Alexandra Falls
SEYMOUR V/Line trains have run below their target punctuality times each month of 2010 so far.
V/Line’s annual report shows that in August 2010 the railway service had an 89.4 per cent punctuality rate on the Seymour line, falling short of their ideal, 92 per cent.
Of the 954 trains that ran last month, 101 were delayed by over five minutes, 41 trains more than V/Line’s high time efficiency target.
V/Line has failed to meet the 92 per cent target time on the Seymour line every month this year and have yet to reach even a 90 per cent punctuality rate for 2010.
V/Line spokesperson James Kelly has defended the delays, saying that the 89.4 per cent punctuality rate is only marginally below the ideal target time.
He also adds that catching the train is still far quicker than driving to and from Melbourne’s CBD.
Mr Kelly said that a majority of the 101 late trains were the result of metropolitan congestion between Southern Cross and Craigieburn and not within V/Line’s control.
Despite this, Liberal politician Mark Laker has spoken out about the recurring delays claiming that V/Line has put in a ‘shocker of a performance’ on the Seymour line.
Mr Kelly has dismissed Mr Laker’s comments, stating that negative criticisms do nothing but encourage people to drive their cars.
“Patronage numbers on the Seymour line during the 2009-10 financial year set a new record with 4.8 per cent growth to 1.22 million trips made,” he said
“This is not a reflection of a service that put in a ‘shocker’ of a performance. If the service was as unreliable as opponents have claimed, people would not be using it,” said Mr Kelly.
Mr Laker also said the Member for Seymour, Ben Hardman, has ‘given up’ on making this 92 per cent minimum figure.
Mr Hardman responded by saying that while he sympathises with passengers frustrated by late trains, the majority of V/Line trains run on time before they hit the metropolitan boundary.
“Once they start to mix with suburban trains, knock-on delays can impact causing some trains to be late,” said Mr Hardman.
Mr Hardman said that Seymour line trains will benefit from infrastructure upgrades at Craigieburn, which will reduce the metropolitan conflicts and ensure smoother running of V/Line and metropolitan trains.
Until then V/Line passengers on the Seymour line will have to continue to experience delays for their transport to and from Melbourne.
However, some comfort can be taken from the fact that V/Line had a 99.6 per cent reliability rate on the Seymour line for the month of August, with only four trains cancelled entirely.
