[Greens-Media] Train passengers will be left stranded at Footscray (Vic, C Hartland)

[Elizabeth.Ingham at parliament.vic.gov.au]

Passengers from three western suburbs train stations might be left 
stranded at Footscray during the Regional Rail Line track works, said 
Greens MLC Colleen Hartland today.

"Unless the government commits some decent replacement services, people 
might be left stranded at Footscray," said Ms Hartland

"Tottenham, West Footscray and Middle Footscray stations will be closed, 
but the government  has only offered some replacement buses to Footscray, 
where passengers are expected to cram onto existing trains from other 
lines to get to the city." *

"On top of all that, they expect us to believe they will find enough buses 
and shuttle trains from the Sydenham end of the line for the 5,700 
passengers in the 8-9am rush-hour alone." **

"The government should come clean on the schedule of works for the whole 
Regional Rail Link project.  Tell us up front what to expect and when to 
expect it, and ask commuters what measures they want to replace the 
disrupted service."

"We're being fed information in dribs and drabs, and all we know is that 
there will be more disruptions after this one.  This is just one bit of 
track work near Tottenham station, but that whole corridor will need track 
work, plus the station works at Sunshine."

"Trains from Werribee are packed to unsafe levels already, Williamstown 
trains are full and Laverton trains only arrive every 22 minutes, when 
Metro can be bothered running them at all - it's been atrocious in the 
last week.  They can't absorb thousands of extra passengers at 
Footscray."***

"Why does it not surprise me there's another cut to public transport in 
the western suburbs?" said Ms Hartland

For comment: Colleen Hartland - 9689 6373


*  Regional Rail Link website: "From Monday to Friday from first train to 
9pm - Express buses will run between Albion and Flemington Racecourse 
stations, and between Sunshine and Flemington Racecourse stations where 
dedicated trains will take passengers via North Melbourne to CBD stations. 
Stopping all stations buses will also run between Sunshine and Footscray 
railway stations where passengers can connect to a Werribee, Williamstown 
or Laverton train to get to CBD stations."
http://www.transport.vic.gov.au/web23/Home.nsf/AllDocs/50461A8D2E941676CA25788C0018E05F?OpenDocument 


** Based on Metro load survey 2010, passengers from Sydenham Line at Nth 
Melbourne between 8-9am

*** In 2008, about 13,000 passengers per week validated their tickets at 
Tottenham, West Footscray and Middle Footscray.

*******

Liz Ingham
Office of Colleen Hartland MLC
Western Metropolitan Region

A: 75 Victoria Street, Seddon 3011
P: 9689 6373
M: 0409 333 595
F: 9689 6227
E: elizabeth.ingham at parliament.vic.gov.au
W: http://mps.vic.greens.org.au

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Parliament of Victoria                                                                                                                    . 
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