Major shake-up of train services may see major station bypassed
A major shake up of Metro train services has been proposed in leaked documents that float the possibility of a “quite unusual” change to the Glen Waverley, Alamein, Belgrave and Lilydale lines.
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Thousands of commuters on trains bound for the eastern suburbs would skip one of Melbourne’s busiest stations under a leaked proposal detailing the impact of the next fleet of trains on our network.
Metro Trains documents reveal the operator has floated the idea of changing the way services move around the city to combat overcrowding when its new high-capacity trains come into use.
The document suggests passengers on the Glen Waverley, Alamein, Belgrave and Lilydale lines, should skip Richmond station during the afternoon peak despite their tracks running through the popular junction.
The move has been suggested because the new trains will change the way trains move around the CBD and Metro staff are worried platforms are already overcrowded.
Frankston services would potentially end at Flinders Street Station while Cranbourne and Pakenham services could run start running counterclockwise through the City Loop in the afternoon.
Public Transport Users Association spokesman Daniel Bowen said the ideas could boost capacity but would be a significant shake up.
“Richmond is a major interchange station so it is quite unusual for a large number of trains to bypass it,” he said.
“It is less about people getting off to go home at Richmond and more about people who would use that station to change for other lines.
“It is a bit of a change but sounds like a step forward.”
A Metro spokesman said the company worked closely with the department as it developed future timetables.
“To support timetable development, Metro routinely provides operational advice to the Department on a number of potential scenarios,” he said.
In the last State Budget, $205.1 million was put aside for new train and bus services.
“The first of Melbourne’s new bigger, better trains can be delivered without the need for a timetable change,” a department spokesman said.
Opposition public transport spokesman David Davis said the plan would disrupt connectivity, with the documents showing massive overcrowding was becoming an issue at key stations.
“This new timetable plan will force more people into Southern Cross,” he said.
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“Andrews and Labor have slapped down the consortium who run Southern Cross and their proposals to expand capacity saying that won’t support any step to deal with the now dangerous crush.”
A government spokesman said:
“Victorians rightly expect us to constantly look at ways to deliver more services for passengers to get them where they need to go.”