Left on the platform

By Melissa Grant
Ms Kosky has noted their concerns but says trains departing Pakenham at 6.41, 6.53 and 7.10 won’t stop at those platforms due to “network constrains on other heavily patronised parts of the metropolitan train network”.
She said the Dandenong rail corridor was experiencing an increase in commuters due to population growth in Cardinia and Casey, and the State Government had responded by beginning the Dandenong Rail Corridor Project.
Beaconsfield commuter Ross McClelland said Ms Kosky’s comments, made in a letter to Gembrook MP Tammy Lobato, had missed the mark.
“It’s great to hear of all these big plans … but all I was asking about was a simple change to the timetable,” he said.
“The Minister (Ms Kosky) says the Cardinia Road Station will be built soon, but I’m not holding my breath. In the meantime we can provide three extra services for no cost.”
Mr McClelland said between 50 and 70 commuters stood on the Beaconsfield platform watching as express trains rattled past Beaconsfield Station each morning.
Ms Kosky said the Department of Transport (DOT) monitored the number of passengers on train services through passenger count surveys and used data to inform alterations to train timetables.
But Mr McClelland had reservations about the results of the survey.
“I do a survey each morning I catch the train at 6.50am. I’m parking further and further down each morning which is an indication that more people are using it (station),” he said.
Mr McClelland and fellow commuter Chris White wrote to Ms Lobato about the issue in December. She then passed on their concerns to Ms Kosky.
Mr McClelland said Ms Kosky’s response showed a level of detachment and inability to act on the simplest of practical improvements to the public transport system.
“For what could be a relatively simple change it seems to take a lot of effort,” he said.