Fw: Wed.1 & Thurs.2.4.26 daily digests, austerity issues

[Roderick Smith]

----- Forwarded message -----

From: Roderick Smith <rnve...@yahoo.com.au>
To: australiant...@groups.io <australiant...@groups.io>
Sent: Wednesday 8 April 2026 at 01:42:32 pm AEST
Subject: Wed.1 & Thurs.2.4.26 daily digests, austerity issues

Roderick

Wed.1.4.26 Metro X
4.41 Pakenham/Cranbourne lines: Major delays (an equipment fault in the Westall area, later confirmed as vandalism).  Trains may be held at platforms; train services may be altered.
- 4.54 Buses to replace trains between Dandenong and Oakleigh, eta over 60 min.  Trains either side have delays.
- 5.27 Major delays (vandalism in the Cranbourne area).  Police are attending.
- 6.16 Why can’t these updates be reflected in real time in the PTV app?
- 6.17 eta still over 60 min.
- 6.36 & 7.30 Limited buses are in operation, with more on the way.
- 7.41 Is this an April fool joke, or is it true?
- 7.45 All buses have arrived.
- 9.30 Damage is extensive; repairs are not expected to be completed until after 12.00 (subject to change).
- I'd use the trains a lot more,but this stuff keeps happening too often. IF the offenders do get caught,it's quite often not for the first time. The whole idea of public transport is to avoid traffic delays, so it's like Russian roulette how to commute.
- Metro couldn’t run a hot bath; completely useless.
- Are the Iranians sabotaging the train lines in order to drive up oil prices again?
- 9.44 Trains are resuming. First:  8.54 ex Arden; 9.41 ex Dandenong.
- Is this your take on April fool?
- What a joke. It’s taken me 3.5 h to get to work this morning.
- 11.26 Minor delays, clearing.
- Are there any delays still?
- Is this fixed or still an issue?
- I have no idea where Yarraman is, but judging by the prolific vandalism, I doubt that I will ever find out.
8.37 Werribee/Williamstown lines: Major delays (an equipment fault in the Footscray area).  Trains may terminate/originate at intermediate stations.
- 8.45 And now I’m going to be late for an appointment. This isn’t good enough. Do better!
10.34 Sunbury line: Major delays after vandalism.  Trains may terminate/originate at intermediate stations.
16.05 Has a Sunbury/Watergardens train been cancelled? 14 minutes between trains seems a long gap this time of day.
16.37 Why is the craigieburn like showing the next train isn’t for 15 min yet is showing on your website as good service? There should be a train in 4 min?
19.52 Pakenham/Cranbourne/Frankston lines: Buses to replace trains between Caulfield and Richmond (emergency services attending to a 'serious incident'; eta up to 60 min.
- Someone got hit by the train
- Issue was a track fault at Clifton Hill.
- Albo wants us to take the trains, they better start working
- 3 times in 1 day
- Pakenham/Cranbourne no longer run to Richmond. Why do the replacement buses do so?
- 20.54 Frankston trains are resuming, not not stopping at Toorak; change at Hawksburn for a shuttle bus. Pakenham/Cranbourne trains remain suspended.
- 20.58 This could drag until last service tonight. Investigations are progressing at a very slow pace. It’s not looking great.
- 22.07 Pakenham/Cranbourne trains are resuming.
- 22.08 we got told at town hall that there aren’t any buses n that they’ve been cancelled.
- 22.15 Correct. Trains are now moving through the area.
- 22.50 Status board still showing Pakenham & Cranbourne as suspended.
- should be rectified now.
- 0.12 for how long?
Buses replace trains between Newport and Werribee from 20.30 until the last train (works).  https://tinyurl.com/3sf9h3xz
Craigieburn/Upfield lines: All trains will run direct to/from Flinders St from 21.00 until the last train (maintenance and renewal works).  https://tinyurl.com/ycd2f37k
Trains will operate as a shuttle service between Burnley and Lilydale/Belgrave from 21.00 until the last train (maintenance and renewal works). https://tinyurl.com/3fr8t6yb
Glen Waverley line: All trains will run direct to/from Flinders St from 21.00 until the last train (maintenance and renewal works).  https://tinyurl.com/3fr8t6yb

https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/we-won-t-be-bullied-brisbane-train-commutes-disrupted-by-rail-dispute/ar-AA1ZOwzZ

https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/energy-transport-and-getting-the-mix-right-20260401-p5zkoc.html

