FW: snippets / daily digest, Wed.22.11.17
  Roderick Smith

-----Original Message-----
From: Roderick Smith [mailto:rodsmith@werple.net.au]
Sent: Wednesday, 22 November 2017 11:41 PM
To: 'transportdownunder@yahoogroups.com'
Subject: snippets / daily digest, Wed.22.11.17

Attachments:

171122W Melbourne 'HeraldSun':
- roads vs public transport.
- energy prices. with tdu.
- energy ripoff. with tdu.


171122W Melbourne 'Age'- temperature & energy. with tdu.

Roderick.

Metro Twitter, Wed.22.11.17
8.50 Because of a tram fault near Queensberry St:
- No Swanston St trams are operating between Stop 1 Melbourne University &
Stop 8 Melbourne Central.
- Route 1/6 trams towards East Coburg/Moreland are diverting via Sydney Rd
along Route 19.
Passengers may wish to consider bus 250/251 along Lonsdale St & Rathdowne
St.
9.10:
- No Swanston St trams are operating between Stop 4 Queensberry St &
Melbourne University.
- Route 1/6 trams towards East Coburg/Moreland are diverting via Sydney Rd
along Route 19.
9.18: Swanston St trams have now resumed along normal lines following the
earlier disruption. Delays may still occur.

Melbourne Express, Wednesday, November 22, 2017
6.57 All public transport lines are reported to be running on time this
morning.
<www.theage.com.au/victoria/melbourne-express-day-month-number-year-20171121
-gzq8sf.html>

November 22 2017 Power plant failures push state's energy grid close to the
edge in November heat. with tdu.
<www.theage.com.au/victoria/power-plant-failures-push-states-energy-grid-clo
se-to-the-edge-in-november-heat-20171122-gzqw3l.html>

November 22 2017 'It can be really humiliating': Train station staff speak
out about abuse, assaults .
Most days, Jane* sees her colleagues get either spat on, yelled at or hit.
The Flinders Street Station worker has been groped by a drunken passenger,
pushed and even climbed on. She has been threatened with rape and murder.
Flinders Street Station worker Jane* who says she often sees her work
colleagues being abused.. Photo: Eddie Jim .
Jane says there would be a physical assault about every two weeks at
Melbourne's busiest train station, and violence skyrockets during night
shifts and events like New Year's Eve and White Night.
"Sometimes it feels like it comes with the territory," she says.
A potential consequence is that low-paid workers are deterred from seeking
jobs in CBDs Photo: Josh Robenstone .
"It can be really humiliating . you get spoken to like you're an idiot
because once you're in the uniform you cease to be a real, independent
normal person in society."
As tens of thousands of commuters zip through some of Melbourne's busiest
stations each day, station officers, barrier attendants, conductors and
platform staff say they are being harassed and violently attacked by
frustrated fare evaders, drug-affected people and aggressive drunks looking
for someone to punch.
Late last month, police charged three people over the violent assault of
three PSO officers outside Flinders Street Station.
Emails and letters given to the Rail, Tram and Bus Union reveal worrying
allegations of abuse at Flinders Street and Southern Cross stations over the
past year.
The allegations have prompted calls from the union for barrier attendants to
work in pairs, panic buttons to be fixed on ticket barriers, and an increase
of 100 authorised officers who are responsible for checking tickets and
providing safety backup for commuters and staff.
Some of the allegations in the documents include:
..A station barrier attendant saying they were spat in the face, then three
weeks later being hit by a drunken passenger. "The incident is still so
fresh in my mind that if anyone raises their voice it upsets me," they
wrote.
..A station barrier attendant claiming they were punched in the face at
Flinders Street Station in January.
..A serial offender targeted staff between Box hill and Flinders Street
stations in August last year, assaulting one staff member at least four
times, the union alleges. Metro says the perpetrator was arrested and had an
intervention order taken against them.
..A customer service worker was called a "f------ s--t" and hit in the face
with a bottle in August last year.
..A Flinders Street staff member was allegedly sworn and yelled at, and their
life threatened in November last year.
Union state secretary Luba Grigorovitch said no person deserved to feel
unsafe at work, and called on Metro Trains to ensure there were two officers
at each set of train barriers, especially at stations along the city loop.
"If someone misses their train, or they're a few minutes early and they have
to hang around a train stop, who does the passenger take it out on? It's the
frontline staff, the station officers, the rovers, the conductors," said Ms
Grigorovitch.
She said that since the start of the weekend all-night trains last year,
authorised officers have been spread thin across the network, which meant
that staff often lacked access to necessary security backup if attacked.
Metro Trains spokesperson Sammie Black said "any physical or verbal assault
on our staff is reprehensible and unacceptable".
"Our frontline staff work very hard to ensure passengers get where they need
to be and they deserve to feel safe in the workplace. The safety of staff
and passengers is our highest priority."
Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan said Public Transport Victoria
was working closely with operators and Victoria Police to improve the safety
and security of passengers and staff.
"We won't tolerate violence against our public transport staff - they work
hard day and night getting people home safe."
Ms Grigorovitch is also calling for a safety barrier around the La Trobe
Street bridge, which crosses over the Southern Cross Station rail yard.
Train drivers and controllers are dodging wheelie bins and shopping trolleys
that get thrown off the bridge, she said. A motorcycle was once thrown over
the bridge.
"If something hits someone, it could potentially kill a worker."
It is understood that PTV is now working with Melbourne City Council and
V/Line to address the problem at the overpass.
Jane said there was an inconsistent approach to reporting violence to the
train operator.
She was once encouraged to make a formal report to Metro by a manager when
she was pushed and climbed on, but on a separate occasion, when she groped,
she didn't report it as she was made to feel silly about it. So she didn't.
*Jane has requested that her real name not be used.
<www.theage.com.au/victoria/it-can-be-really-humiliating-train-station-staff
-speak-out-about-abuse-assaults-20171121-gzqaxu.html>

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