More timetable improvements with 285 new weekly services added

Metro will deliver 285 new services each week as part of an improved timetable starting from Sunday 10 October.

Public Transport Minister Martin Pakula joined Metro CEO Andrew Lezala today to outline the next phase of addressing crowding and reliability issues by adding more services and simplifying the timetable.

Mr Lezala said a revision of the timetable in June led to improved performance on some of Melbourne's busiest train lines, and October's timetable would have a similar effect.

"We've seen the benefits the June timetable had on the Cranbourne, Pakenham and Frankston lines by providing more evenly spaced services and reducing overcrowding, and October's changes will lead to similar improvements on the Craigieburn, Sydenham and Werribee lines," Mr Lezala said.

"We've focussed these changes on where they're needed most, which will help us to transport more people, more often, with fewer cancellations and less delays.

"We've done some massive works around our Newport stabling yards, and the whole Laverton rail project has been fast-tracked to help make the addition of these services possible."

Mr Lezala said that adding hundreds of extra services was also possible due to the 38 new X'Trapolis trains being delivered as part of the Victorian Transport Plan.

"More trains means more capacity, and as the rollout of the new trains continues, we'll keep putting those trains to where they're needed most.

Eleven new trains have been accepted into revenue service, with train number 12 due during September.

"To accommodate our continually growing fleet, we're delivering new train maintenance facilities, building ‘turnbacks' that enable trains to make additional runs to the city, hiring more drivers and enhancing the reliability of power supplies to power the trains."

The October improvements are the second phase of Metro's plan to moving Melbourne's train system towards more consistent stopping patterns and evenly spaced services to deliver more frequent and more reliable services.

Mr Lezala said the October changes mainly focus on the Craigieburn, Sydenham, Werribee and Frankston lines, however, extra services, greater capacity, and altered running times are changes being made on other lines.

The major improvements include:

• The Werribee line receives four new peak services each weekday, while the busy Sydenham line receives three peak services each weekday, and the Craigieburn receives two new peak services each weekday.
• The Frankston line will increase from a 15 minute service frequency to a ten minute frequency between 8:45am and 4:15pm each weekday, with half of those to run via the city loop, and the other half to run direct to Flinders Street. Service frequency in the evening will also increase on the Frankston line, reducing the current 30 minute frequency to a 20 minute service frequency after 7pm.
• The Epping, Hurstbridge, Belgrave, Lilydale and Glen Waverley lines benefit during weeknights and weekends with most services gaining an increase in capacity, running as six-carriage trains instead of three-carriages.

The October timetable sees 285 new services added across the network each week, including 45 during the busy peak times.

For more details visit destinationbetter.metrotrains.com.au

Copies of the new timetable can be picked up from premium stations from Monday 27 September.