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/while-corruption-plagued-victorias-big-build-transport-minister-gabrielle-williams-was-quietly-studying-for-a-phd/news-story/3f0cdf40bb633420456a92c2de12d0b1

https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/9210834/western-sydney-airport-routes-airlines-public-transport

https://www.themercury.com.au/news/tasmania/new-tasmanian-study-links-walkable-towns-to-major-community-health-boost/news-story/18723a3b4311f6703c3dec09bc906574

https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/queensland-rail-scraps-hundreds-of-train-services-over-union-pay-dispute/news-story/0038b96af9202e427573df95497045aa

https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/brisbane-commuters-blow-up-over-train-strike/video/49c1b27c7d12094c76e530dbd9eadb85#video

https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/commuters-unleash-fury-on-union-over-irresponsible-train-strike-action/news-story/b63ff35c34fd504f20f41c3335cd9841

https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/more-train-disruptions-possible-as-sparkies-take-action-over-pay-deal-20260401-p5zkqp.html

https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/train-disruptions-in-brisbane-hit-thousands-as-details-on-dispute-emerge-20260401-p5zkma.html

======
Thurs.2.4.26

Thurs.2.4.26 Metro X
Will there be trains running to Flemington Racecourse this evening for Keinemusik?
- Yes.
- Is the first train at 19.20?
7.13 Are you able to let us know what the issue is with the Hurstbridge line this morning? There is no updates on your website.
- 7.16 We are just updating; it started a few minutes ago.
- 7.20 & 8.00 Mernda/Hurstbridge lines:  Buses to replace trains between Clifton Hill and Reservoir/Heidelberg (a track fault in the Clifton Hill area), eta over 60 min.
- 7.30 A bunch of us passengers have been waiting at Preston station hearing messages that the trains are delayed, when your website had already been notifying of a suspension for almost 15 minutes. Frustrating!
- 7.34  our team is in the train-control centre, and has updated as soon as the issue started; we are checking that station have the correct info.
- 7.39 There was a tweet 10 min before this one. I think it's reasonable to expect that the actual metro trains website/app would be updated before tweeting
- 8.12 Why would you advise people to get on the trains because they are going to Flinders St, just to just kick us off?
- You should permanently replace trains with buses.
- What a service!
- 8.15 Buses are replacing trains.
- 8.16 What is it? Your last post said trains resuming, so I waited for one. Now its still terminating at Heidelberg!
- 8.28 Improve your communications.  A big group was waiting for the bus. To be then told trains resuming whilst they were not at return to platform. Got back to the buses to be at the back of a longer line.
- 8.30  the line came back and we started posting the info; the equipment failed again 2 mins later and we are still running buses.
- 8.33 How about you invest in your infrastructure to ensure this doesn't happen so frequently.
- 8.34 the fault reoccurred, staff acted as they got the info.
- 8.38 Complete disaster at heidelberg. Nobody moving for half an hour now and more people piling onto the platforms to get out.
- 8.41 Trains are resuming through Heidelberg.  First: 8.10 ex Flinders St; 8.05 ex Hurstbridge.
- 8.43 Trains are resuming through Reservoir.  First: 8.19 Flinders St - Reservoir; 8.10 ex Mernda.
- 8.45 Just got the ok to run trains, listen for announcements, sorry for the issue / delays.
- 9.26 Yet another collapse of the network.
- 17.59 This was a major disruption this morning. I was at Toorak station last night and trains were out there too so it’s been a very difficult 24 hrs for commuters. Was/is there any way of predicting track fault/ review of tragic social issues affecting train travel?
17.32 Craigieburn line: Major delays clearing after a trespasser in the Coolaroo area.  Train services may be altered.
17.52 Sunbury/Pakenham/Cranbourne lines: Major delays (an ill passenger requiring medical assistance at Parkville).  Trains may remain stationary for extended periods at or between stations, or may terminate/originate at intermediate stations.
- 19.45 How is this affecting us approaching Berwick?! We are miles away! And crawling. Two days in a row this line has gone to the absolute dogs. Fix your service.
- 19.55 I was on one these trains tonight, I am guessing he was overwhelmed by the stench.
Buses replace trains between Newport and Werribee from 20.30 until the last train (works).  https://tinyurl.com/3sf9h3xz

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/allan-government-rejects-push-to-reveal-true-cost-of-suburban-rail-loop-east/news-story/03844917a3a12ebe94049c199bc51378

https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/9212595/act-greens-transport-cap-underwhelming-reliant-on-myway-system

https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/9212311/act-govt-announces-cheaper-public-transport-for-regular-uses

https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/9211164/chris-steel-transport-ministers-bus-fare-stance-draws-criticism