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Subject: Fri.10.5.19 daily digest.

 
Roderick

190509Th Melbourne Herald Sun' - port rail link.

190510F-Melbourne'Age':- energy (gas). with tdu.- GrainCorp.- energy (oil, gas). with tdu- coal-free UK, including a sailing ferry replacing a powered one. with tdu.- outer-urban commuting and health.- Labor Melbourne - Brisbane VFT.
190510 Melbourne 'Herald Sun':- letters (rail, road, energy).- Hampton pedestrian crossing.

Fri.10.5.19 Metro Twitter
7.10 Delays up to 20 minutes (police in the Sunshine area). Trains will be held.
- 7.11 Just give it up Metro. I'm jumping in my car to go to work today.
- 7.16 Trains have just resumed; delays are up to 10 minutes.
- There was a person was threatening self harm.
16.34 Pakenham/Cranbourne lines: Minor delays (an equipment fault near Richmond).
- Another joyous evening on our trains.
- Thanks for terminating Dandenong train at Westall! Great job!
- Signal issues or track equipment failure; something every day happens on this line.
- I guess that Metro got used to it; just matter of us getting used to it.
- Are the delays ongoing? On a Cranbourne train getting close to Carnegie and going quite slowly.
- Yes the major delays are ongoing.
- 18.02 How many delays? I'm at Westall now, no buses, just got a Dandenong train, don't know when will I reach Pakenham.
- Metro must be the only organisation in the world that has this many equipment faults.
- Why is there so much faulty equipment on the Pakenham line? Has there been a week over the last month that has been ‘equipment/signal fault’ free?
- And now train terminating at Westall (because of a fault at Richmond).
- As always.  Nothing new. Well done.
- Monday there was one one, now tonight.  Pay your bill like everyone else does.
- Not much has changed.
- 18.58 clearing.
- 19.11 You didn't mention trying to get to Pakenham is a 20 min delay after leaving the second last station.
16.39 Frankston line: Citybound delays (police near Chelsea).
- 16.51 clearing.
17.41 And there is shit service on the Sunbury line because, well who knows, it’s just the western suburbs.
Buses replace trains Burnley - Glen Waverley from 21.00 until the last train of Sun 12 May (maintenance works). Passengers for East Richmond, change at Richmond or Burnley for a maxi taxi shuttle service.
Melbourne Express, Friday, May 10, 2019
Outer suburbs' transport woes driving heart disease, obesity epidemic
Decades of under-investment in transport links on Melbourne's fringe have had serious health impacts – and more than $150 billion is needed to address the problem, reports Clay Lucas and Sumeyya Ilanbey.
One in four residents on Melbourne’s booming fringe now spends more than two hours a day in their car, new Melbourne University research has found, with residents of the city’s growth suburbs more likely than people in the rest of the city to have heart disease or obesity issues.
8.23 Looks like the umbrellas are coming out again in the city too - just in time for the morning peak-hour trains to deliver commuters into the city.
First we had trainpain, now commuters are being warned to prepare for MayMisery with trains, cars and trams interrupted at various times during May.
Sandringham commuters will be the worst affected, with work on the Metro Tunnel forcing a lengthy shutdown of the busy route.
But this weekend, it’s tram commuters in Melbourne’s north who will need to make alternate plans. Buses will replace trams on three East Brunswick stops along Nicholson Street on Saturday and Sunday.
Nicholson Street will also be closed.
7.15 Police have 'requested' [ie demanded] that trains be stopped in the Sunshine area, with delays of up to 20 minutes.
<www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/melbourne-express-friday-may-10-2019-20190509-p51lke.html>
Old Rail Car is Now Dogs' Home
Not all old railway carriages go to the scrapheap. Some are in use as sleeping-quarters for farm hands, some as week-end shacks, and some even as sports clubs' dressing-rooms.
Perhaps the most novel use of all is disclosed in May 1936 by "Victorian Railways News Letter".
A carriage built in 1879 has been converted into a hospital and rest home for dogs at Kangaroo Flat (Bendigo, Vic.).
It was bought by Miss B Boddington-Williams, who had the undergear, lamps, and seats removed, and the compartments converted into a kitchen, a bathroom, with hot and cold running water, a general store,
a surgery, and dispensary, and a stripping and grooming room, with marble-topped benches for grooming the dogs.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/11031900
Long delays for justice over teen's train death May 10, 2019. 8 comments
Five years after Mitchell Callaghan fell to his death between a moving train and a platform in Melbourne's east his parents are still waiting for justice to be served.
