Should Connex be sacked?
Published 1 year, 6 months ago in Making News.
Frustrated commuters are meeting on Thursday night to call for the sacking of Connex. Green groups and the Public Transport Users’ Association say the train operator’s performance this year shows that privatisation doesn’t work, and are calling for the State Government to run the system again.
Do you reckon Connex should be sacked? Could the Government do any better?
17 Responses to “Should Connex be sacked?”
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I am not entirely convinced that all the problems are entirely caused by any inefficiency on the part of Connex. They have to work with what the Government provides them, and so far the rolling stock has not been up to scratch (Siemans trains), and the tracks are in poor condition. From travelling on the system I find that commuters are playing their part in delaying trains and not paying for use. The number of individuals actually fined for fair evasion is miniscule compared to the number actually evading fares.
The only way the Government would improve things is if they made it impossible to travel without paying, and stopped people getting on to platforms once a train has arrived. That would mean more staff, and Connex would improve if it was allowed, or “encouraged” by the Gov’t to employ more staff.
One can hope that MYKI might help stop the fare evasion, but I have my doubts, as only regular commuters to the City are the one’s who regularly buy tickets, as they have to validate at the City stations to get out.
I know people are always bagging Connex but personally I think they do alright on the whole. The trains are cleaner, the stations are much brighter at night as are the carparks. I know I feel quite secure as an older person on trains now than previously. I admit to mostly travelling off peak times but I reckon even at peak hour they’re better now. I’ve rarely struck a cancelled train. They do run on time mostly but sometimes it is just out of anyone’s hands.
Level Crossing stuff ups could be eliminated by separation of road and rail in the inner Melbourne Routes of Frankston and Dandenong.
No Connex should be retained and No the Government wouldn’t do it better
Connex is a disgrace - but I don’t think anyone else could do much better.
Who would we complain to if the government took back control? At least we can complain to the government when connex does stuff up, even if they don’t listen.
I don’t often travel on trains but on those occasions I usually find they run okay.
I’d like to know what the government is doing with the $60 million in fines it has supposedly collected from Connex. Those monies should be requited to the public transport system.
of course, and probably not this government (unless you billed public transport as a “major” event)
All contracts should be studied before renewal.
I believe the government got it wrong when half set all this up.
Most rolling stock problems have & are now occuring due to inncorrect
selections of rolling stock being made by contractors.
Their heart is in the almighty $$$.
The public transport system’s greatest failing for me is cost.
For the price I can drive, arrive faster, on time, and clean.
But who is going to mismanage the train system if Conex gets the bullet?
I reckon it’s much cheaper and quicker by train. When you add up petrol, tolls, parking fees driving doesn’t make sense going in to the city! Connex can be brilliant at times, (you could not fault them during the Commonwealth games, I used them every day) but are too inconsistent! As an example of inconsistency, on Saturday 26th and Sun 27th on the Broady line the trains were stopping at Essendon because of trackwork. On Sat. they had the destination monitors in all city stations showing it as an Essendon service with buses to Broadmeadows. Everyone was ready to get out.
Sunday the monitors were showing the normal Broadmeadows info, it wasn’t until we got to Essendon that the driver told everyone it was terminating and buses were available. Total confusion from those not in the know!!!!!
Hi Grumpy, you hit the big problem squarely on its head. If one is not going to the city then public the transport system makes the assumption one has no job or need to travel reasonably quickly. EG. Moorabin Airport (Rear) to Dandenong 56 minutes via Springvale and Noble Pk. Driving time, even allowing for the roadworks, 12 minutes. this is along 1 straight road. Links between train and bus, none existent.
Yeah pooroldal, cross city transport is pathetic, only buses that get caught up in the traffic on streets our wonderful councils narrow down with un-used bike lanes. It may cost a bit but one day the Govt. is going to have to bite the bullet and start putting in rail or tram services radially round the city. Or better still a mag lev system like many countries are now using.
Hey grumpy save your money ,leave the stress of traffic jams behind and use the bike lane, ride to work! Hell if everone did this we’d remedy our two biggest government budget spenders Health and transport and we’d even cut our carbon gas emmisions dramaticly then we could spend the money saved on something a little more of an issue like um I dont know WATER.
Fair idea Rachel, how about shift workers and us who’s work takes us around several suburbs in a day? For example, after leaving my sleepover this morning in Moorabin, next stop was Croydon then back to Cranbourne.
We need a system which meets a variety of needs, some improvements to roads, public transport and less of this silly idea that a bloody treadly is the cure.
Would you care to grab your bike and follow me around for a week?
Now its cold and threatening rain, I have to collect my sone from childcare, should I dink him?
Yes they should be sacked and the state goverment should take it back. services like this are critical to the community and need to be community owed and operated. If Kennant was still in the Emergency services would also have gone private, that would have been great to see them run like the public transport system
Ladies and gentlemen, it is not privatisation which is the problem, or at least not entirely.
You see, currently it appears the state government actually gives the contract to Connex to run Melbourne’s trains, and thus makes no room for competitors that may wish to enter the public transport industry.
What we need is for the government to allow a competitor to enter the industry. In having a competitor there would be pressure on the two companies as they attempt to provide superior services than the other.
England’s train systems are truly privatised and I think we are all aware of the quality of train services there.
When I travel by VLine, which is Government run, the trains generally run, they aren’t too late and the staff are friendly and helpful. When I travel on privatised transport experience has taught me to expect the worst regarding trains and trams not turning up or breaking down or both. It’s no fun being stranded in town 50 k’s from home over night!