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Sent: Saturday, 23 May 2020, 03:29:06 pm AESTSubject: Sat.28.3.20 daily digest
Roderick
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Sat.28.3.20 Metro twitterBuses replace trains North Melbourne - Upfield until the last train of Sun 29 Mar (level-crossing work).Buses replace trains City - Sandringham from until the last train of Sun 5 Apr (power upgrades).Buses replace trains Dandenong - Pakenham from until 6.00 (works).Buses replace trains Laverton - Werribee from until the last train of Sun 29 Mar (level-crossing work).- How many allowed on bus? Need to practice social distancing.- What happens with social distancing on a bus?- We have checked with ground staff and additional buses are running with passenger loads of up to 30 persons.- It was 20 on my train line (Frankston line).  People were able to keep to social distancing measures easily On the buses, 30 is too many.9.41 Pakenham/Cranbourne/Frankston lines: Minor delays (an equipment fault near Caulfield). Trains will use altered platforms between Richmond and Caulfield.- 10.42 clearing.9.42 Craigieburn line: Minor delays (an equipment fault near Strathmore).Because of emergency work required at Flinders Street, from 0.30 until 6.00, Sunbury/Craigieburn/Upfield trains will depart from platforms 8 & 9.  Pakenham & Cranbourne trains will depart from platform 7. 
Crisis talks as Melbourne's train, tram passenger numbers slump by 90% March 27, 2020Public transport usage is down by about 90 per cent across Victoria and Metro Trains is bleeding up to $12 million a week as more people stay at home to stop the spread of coronavirus.Intense discussions about a rescue package to save thousands of jobs are now under way between the Andrews government and the transport operators, with services set to be cut to a weekend timetable in coming weeks amid tightening containment measures.A near-empty tram travels along St Kilda Road. Credit:Daniel PockettLeaked figures show the number of people using Melbourne's trams nosedived by 88 per cent this week, with just 81,600 passengers compared with an expected 708,300.. The week before, about 285,000 passengers used the tram network.Passenger numbers on city and country trains are understood to have similarly dropped by between 85 and 90 per cent.As the network becomes increasingly deserted, the private operators are locked in talks with Treasurer Tim Pallas, Public Transport Minister Melissa Horne and department officials about a rescue package that would quickly replenish falling revenue to ensure the companies remain viable and jobs are not shed.Metro Trains, which takes 40 per cent of the state's fares, was set to make about $330 million in passenger fees this year, the company's contract shows. Sources say it is now losing $8-$12 million a week.Yarra Trams, which takes a similar cut of the state's fares, was set to make $164 million from fares this year.The companies are also concerned about diminishing advertising and tenants' fees, while more than half of Metro's takings come from major projects it is contracted to build, which could now be put on hold.The operators are paid a minimum monthly fee from the government in the event of a drop in patronage but their franchise agreements had not envisaged such a dramatic fall in passengers.Rail, Tram and Bus Union and the Transport Workers Union have called on the government to ensure that any tighter COVID-19 restrictions do not include the closure of mass transit services.“Many workers in our health sector, emergency services and food supply chain rely on public transport to get to work," RTBU state secretary Luba Grigorovitch said.RTBU is also moving closer to signing a pay deal with Metro in a bid to lock in a 3.5 per cent annual wage increase ahead of a major economic downturn."Trains are near empty. Platforms are deserted. The revenue of the private operators has plummeted," a motion from the rail division's delegates meeting stated, in a bid to urge support for Metro's pay offer.With fewer people using trains, trams and buses punctuality across the network has skyrocketed.An analysis by Daniel Bowen of the Public Transport Users Association shows about 95 per cent of Metro's services ran on time on Thursday, compared with 88 per cent of services a month earlier.About 93 per cent of trams ran on time on Thursday, compared with 79 per cent on Friday, March 3.A government spokeswoman said the Transport Department is "considering a raft of measures to protect employees and passengers in line with expert medical advice"."The government is working with operators to keep our network moving and support jobs during this unprecedented time."video Coronavirus: Melbourne turns to ghost town Streets in Melbourne’s CBD are empty after new crowd bans were introduced. Related Article A Red Cross volunteer looks at beds set up for homeless people in the gymnasium of Uranienborg school, which is closed due to the corona eruption, in Oslo.  As the day unfolded: Boris Johnson tests positive for COVID-19, Scott Morrison orders quarantine hotels for travellers<www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/crisis-talks-as-melbourne-s-train-tram-passenger-numbers-slump-by-90-percent-20200327-p54elv.html>* They HAVE to maintain peak hour services. The ONLY thing making Public Transport a viable option in peak hours is the reduced passenger numbers and higher amount of services, which allows social distancing. If they reduce the numbers of services ... that puts the passengers at risk. They should have government assistance in the meantime.* Good government starts...soon?* Dan - write them a cheque now and ask for the keys to be handed over. Would be one of the best investments ever for the people of Melbourne.