Re: Changes in Melbourne

[Michael Walker <walker@hotkey.net.au>]

Daniel Bowen wrote:
> 
> billbolton@REMOVE-TO-EMAIL.acslink.net.au (Bill Bolton) wrote:
> >I have no idea WHY they do it no, but a good reason for doing it is to
> >spread the "single seat to/from the city" ride across the unique route
> >sections to both destinations.  Passengers generally dislike changing
> >trains.
> 
> I think it backfires. I don't think everybody knows it works like this. When I
> lived in Hawthorn, I used to see people on Sundays let a Lilydale or Belgrave
> train go by - because they obviously wanted the other, and didn't know that on
> Sundays and evenings you should go to Ringwood and change.
> 
> Daniel
> --
> Daniel Bowen, Melbourne Australia.
> Remove the spam bait to email me personally...

I agree it backfires hence my original question. For the sake of a few
people changing trains at Ringwood, we have an inconsistent timetable
that means at different times, the trains operate in 2 or 3 different
ways at inconsistent periods. I understand that one of the things that
makes people inclined to get on a train is clockface timetabling. For
the sake of a few people changing trains, anyone who travels from
Ringwood out is inconvenienced (and I would imagine there would be a
few, especially on the Belgrave part - I have 'hung around' Eltham
station a few times at night and the travel pattern is quite interesting
in that about as many people get on to go towards Hurstbridge as get
off). Also, if it was consistent at the times when people need to change
(ie all trains to Belgrave or all trains to Lilydale with change for the
other line) because the demand isn't high enough Ringwood to City, then
people would at least have an easy procedure to remember instead of 'Do
I get on/off or don't I' which will put them off using the system.