Train strike (1 Viewer)

[acmilan]

Does anyone agree with not purchasing train tickets for the day as protest? In my opinion doing so will cost the train company even more and hence add to its problems not fix it

 

[Jago]

i don't pay for tickets. Govt gives them to me for free.

 

[Cape]

well i'm sure that it would piss off the government ... but the transit officers should be informed otherwise they will be having a field day - who knows what they will do.

Anything to fix the system would be great ... but i think that we are asking for too much.

 

[thorrnydevil]

Fight the power!! **raises fist**

 

[thejosiekiller]

those transit officers r absolute cunts

 

[Cape]

yeah ... u can say that again ... i was almost fined one day for listening to my music slightly too loud for their liking.

 

[Monkey Butler]

My mate got busted TWICE for going to school without his train pass. In his school uniform. With about fifty school kids. And his little brother with him.

 

[Armani]

I find the Transit Officers one of the most unneccessary aspects of the CityRail system. Anyone notice who their appearance almost coincided with the gradual downfall of CityRail's services?
I don't believe we should pay for a system, at the moment, is incredibly inefficient in comparison to that of 2 years previous where their service was at least tolerable.

 

[thorrnydevil]

Did anyone see the ACA report on it? Those people in the Cental Coast are getting a pretty raw deal...fucking Carr government.

 

[ohne]

Does anyone agree with not purchasing train tickets for the day as protest? In my opinion doing so will cost the train company even more and hence add to its problems not fix it

I do not support this plan. It is true that rail services are not giving value for money at present and many people wish to protest against the government, however this action is not constructive.

The problems with rail services are not really related to a lack of funding at present, they are more to do with poor management and a lack of investment and recruitment of drivers over the lifetime of the Carr government than anything else, however the loss of revenue is hardly helpful. It is ultimately what you do withthe revenue that counts and revenue has been abused by the government over thepast 10 years.

I feel that in this age there are many of us who expect the government to provide for us rather than recognising our responsibility as individuals in society. There are indeed many things us commuters can do to improve rail services such as quickly alighting and boarding trains, paying our fares and not abusing staff.

Organising protests such as these only serve to divide us and make services worse. It is true that we expect better from cityrail at presen, however I do not believe this protest will help in any way.

In my opinion we do need a review of fees. For example it costs more to use many train services than toll ways! If anything, I think the appaling state of our rail system and protests against the government serves as an example of why public services should be delivered by private companies and not directly by the government. Jeff Kennett has vision when he was Premier of Victoria and he greatly improved services through privitisation, even Steve Bracks has recognised the benefits of this.

Unfortunantly our government continues to govern on a day-by-day, short-term basis while services gradually decline as they have no courage to make any tough decisions or look to the future. It is therefore inevitable that services will get even worse and we have no hope of them improving.

John Brogden: Will you please give us a commitment to take radicial action (that may be unpopular) to fix our rail system! Costa and Carr have made it clear they are not prepared to do anything.

 

[Armani]

There are many inherent complications that may arise by privatising the state-funded train system. One being a reduction in services that are not during peak hour times, funding cuts to non-essential services that may provide customer satisfaction where efficiency and economy override a balanced service that serves the community. I must admit the techniques employed by current CityRail management is following this economical rationalist approach and its not exactly benefitting the community at all.

 

[ohne]

There are many inherent complications that may arise by privatising the state-funded train system. One being a reduction in services that are not during peak hour times, funding cuts to non-essential services that may provide customer satisfaction where efficiency and economy override a balanced service that serves the community. I must admit the techniques employed by current CityRail management is following this economical rationalist approach and its not exactly benefitting the community at all.

Not necessarily, under a good regulatory regime the objectives of a government can still be met under private ownership. The government does not need to own something to ensure a particular outcome.

 

[Kwayera]

I'm so glad that I'm within walking distance of my school. We only get reliable trains on the North Shore line (at least at Wahroonga) about every half and hour on a good day (because, no doubt, we're the 'enemy' - actual quote). Many kids, who usually arrive on time, are now late because of this new system. It's made worse by the fact that new timetables are NOT provided at stations, so kids (and adults going to work too, I suppose) cannot calculate new journey times.

 

[Armani]

True, but who would state the regulation by which the privitised company must abide by? They are their own company and so have quotas to meet. By denying certain aspects of generating money the company could soon fail. This means that they, the company, may justify hiking the price to a level that is just tolerable that the consumer would pay, and who would assertain where this profit is directed towards? If a disaster were to occur, what interventions would the government impose on this company? Would the government just retake the company or allow it to degrade until they choose to resell it?

 

[thejosiekiller]

is it right that the rail workers want a 25% pay increase that will see them earn more than police officers and teachers? if that is true thats out right wrong.......and why because they dont like their job and dealing with customers. their other demands including an apology from the railcorp chief is accpetable and so is their demand to restore timetables (imo a cost cutting adventure by the government that has backfired

 

[ohne]

True, but who would state the regulation by which the privitised company must abide by? They are their own company and so have quotas to meet. By denying certain aspects of generating money the company could soon fail. This means that they, the company, may justify hiking the price to a level that is just tolerable that the consumer would pay, and who would assertain where this profit is directed towards? If a disaster were to occur, what interventions would the government impose on this company? Would the government just retake the company or allow it to degrade until they choose to resell it?

Victoria runs a private system under a strict regulatory regime. Train companies are given heavy fines if trains are late, unclean etc. as a result services are of much better quality. The government enters into an initial contract with a private company upon privitisation, there is always some room to manouvere, however there is always room for private companies to make a profit otherwise they would not enter into the deal in the first place. A rail company cannot simply charge whatever fee they like, fees are heavily regulated.

 

[ohne]

is it right that the rail workers want a 25% pay increase that will see them earn more than police officers and teachers? if that is true thats out right wrong.......and why because they dont like their job and dealing with customers. their other demands including an apology from the railcorp chief is accpetable and so is their demand to restore timetables (imo a cost cutting adventure by the government that has backfired

It is not right. Pay rises should be linked to productivity and performance increases and they have clearly failed on both accounts.

 

[Cape]

I also heard that ... personally i think that the police officers and teachers should be paid more.

Victoria has a great transport system ... and i actually think that it covers more area than sydney. the problem is that if all of sydneys transport worked together like it does in victoria it would be great.

 

[Armani]

Victoria runs a private system under a strict regulatory regime. Train companies are given heavy fines if trains are late, unclean etc. as a result services are of much better quality. The government enters into an initial contract with a private company upon privitisation, there is always some room to manouvere, however there is always room for private companies to make a profit otherwise they would not enter into the deal in the first place. A rail company cannot simply charge whatever fee they like, fees are heavily regulated.

This still means that there is a level of state intervention. Through the article i have read on funding models I find that is best applied in this situation, though there may be complications as Victoria is not Sydney and that must be taken into account.

 

[ohne]

This still means that there is a level of state intervention. Through the article i have read on funding models I find that is best applied in this situation, though there may be complications as Victoria is not Sydney and that must be taken into account.

It is true that the Victorian rail system is not as large as that of Sydney, however the rail system of London is also privately run and it is of much better quality than that of Sydney.