Commuters struggle with crowded trains

MORE peak hour trains on the Pakenham line are becoming overcrowded, preliminary figures from the Department of Transport reveal.
Pakenham rail commuters are struggling to get a seat with an average of nine peak services carrying more than 798 passengers each during May, up from seven in May last year.
The figures also show that the Pakenham line is the most crowded in metropolitan Melbourne during peak times.
The rest of the network has seen a 17 per cent decrease in overcrowding during the past year, down from 48 to 40 trains.
The only other line to record an increase in overcrowding was Craigieburn, with four overcrowded services during peak times.
The Sydenham line has the second highest number of overcrowded trains in peak periods with eight, the same as 2008.
Connex spokeswoman Lanie Harris said it was great news the number of overcrowded trains on the networks had dropped, but it was disappointing the survey results didn’t show improvement on the Cranbourne and Pakenham lines.
Ms Harris said there were many factors that contributed to overcrowding on the Pakenham line including urban growth in the south-east corridor and that it was one of the longest lines in the network making it one of the most used.
She also said V-line services on the line restricted Connex from adding new services.
“This is compounded by the fact that the entire network has been experiencing patronage growth of around 12 per cent every year,” Ms Harris said.
“The good news is that there are 38 more trains on order as part of the Victorian Transport Plan.
“The first of those will start arriving on the network at the end of the year and will be utilised to increase capacity in the areas that need it most.”