| Train cancellations at peak last month |
 As Melbourne experiences yet another day of high train cancellations, new figures show last month was 2008's equal worst for services that did not run.
The Department of Transport's quarterly assessment of the train system said that 1.4 per cent of trains scheduled in December did not run, up from a yearly average of 1 per cent.
December's poor rate matched the January 2008 cancellation figure of 1.4 per cent of all trains.
After that spate of cancellations, the train operator, Connex, vowed to better maintain trains so that fewer services would have to be abandoned.
But this morning at least 24 peak hour trains were cancelled, with Connex blaming everything from a faulty address system to problems in its negotiations with the main rail union.
The new figures show the worst-hit lines last month for cancellations were services to Frankston, where 2 per cent of trains were cancelled, and Lilydale, Pakenham and Sandringham.
Connex this week said several trains that could have run were not being used because of a dispute with the Rail, Tram and Bus Union about how a fault was defined.
The union in turn denied this, saying it was Connex's poor ability to maintain trains that was causing the problem.
Tha Age
|
| |
| article rating | Average Score: 0
Votes: 0
|
|