Mitchell, 18, was hurrying to board a train with his friends at Heyington station in Toorak headed for the White Night festival on February 22, 2014.
His friends held the doors of the train open for him to get on as it started to pull away from the station, but Mitchell fell into the gap between the carriage and the platform.
Last month, Mitchell's parents Belinda and Mark Callaghan were dismayed to learn that criminal charges against Metro were dropped due to a frustrating legal technicality.
Mitchell Callaghan, 18, died when he fell between a train and the platform at Heyington Station in Toorak in 2014.
"This is about justice, fairness and public safety," they say.
"Metro Trains, which is a large company, has been able to avoid any responsibility for the death of Mitchell.
"This is despite the existence of an unsafe, large gap which he fell into at Heyington station and a train which the train driver was able to dangerously move with the doors open."
Three years ago, Metro was charged by Transport Safety Victoria for allowing trains to move while carriage doors were open, and failing to make the gap between the train and the platform safe.
The operator was facing up to $2.8 million in fines.
But in April this year, the Supreme Court dismissed the charges, saying the officer at the state-based safety watchdog did not have the power to lay them.
Laws changed just three months after Mitchell's death, giving oversight of the Metro network to the national rail safety regulator.
While the Victorian agency still had the power to prosecute Metro at the time of Mitchell's death, the court decided that the watchdog's officer lost those powers by the time his case went to court.
It is the third time that authorities’ attempts to charge Metro over the incident have been thwarted.
In 2015, a magistrate ordered that criminal charges against the train driver be dropped.
And in 2017, two criminal charges against Metro were dismissed by a different magistrate.
The Callaghans now want Victoria's Office of Public Prosecutions to step in..
"A traction interlock system which timed out after 60 seconds enabled this to occur," they say.
Transport Safety Victoria's director David Hourigan says it was "disappointing" that the court decisions were based on legal technicalities, meaning the circumstances around Mitchell's death were not properly prosecuted.
He too has asked the OPP to authorise his organisation to prosecute Metro, or pursue charges itself.
"Tragically, a person died in an incident related to these charges, and I don’t believe it is unreasonable for a court to hear both sides of the story and determine, on the merits of the case, whether [Metro] acted to ensure the safety of its operations.
"Following this case, TSV will review our legislative powers. If we believe changes are required we would present our case to government for their consideration."
A Metro spokesman says the company's "highest priority is the safety of its passengers and staff".
"We are deeply saddened by the tragic death of a young man at Heyington Station in 2014."
The national rail safety watchdog, the Office of National Rail Safety Regulator, says it would not intervene in the case.
A spokeswoman for the OPP says the office did not have carriage of the case and could not comment on advice given to external agencies.
* I see people try to rush through closing doors every day, it’s not a lift. There is always another train. Not worth it.
* Who decided to run after and tried to board a moving train? When do we take responsibility for our own actions?
* Was scrutiny or charges levelled at the boys who held the doors open?
* It’s not an elevator door.
* I don't think that there is a case here really, they should have been rushing to catch the train. Eventually I would like to see platform doors installed at most stations but until then people need to be cautious.
* Is nobody responsible for their own actions anymore? As tragic as this is if neither the young man who tragically died or his friends had attempted to catch a moving train by holding the doors open he would be alive. Perhaps the parents are trying to absolve themselves of their own feelings of guilt.
* Why aren't they prosecuting his friends who held the doors open on a moving train? Is that not illegal too? Did that not contribute to Mitchell's death? The train driver, the architect who designed the platforms, the planner that approved them. Tragedy struck and these parents need to move on.                                  
* This isn't a justice issue.  It is impossible to protect everyone against stupidity.  The more the protection provided, the more the stupidity increases.  Did the parents ever teach their son not to board a moving train?  The Age should  never have provided such a misleading headline.<www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/long-delays-for-justice-over-teen-s-train-death-20190508-p51l4u.html>

'Far too early' to talk about Queensland's share of fast train funding May 10, 2019.
Labor Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says it is far too early to put a figure on any Queensland government contribution to a future $114 billion project to connect Melbourne and Brisbane with a high-speed rail link.
