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HALF-PRICE TR IPS IN PASSENGER RAIL REVAMP
By Industrial Reporter
MICHAEL FOSTER
Two weekly services to Alice Springs and a shorter travelling time to
Melbourne are part of Great Southern Railways' vision for passenger rail in
Australia.
GSR is also set to offer introductory return prices from Adelaide to Alice
Springs of $169. The average price is normally $170 one way.
GSR chief executive Mr Jim Morgan outlined the changed yesterday ahead of
today's takeover of Australian National passenger servies. Major changes
include:
PLANS to develop the Overland between Adelaide and Melbourne into a genuine
"commuter service" with an aim eventually to cut travelling time from 12 to
8 hours.
INTRODUCTION of a second weekly Ghan service between Adelaide and Alice
Springs with the creation of up to 20 extra jobs.
PLANS to introduce a day stopover in Adelaide for Indian Pacific
passengers.
GSR is a consortium including the Macquarie Bank and British firms GB
Railways and Serco which won the tender for the AN services in August as
paart of a $76 million sell-off of freight and passenger rail.
Mr Morgan said it was crucial that the Overland service became competitive
with coach transport.
"At the moment it's a bit slow. We really need to improve it," he said.
"In the medium term we have to be competitive with road and we need to be
down certaily under 10 hours. In fact you've really got to be between 8 and
10 hours.
"Now there are two things you have got to do. You have got to improve the
line speed through Victoria and you've got to tray and speed the paths to
better co-ordinate with the freight trains. Adelaide's a big city.
Melbourne's a big city. If ou can't make a railway service within those two
cities pay , you shouldn't be in the rail industry."
Mr Morgan said GSR was neogtiating with the Victorian track access
authority and was confident of reachingan agreement towards increaasing
track speed.
Trains have to slow from their crusing speed of about 110km/h once they
reach Victoria because of the poor condition of the tracks.
Within 12 months GSR is also looking to incorporate a one-day stopover in
Adelaide for Indian Pacific passengers.
"With a longer lay over, you could take people up to the Barossa vally or
maybe a quick trip to Kangaroo Island," he said.
"But people already have bookings nine months forward, so we can't make
quick changes."
Mr Morgan also revealed that as part of the $14.3 million investment
commitment included in the sale arrangement, GSR would call for local
tenders to refurbish its rolling stock within six months.
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Very interesting, eh? Will it really be possible for them to reduce the
Overland times down to 8 hours? And do you think that the one-day stopover
in Adelaide is a good idea?
-- Adam Joyce 9706360s@magpie.magill.unisa.edu.au(When replying by e-mail please remove "NoSpam_" from e-mail address)