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| Liar! |
Only a week after commuters were recently told that Queensland Rail's (QR) Interim Timetable Mk2 would result in "no more cancellations due to lack of drivers", guess what has happened? You guessed it, more cancellations due to lack of drivers. This time, the entire Rosewood Line train service has been completely axed on the weekends indefinitely. Now it might not be the busiest or most frequent of lines, but the axing of yet more train services with less than a days notice is totally unacceptable. Buses have replaced trains, leaving up to 15 minutes earlier than the trains. This means that anyone turning up just before the train is due will have very very long wait. The replacement buses have also been reportedly not able to accept passengers in wheelchairs - what a disgrace!
Another "secret" unadvertised change occurred on 10th Nov, where all weekend Northgate to CBD trains have been axed, replaced by slowed down Caboolture Line trains serving "Inner North" station. This will confuse Inner North weekend commuters, who are probably completely unaware of the changes.
Just to add to the pain, the lack of trains issue has resulted in multiple Gympie North train services being replaced by buses, and the Doomben Line experienced a 90 minute gap in am peak services this Friday (11/11/2016). Things are only getting worse, and SE Queensland commuters are reportedly giving up on using public transport in droves.
BrizCommuter thinks that it is time for the transport minister Stirling Hinchliffe (pictured) to also be "cancelled", and also time to again question whether a more competent private company could run QR much better. The worsening train woes are likely to cause the Palaszczuk government to be annihilated at the next election - Queensland voters do not taken fools gladly.
The Gympie North cancellations were due to the recurring ICE mechanical failures (e.g the ATP). No other toilet equipped units were available at the time at short notice, in conjunction with the 2-driver requirement north of Nambour on non-ATP trains.
ReplyDeleteAnd what happens when the overworked QR divers and staff start getting ill or quit over the massive workloads?
ReplyDeleteI'm glad things have now returned to normal. Last Thursday only 2 platforms at central were available most of the day. Several lengthy delays and cancelations on Airport/Gold Coast lines in the last week. Nothing unusual. However I would request the word "five minutes" be removed from QR vocabulary. Sure it is consistently getting laughs and scoffs, but I measured 2 x 10 minute delays and 1 x 15 minute delay in the last week. Granted the driver repeatedly told us the delay would be five minutes until it was actually only five minutes.
ReplyDeleteI've been traveling this route for about 4 years and I'm yet to encounter a delay less than 10 minutes other than pauses waiting for the train ahead to clear the station.
Apparently drivers are having to work eleven days on with one day off. Great for safety. Also I've been told it takes two years to train a driver so this problem is going to take a long time to fix...
ReplyDeleteWow. This is where unions should help. I wonder what they are doing to help?
DeleteHi Briz,
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately it doesn't seem that the ALP will be booted out at the election for this. Look at the poll taken shortly after the timetable came out: http://www.galaxyresearch.com.au/polling/
Perhaps if it goes on people may turn on them. Wasn't Brandis right.
Well if the LNP get back in, they'll probably sack the driver trainers and cancel Cross River Rail again.
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