The Upfield line has been closed at the freeway for a couple of days
now, but I've seen no comments about it here. Has anyone tried the bus
link in peak time? How is it? Are the numbers travelling by train down
compared to normal?
Well, a friend used the MetTrain approved substitute service on
Friday. The city-bound trip took approx. 20 min more (as the PTC
said it would) but the out-bound took approx. 40 minutes more due
to the incompetence of the operational setup.
They have *one* disabled access bus. It sits at Flemington Bridge
all the time, except when actually in use. *Even during the evening
peak*.
So when a disabled passenger requires transport, they call FB and
bus travels to Newmarket (empty), picks up the passeenger(s) and
returns. On Friday this busload missed the train they were supposed
to connect to.
And I gather the Upfield passengers were not terribly cooperative
when their morning Newmarket->Loop train was late, and the station
announcer said "Attention Upfield passengers. The train on platform
x is NOT your train. Do not board the train on platform x". Since the
train was a Broady line train going NthMelb->Loop, which is exactly
what the Upfield train does, not surprisingly most Upfield passengers
got on rather than wait ten minutes for "their" train.
Yes, the numbers on the train appear to be down.
No, there do not appear to be more services on the 19 or 55 tram
routes (where a large number of patrons will have gone).
The so-called "free" travel is a furphy, at least for periodical
ticket holders. It is _only_ for travel on the Upfield line. Any
travel on tram or other trains requires a valid ticket.
And, as final comment, since the timetable between Flemington Bridge
and Upfield has not changed at all, I cannot understand what the PTC
mean when they say they are "taking advantage of this" to do the
upgrade to line/crossings/stations etc. There are NO changed
circumstances during this 6 months between Flem.Bridge and Upfield.
(Unless they plan to use the fall off in patronage to reduce the
service, or close the line completely for some period.)
I swap to/from the 55 tram at Royal Park. At least until
that service is cut back in peak hour to pay for Sunday service via
the Crown amusement park and stupidity taxation office.
Clive.
-- Clive Newall <crn@bby.com.au> / Burdett Buckeridge & Young Ltd Melb Australia <BLINK>Get a real newsreader<FONT FACE="WingDings"><FONT SIZE="+3"> "I think Casper is the ghost of Richie Rich. I wonder how Richie died?" "Perhaps he realized how hollow the pursuit of money is and took his own life" --Bart and Lisa Simpson