Re: Melbourne's poor Met service

["David Proctor" <daproc@spam_this.umpires.com>]

Roderick Smith wrote in message <01be6473$7c7658e0$762e11cb@rodsmith>...

>There are three solutions:
>* Keep an infrequent service, but time it to have connections.

Not an option - infrequent services do NOTHING to help promote public
transport usage.

>* Provide a more frequent service, so a missed connection is less of a
>problem.

This would be a better option - particularly now they are using DOO. One of
the big problems with Melbourne public transport is the 40 minute frequency
on some lines on weekends. THis makes it impossible for casual users to
remember what time the trains are due (ummm, is it at 10 and 50 past the
even hour  and 30 past the odd hour, or 10 and 50 past the odd hour and 30
past the even hour?)

ALL trains should be at LEAST 30 minute frequency on weekends (4 per 2-hour
period) - if a line does not warrant this, drop it back to hourly (2 per
2-hour period) - but forget about the 40minute frequency (3 per 2-hour
period).

>* Provide a double-frequency service at times of trackwork disruptions.

Most trackwork involves possession of the tracks, so I cannot see them doing
this.

>Melbourne's Met certainly is no longer a system, but it isn't a service
>either.

Has it been a system since we had 6-8 companies (2 train, 2 tram, God knows
how many bus) doing their own thing?

DaveP