Metro Trains and Yarra Trams fall short of performance targets in November
The year could end without the city’s train service operator meeting its monthly punctuality target once, while Yarra Trams didn’t fare much better.
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Metro Trains could finish 2019 without once meeting its punctuality targets after the rail operator once again fell short of its goal in November.
The result is the 11th consecutive month that the company did not deliver enough of its services on time under guidelines spelled out in tougher contracts.
Yarra Trams customers will also be eligible for a free trip after the operator fell well short of its threshold for reliability.
New figures reveal more than 5100 metropolitan train services ran late last month while another 857 were cancelled.
The figures were an improvement on October, with 14 of the 16’s lines posting better results.
A Metro spokesman said the company was focused on delivering reliable services.
“Punctuality improved on most lines in November – but we know there’s more to do to deliver a more consistent service for Melbourne and meet our tougher performance targets,” he said.
“We reliably moved 140,000 people on more than 1110 extra services to the Melbourne Cup Carnival including on Oaks Day – our network’s single busiest day of the year.”
New timetables on two of the city’s busiest lines, Cranbourne and Pakenham, came into effect this December.
The Department of Transport’s head of transport services Jeroen Weimar said authorities were still working with the company to lift its daily results.
“Metro Trains ran well during the Spring Racing Carnival, so it’s disappointing this performance was not sustained during the whole month,” he said.
“We are working closely with Metro Trains to lift their overall daily performance and will continue to do so until our passengers get the consistent service they rightly expect.”
Tram passengers can claim compensation for November after more than 3300 services were cancelled across Melbourne.
A free fare is available for anyone with a Myki pass, that has been valid for 28 days or more, who has touch on to a tram at least 10 days in the month.
The result was impacted by strikes across the network and a major upgrade project along William St in the CBD.
“It’s frustrating that tram passengers have been forced to deal with four separate tram strikes in recent times,” Mr Weimar said.
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“I urge Yarra Trams and RTBU to now resolve their disagreements and come to a resolution in the interest of passengers.”
V/Line posted improved results along the Geelong line but still fell short of its punctuality target to the entire network.
It comes as the Public Transport Union have been running rolling strikes across different regional rail lines, with more action likely in January.