Selfish commuters get on and off trains
 | Posted by The Editor on Monday 26 February 2007, 6:46 pm Categories: Melbourne, Politics, Public transport Tags: |
After last year’s state election Lynne Kosky moved from the education portfolio to the newly created public transport portfolio. And immediately went on holidays. In January the privately operated Connex train network imploded and dozens of trains were taken out of service, greatly increasing the pressure on an already struggling network. A couple of weeks later Kosky strolled back from holiday to reassure public transport users that, you know, the Government was, like, doing everything it could.
To be fair to Ms Kosky, with a universally despised public transport system to improve and defend nobody doubted that she had a tough job on her hands. However, it seems that the Minister has decided to adopt Connex’s strategy of blaming the public transport user for all the service’s ills.
You see, the shithouseness of the train system has nothing to do with its privatisation. It’s got nothing to do with poor maintenance. It’s got nothing to do with non-existent customer service. It’s even got nothing to do with the fact that half the rolling stock is of questionable track worthiness.
The problem is that commuters brazenly expect their trains to arrive at the time published in the timetable.
[Minister Kosky] hinted at relaxing late penalties for trains, arguing Melburnians were… preoccupied with punctuality and needed to realise the system had to account for human factors such as the time it took some people to get off and on trains.
(source)
People getting on and off trains? Of course! Whoever woulda thunk about taking these extraordinary factors into account when drawing up the timetables? And don’t forget those pesky disabled people who, tsk tsk, demand that the driver get out of their cabin and position a ramp for their selfish wheelchair.
Kosky reckons that she shuns her car and uses public transport more frequently now that she’s the Minister. (Although I’m not sure that riding the 109 tram down Collins St every now and then to a meeting on the corner of Queen St counts.) If she has ever really used public transport then she would be familiar with the feeling of anger and frustration when your train shows up ten minutes late, then stops inexplicably outside North Melbourne for ten minutes, and then stops again within sight of Flinders St for another ten minutes.
But that’s because those bloody passengers got all uppity by getting on and off the train.
GrodsThink Ep.29 (26/8/08)
Tuesday 27 February 2007, 12:20 am #Christine Keeler
I just watched the Connex ad. What is it with Melbournians that they latch on to people’s ankles? They’re catching a foot to work?
Tuesday 27 February 2007, 7:49 am #The Editor
When the train doesn’t arrive people must resort to desperate transportation options.
Tuesday 27 February 2007, 1:59 pm #billybob
I would consider the Lilydale and Belgrave lines to be two of the better ones in Melbourne, however it must be a weekly occurrence where a rush hour train, either the 7.20 or the 7.37, is cancelled. Baring in mind that both these tend to be full anyway, when the people are forced onto the later one it gets pretty busy. My fav is when the air conditioning doesn’t work as well, and it all gets a little sweaty.
Don’t think there isn’t money to be made either, the two parking garages near my work in Collins have put their prices up 40% in 2 months… a gold mine business!!!!
Tuesday 27 February 2007, 8:19 pm #Goobermetrics
Alternatively, you could move closer to the city. But you may be subjected to people asking you for change, which I know deeply disturbs you bb!
Wednesday 28 February 2007, 9:15 am #billybob
I am aware that I still have not visited your ‘inner city’ home Goober, however I have not yet accumulated enough change to get from my car to your front door safely. Plus I still do not require ‘drugs, woman or fake ID’. Having said that there is a great place on Smith Street that does a Mexican Breakfast, it’s sensational!
Wednesday 28 February 2007, 9:16 am #billybob
PS… I think my train in from the leafy suburbs had the heating on this morning… morons
Friday 16 March 2007, 2:26 pm #GrodsCorp » Another ‘F’ for Kosky
[...] public transport system and none of them require the government to do a thing. Last month she admonished commuters for unreasonably expecting their trains to turn up on time, and now she wants schools to stagger [...]
Thursday 10 May 2007, 7:52 am #GrodsCorp » Now Kosky cares
[...] services is all relative; punctuality was poor relative to commuters’ expectations which were unreasonable. How dare the public transport user expect their train to arrive at the time published in the [...]