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To:australiantransportnews@... australiantransportnews@...>
Sent: Monday, 26 February 2024 at 11:06:28 am AEDT
Subject: Sun.25.2.24 daily digest, austerity issue

Sun.25.2.24 Metro X
Public transport disruptions continue into December, January and February.  Check before you travel at https://bit.ly/2JeTzJJ.
Buses replace trains on sections of the Belgrave line until April (works). [Ringwood - Bayswater]
- 10.25 Buses replace trains Ringwood - Belgrave (an 'operational incident'). Buses ordered, ETA 60min. Consider alternative transport.
- 11.05 Trains resume Bayswater - Belgrave, with delays.
Frankston line: Trains will not stop at Parkdale until mid 2024 (level-crossing removal work). Shuttle buses will operate Mentone - Parkdale - Mordialloc, connecting with trains. No access to station facilities or platforms during this time.
Hurstbridge line: Buses replace trains Heidelberg - Eltham from 23.30 until the last train of Sun 24 [25] Feb (works).
11.40 Lilydale/Belgrave lines: Major delays (an equipment fault in the Ringwood area).  Trains may remain stationary for extended periods at or between stations.  Stopping patterns may be changed.
- 12.05 Buses to replace trains Blackburn - Mooroolbark/Bayswater. Buses ordered, ETA 60min. Consider alternative transport.
- 12.28 Trains resume, with delays.
13.00 Lilydale/Belgrave/Alamein lines:  Delays through Camberwell (an equipment fault).  Trains may remain stationary for extended periods at or in between stations. Trains may terminate/originate at intermediate stations.
- 13.30 Outbound trains may depart from altered platforms between Burnley and Box Hill.
- 14.09 clearing.
- Metro never announces what has failed.  There used to be protocols for covering failures of signals and failures of points.  Risk-averse Metro simply delays rather than use them.  I was on a 12.45 from SC, diverted via the down line, delayed at Glenferrie.
We overtook the three preceding trains, blocked on the centre line.   Passengers at Camberwell transferred, but those trapped near Auburn and at Glenferrie remained trapped.  We were 23 min late at SHMA Union.
Werribee/Williamstown lines: Buses replace trains North Melbourne - Newport/Williamstown from 20.25 until the last train (maintenance works).
Sunbury line: Buses replace trains North Melbourne - Sunshine from 20.45 until the last train (maintenance works).

https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/other/queensland-govt-to-invest-nearly-3b-into-sunshine-coast-rail-line/ar-BB1iPen6

https://www.msn.com/en-au/money/markets/multi-billion-dollar-direct-rail-line-to-sunshine-coast-announced-but-some-say-it-s-not-good-enough-for-the-olympics/ar-BB1iQ7Bt

https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/politics/queensland/2-75b-announced-for-qld-s-next-big-rail-project-but-it-will-need-much-more-20240225-p5f7lr.html

https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/8532050/letters-to-the-editor-act-light-rail-controversy