Dear BAV members,
The BAV engaged in a teleconference this morning (20 March 2020) to discuss the V/Line proposal to move their rail services to an augmented Saturday timetable. The augmented service will run Monday to Friday providing some additional services during the morning and afternoon peaks.
V/Line are seeking to introduce this by 30 March 2020. DOT have given in principle approval for this subject to ensuring appropriate systems are in place to inform the customer and ensure appropriate connectivity to services.
For your information, please find below the proposed additional services that V/Line will operate to the current Saturday timetable. As advised yesterday, this will be approximately 40%-80% of existing weekday capacity, with the biggest service impact being on the morning services. The south west line (Geelong and Warrnambool) will be significantly impacted.
The general issues discussed in the meeting were:
Patronage numbers have decreased by approximately 60% for V/Line services into Melbourne. Metro Trains patronage has reduced by approximately 50%. This data is related to Myki data and may be impacted by people not touching on.
The need to ensure service operations for those who currently use the services.
Ensuring first and last services were still provided.
Metro trains will continue to run to their existing timetable (there is no current plan from Metro to change their weekday services). V/Line will align their services to fit within this timetable.
V/Line are now starting to look at their coach services to see what can be implemented there and how they best manage the interchange with trains. V/Line admitted that they don’t think they will be able to achieve this by 30 March.
DOT is looking at regional route bus services that interconnect with V/Line trains. Awaiting on final timetable by V/Line before pursuing any action.
V/Line are developing plans to also identify service delivery options if staff availability is affected by the CONVID 19 virus (to date no operator is reporting any material impacts on employee attendance).
BAV raised the following issues:
Where buses in Melbourne’s outer suburbs meet up with both Metro Trains and V/Line trains, is there any direction from DOT as to how to prioritise them considering we will now be running effectively two train timetables. DOT will look into this.
There will be an impact on school bus services that meet trains in regional areas. DOT acknowledged that this is a major issue and will commence investigations into this and provide feedback to the committee.
Where there is a requirement for operators to change their routes to align with the new V/Line timetable, there will need to be significant work associated with this. Some operators have internal systems, and some rely on external providers. This can be time consuming and needs to be considered in implementing any V/Line or other train service changes. DOT acknowledged this. BAV will engage with operators and external third parties such as Philip Boyle and Associates to determine the requirements to review the network linked to V/Line and identify a timeframe around providing new timetable data to DOT.
BAV wants to ensure that all issues are properly identified, discussed and managed in relation to the proposed V/Line timetable changes. We have received some feedback to date which we have raised with all stakeholders. Are there any issues that you would like to BAV to raise with DOT and V/Line as part of this proposed new timetable. Please contact either Peter Kavanagh pkavanagh@busvic.asn.au or Parry Serafim pserafim@busvic.asn.au.
Proposed additional V/Line rail services to augment the current Saturday timetable to operate Monday to Friday for the foreseeable future.
Eastern Corridor
AM:
0431/8400 TRN-SPE, SAS arrive 0654, then e/cars stable AYD (3VL)
0530/8402 TRN-SPE, SAS arrive 0746, then e/cars stable AYD (3VL)
0640/8406 TRN-SPE, SAS arrive 0846, then e/cars stable AYD (3VL)
PM:
1656/8423 SPE-TRN, SAS arrive 1920, dock ex SDL/AYD (6VL)
1736/8427 SPE-TRN, SAS arrive 2005, dock ex SDL/AYD (3VL)
North Eastern/Goulburn Valley Corridor
AM:
0500/8300 SER-SPE, SAS arrive 0620, stable SPE car sidings (2xSp)
0549/8302 SER-SPE, SAS arrive 0708, stable SPE car sidings (2xSp)
0555/8360 SNH-SPE, SAS arrive 0830, stable SPE bank sidings (N+VN)
PM:
1632/8367* SPE-SNH, operate SAS, arrive 1925, (N+VN)
1652/8327 SPE-SER, SAS arrive 1825, off 1609/8324 arrival (3xSp)
1752/8327 SPE-SER, SAS arrive 1925, dock ex car sidings (3xSp)
*1632/8325 SER CANCELLED
Northern Corridor
AM:
0512/8000 KYN-SPE, SAS arrive 0612, off e/cars ex SPE then e/cars stable SPE (3VL)
0510/8002 BGO*-SPE, SAS arrive 0705, e/cars stable SDL/AYD (6VL)
0610/8010 BGO*-SPE, SAS arrive 0805, e/cars stable SDL/AYD (6VL)
0650/8018 BGO*-SPE, SAS arrive 0845, e/cars stable SDL/AYD (6VL)
*May be able to originate EAG or EPS if required
**0902/8073 Echuca (Saturday service to operate as 8017 to BGO only, form 8030
PM:
1602/8035 SPE-KYN, SAS arrive 1705, dock ex SDL/AYD (3VL)
1642/8033 SPE-BGO*, SAS arrive 1835, dock ex SDL/AYD (6VL)
1702/8035 SPE-BGO*, SAS arrive 1900, dock ex SDL/AYD (6VL)
1740/8033 SPE-BGO*, SAS arrive 1935, dock ex SDL/AYD (6VL)
Western Corridor
AM:
0458/8200 BAH-SPE, SAS arrive 0544, off e/cars ex SPE then e/cars stable SPE (3VL)
0514/8102 WED-SPE, SAS arrive 0645, e/cars stable SDL/AYD (6VL)
0625/8204 BAH-SPE, SAS arrive 0715, ex Maddingley then e/cars stable SDL/AYD (6VL)
0710/8218 BAH-SPE, SAS arrive 0800, ex Maddingley then e/cars stable SDL/AYD (6VL)
0644/8106 WED-SPE, SAS arrive 0815, e/cars stable SDL/AYD (6VL)
PM:
1536/8235 SPE-MEL, SAS arrive 1615, dock ex SDL/AYD, return e/cars to SPE (3VL)
1631/8251 SPE-BAH, SAS arrive 1720, dock ex SDL/AYD, e/cars to Maddingley (3VL)
1646/8161 SPE-WED, SAS arrive 1825, dock ex SDL/AYD, off to BLO to fuel (6VL)
1731/8251 SPE-BAHL, SAS arrive 1820, dock ex SDL/AYD, e/cars to Maddingley (3VL)
1746/8161 SPE-WED, SAS arrive 1825, dock ex SDL/AYD, off to BLO to fuel (6VL)
South Western Corridor
AM:
0431/8702 WPP-SPE, SAS arrive 0549, e/cars stable SDL (6VL)
0542/8708 MAS-SPE, Ltd Exp arrive 0705, form outbound service (N+VN)
0640/8720 WPP-SPE, SAS arrive 0800, e/cars stable SDL (6VL)
0720/8732 LRA-SPE, Ltd Exp arrive 0818, form outbound service (N+VN)
0736/8734 WPP-SPE, SAS arrive 0855, form outbound service (6VL)
PM:
1607/8769 SPE-LRA, SAS arrive 1703, off inbound service, e/cars to GEL to fuel/service (N+VN)
1650/8775 SPE-SOG, SAS arrive 1755, dock ex SDL, off to GLO to fuel (6VL)
1730/8783 SPE-SOG, SAS arrive 1835, dock ex SDL, off to GLO to fuel (6VL)
1810/8795 SPE-SOG, SAS arrive 1915, dock ex SDL, off to GLO to fuel (6VL)
1820/8797 SPE-LRA, SAS arrive 1917, off inbound service, e/cars to GEL to fuel/service (N+VN)
Regards,
Parry Serafim
Network Planning and Public Policy