* Falling patronage is a good sign. The fewer people together the better. I almost want them to go bust so the state can buy them back.* Wouldn't it make more sense if the operators were just paid to provide the services & all of the fare revenue went to the government?* Get rid of the private operators and bring the PT system back into state hands! Privatisation has no place in an essential service like Public Transport!* Why are they even running? To get all those who are out of work to the beach and shops? They'd save money and protect everyone's health if they closed it down.* The way things normally work is that a business goes bankrupt, the shareholders and maybe debt holders lose their money and then someone buys the business cheaply. The trams and trains don't evaporate.* May have to have the railways state owned again or even nationalise would be better. Use the future fund and also run Qantas. If we are putting that much government support to help the workers we as Australians might as well own it.* Unbelievable the arrogance of the unions still “fighting” for a pay increase. Most of us in the real world are struggling to hold onto any pay!* The politicians are playing a version of cat and mouse here and it really irks me. They have this notion that the economy can just bumble along concurrently with a 'manageable' death rate until they sort out a vaccine. wrong wrong wrong. Take a 14 day immediate real lock down now and then re-assess how many cases have arisen. if the growth rate is under control then release the tight knots a little. if it's not under control, then keep it locked down for another week or so.. then you ease it off a fraction so people can re-commence limited activity.Being locked up will slow it - no question. the secret is getting it down early.* Is anyone else wondering whether this disaster will show everyone that privatising essential services doesn't work, especially when backs are against the wall? I can't help but think that private companies which have shaved margins for years, so that they profit as much as possible from as poor a service as they can get away with, are not quite up to this sort of thing, yet our governments all seem to be. If the transport network had nothing to do with private companies, but was a public service? Then there would be no issue with keeping it running. Lets all get ready to pay some more tax after this, ok? Because it turns out big government can REALLY help people.* You’ve got to be kidding. For years they’ve made a mockery of us and announced they were running a “good service”. Go broke. Couldn’t happen to a better business.* Perhaps you could exercise the slightest bit of compassion, Reader. Why you would wish for thousands of people to be out of a job at this time is beyond me. Very ordinary post.* The union is still trying to lock in a 3.5% pay INCREASE? They can't be serious.* Only 3.5%. That's a very small increase.* This is for the WORKERS who are now facing job insecurity, did you read the article? Those workers deserve every cent - their job is a difficult one, dealing with drivers and pedestrians who aren’t paying attention all day. Give them a break.* Did I really read this correctly ? Does Metro actually expects to make a profit at this time and the union wants a pay increase?Dear union, since when we're union's all about screwing over the little man. Its us, the public where your $ come from.Dear Metro, should you be reminded that contracts come up for renewal? Remember a company called Connex?Every clinician, nurse and pathology laboratory scientist I know has ditched PT in favour for the almost guaranteed Coronavirus free interior of their car.* Slam Metro but not the union. They’re looking after their people, their jobs, their families, their livelihoods.* No you read it wrong. Metro is still running the usual timetable but with none of the fares, so they're going broke. Nothing there says they're looking to make a profit, just that they need to stay solvent and keep people employed. The union however... 3..5% when everyone else is getting less than 2% before this crisis.* No surprise. Ask people to work from home. Tell people to social distance. Disallow gatherings. The last place people want to be is cooped up on a bus, tram or train. This is going to be expensive. Just waiting for my taxes to be increased to pay for all this.* Maybe shouldn’t have sold off the assets to private operators? 350 million in profit from Metro trains going to Hong Kong (China) and now they want to be propped up while the Australian tax payer has their back firmly up against the wall...you must be joking.* Time for the government to buy back the public transport system. Great opportunity to reverse the process of our assets being sold off, and these companies taking profit but when it all hits the fan, putting their hand out anyway!* The state owns the physical network(?). Why buy....if they walk the government could take it over as a going concern. tell the staff that there are x number of jobs at $y salary or keep it as it is and negotiate when the economy improves.* The government needs to suspend myki passes. The fact that they continue to tick over and expire is a bit of a joke.* You can request PTV to suspend myki passes. I managed to do that with my Commuter Club pass.* Call Myki yourself and suspend your Myki pass as I have. No point in paying for travel when you are working from home.
March 28 2020 'Fortress Tasmania' locks down over virus 
<www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6701447/fortress-tasmania-locks-down-over-virus>

Border still open in places after midnight deadline for lockdownBrisbane 'Courier-Mail' March 26, 2020<www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/border-still-open-in-places-after-midnight-deadline-for-lockdown/news-story/19a77cd113edcf0d246a48884f1d40ae>