it takes more time to get people on and off trains," Mr Cassidy said.

There has been a 20 per cent surge in train usage, but according to Daniel Bowen of the Transport Users' Association: "The Government has set a goal to virtually double patronage by 2020, so they shouldn't be surprised that it's happened."

Since 2004, Connex has paid $62 million in fines for underperformance.

But it inherited a driver shortage, an old fleet and a dilapidated network.

In the past, Connex lost two English contracts for poor performance. Victoria's state government will decide later this year whether it will renew the Melbourne contract.

But this time, the company is confident.

"Our comittment to Melbourne is long term," Mr Cassidy said.


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