The Federal Opposition on Friday revealed a Shorten Labor government would set aside $1 billion to buy land to protect a land corridor for the future project.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk welcomes Federal Labor commitment to buy land to protect a fast train corridor.Credit:AAP
“One step at a time,” Ms Palaszczuk said on Friday morning in Brisbane, when asked if her government would contribute.
“Let’s have a look at their plans at the moment.
“This has been touted for many, many years, from one government to the next."
Ms Palaszczuk said a business case would need to come first before detailed planning could begin.
Artist's impression of a Very Fast Train design.Credit:Fairfax Media.
Under Labor's proposal, high-speed trains would travel at speeds of up to 350km/h and cut the journey time between Melbourne and Sydney, and Sydney and Brisbane, to as little as three hours.
Ms Palaszczuk welcomed the funding announcement, saying Queensland had been "short-changed" on infrastructure funding for "such a long time".
She expected the federal government would raise most of the funds.
“It is a federal connectivity project– from A to B – and they would have to finance the business case in the first place," she said.
<www.brisbanetimes.com.au/federal-election-2019/far-too-early-to-talk-about-queensland-s-share-of-fast-train-funding-20190510-p51m3o.html>

Metro and Yarra fall short of monthly punctuality targets for April
Herald Sun May 10, 2019
video: Fatal train accident causes commuter chaos
Melbourne’s train and tram operators have failed their punctuality targets for the third consecutive month, but irate passengers will not be able to claim compensation.
It comes after a horror month in March meant that regular commuters were able to apply for a free fare with Public Transport Victoria.
Yarra Trams and Metro Trains both narrowly fell short of their targets in April after 68,494 tram trips and 4742 train services did not arrive on time..
PTV chief executive Jeroen Weimar said operators had improved their performance despite a massive shutdown along lines in the southeast for upgrade work.
“The April blitz got on with the job of building the Metro Tunnel, getting ready for the new fleet of bigger and better trains and removing level crossings,” he said.
“Despite these works disrupting nine metropolitan train lines, our operators were able to improve their performance compared to the previous month.”
Melbourne’s train and tram operators have failed their punctuality targets for the third consecutive month, but irate passengers will not be able to claim compensation. Picture: Ian Currie
A level crossing accident on the Sandringham line that sparked peak hour chaos last month had a major impact on Metro’s results.
“We know Metro’s performance in April was below what our passengers expect, however the improvement when compared to March is a step in the right direction,” Mr Weimar said.
“We understand that it’s frustrating when trams don’t run on time, however Yarra Trams was still able to deliver a strong service while catering for increased demand during a very busy month.”
VLine services recorded some improvements across the entire network and punctuality on the Geelong line rose to 92.1 per cent.
Public Transport Users Association spokesman Daniel Bowen said authorities needed to be more ambitious about meeting and exceeding the targets set in new contracts.
“We’re below the government targets but above the compensation threshold,” he said.
“I don’t think the targets are too high … There are obvious things they can do to improve punctuality such as road priority for trams.
“They state government and operators really should be working together.
“If they continue to miss these targets they’re going to need to get serious about overcoming delays and cancellations.”
CITY CHAOS AFTER THOUSANDS STRANDED IN TRAIN MELTDOWN
COMPO AVAILABLE AFTER METRO MISSES TARGETS
RAGE SOARS OVER GROWING RAIL STAFF ASSAULTS
<www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/metro-trains-and-yarra-trams-fall-short-of-monthly-punctuality-targets-for-april/news-story/c86be2b00bf988aea20a6bf8d6008b7c>
* The delays are bad enough, but are made worse by the damage-control spin from PTV.
The statistics would have looked worse if the delays of planned bus replacements were included, but they don't count.
Metro/PTV have never once organised an effective bus replacement: passengers suffer; management doesn't.
If Metro wants the convenience of bus replacement, it should pay the price.
* This week alone, I had 3 cancelled trains and 4 delays in four days. I am not able to get compensated for their terrible service, makes no sense
* it's Jeff Kennett's fault
Long-time Hampton resident Julie Smerdon says there will be more deaths if the crossing isn’t upgraded.
Safety upgrade works at Hampton rail crossing cancelled months before death of pedestrian Bayside Leader May 10, 2019
A notorious Hampton rail crossing where a woman was killed last month had been promised gates and sirens — but Public Transport Victoria reneged on works just months before her tragic death.
The public transport authority has been slammed after the death of 83-year-old Hampton grandmother Gloria Holmes, who was struck by a train while walking her dog across the Grenville St rail crossing on April 15.
Neighbours have long called for safety upgrades at the crossing, prompting PTV to identify it as “one of nine high-risk pedestrian crossings planned to be upgraded...in 2017/18”.
Gloria Holmes died when hit by a train while walking her dog.
But, in a letter seen by the Bayside Leader, the authority wrote to neighbours in November stating: “A sudden change in the risk profile of certain level crossings in Victoria required other crossings be prioritised”.
Julie Smerdon, of Grenville St, said she had witnessed three other deaths at the crossing since moving to the area in 1982.
Ms Smerdon said the authority’s response was “sickening”.
She said Ms Holmes’ death could have been avoided if gates or sirens had been installed as promised as they would have made it “impossible to cross there when a train is approaching”.
“These are just the deaths I know about and the crossing has been a constant worry my whole life,” Ms Smerdon said.
“This is not going to be the last death there; the town is swelling with people and this is one of the only crossings to get to the beach so lots of people use it in summer.
“You also get lots of (school students) from Orlando St coming across to St Mary’s and Hampton Primary School, so it’s a worry for the kids too.”
Julie Smerdon is desperate to see the crossing made safer. Picture: Wayne Taylor
Two other nearby level crossings at Holyrood St and New St have safety precautions, including gates.
Ms Holmes’ daughter Lesley ­Mather and granddaughter Simone Palamara had previously urged authorities to take action after Gloria’s death.
“Something has to be done urgently (because) it could happen again next week,” Ms Mather said.
Public Transport Users Association spokesman Daniel Bowen said safety was paramount at rail pedestrian crossings.
“The fact that there are no gates at this crossing is disappointing; you would hope that PTV is looking at it closely,” Mr Bowen said.
“There are a lot of crossings ant they should include automatic gates, (which) wouldn’t be a very expensive exercise compared to some of the road and level crossing removals.
“It is all about safety.”
Brighton state Liberal MP James Newbury said it was time to improve safety along the dangerous track.
But PTV chief executive Jeroen Weimar refused to say if and when the crossing would be upgraded.
Mr Weimar did not answer specific questions about why it was reprioritised or what other crossings — if any — were upgraded instead.
He said the authority was working to remove all pedestrian crossings, and urged residents to be aware of the dangers.
All of Melbourne’s 500 car and pedestrian level crossings are assigned a risk rating based on train frequency, number of incidents, safety features, nearby development, and operational factors.
<www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/inner-south/safety-upgrade-works-at-hampton-rail-crossing-cancelled-months-before-death-of-pedestrian/news-story/8ecdded92c8800f835eb3974aa5e50ae>* I would like to know the stats. My understanding is that there has been about 5 deaths at the Hampton Street crossing in the last 10 years. Yet there has been no improvements. Probably because it costs too much. Pity
I sympathise for the families involved,  because of the lack of action
* Skyrail would solve this.
* Or people can just take care when crossing...Crossings themselves aren't dangerous.
* seriously! as tragic and sad as it is for this lady to be hit by a train sometimes people just have to accept responsibility fir their actions.
* I don't understand how this happens. Can't people see the trains coming?
* what I don’t understand is that Dan said the LXRA was all about saving lives yet we still have dangerous crossings like this which can be simply fixed if there were a priority
* no it's on a bend. Come and have a look
* Older persons with failing senses...maybe not.
* As tragic as this event was, how about people taking responsibility for their own actions?  I mean, a train does not suddenly appear out of nowhere.
* You have to stop, look both ways and listen and then cross quickly, why can't people do that?
* They probably changed their minds because labor won the election and it was no longer a priority. I live in a safe labor seat with two of the most dangerous level crossings in the state. They have been slated for removal for at least three years and have this yellow signs up saying the government is going to remove them. They are still there and still dangerous. More so than the one I Toorak that has just been prioritised.
* In other words, it has come to our attention that federal labor needs assistance in shoring up support in marginal seats and the Victorian government would like to shore up that support by placing other less critical crossings ahead of this one. Just like when it planned the level crossing removal program.
* maybe common sense would help too... and cost less.