By VANESSA CHIRCOP and LAURA WAKELY
ALTONA Loop Group members are the most dissatisfied commuters on the whole train network, a recent Customer Satisfaction Survey has revealed.
Last week, the Auditor-General’s report on public transport performance was tabled in Parliament.
The report found the Department of Transport (DOT) had failed to keep up with the growth in Melbourne.
“The department was not prepared to effectively manage the rapid growth in public transport patronage that happened between 2004 and 2009,” the report stated.
The report found that customer satisfaction with public transport had deteriorated over the past decade and that performance had fallen short of targets since 2005.
For the third time in a row the Customer Satisfaction Survey of public transport users found Altona Loop commuters were the most dissatisfied on the whole train network.
Western Metropolitan Greens MP Colleen Hartland said since the train timetable was changed every customer satisfaction survey had shown Altona Loop commuters were the most dissatisfied on the whole train network.
“The community has been running a very active campaign since the new timetable was introduced in May 2011.”
The report found the biggest concern commuters had were waiting for services (late, cancelled or full services), personal security, information about services and the amenity of vehicles.
It also found late trains were under-reported and there was a lack of performance indicators for buses and trams.
Llewellyn Reynders, Transport and Disadvantage Policy Analyst from VCOSS said VCOSS welcomed the report and agrees that while there had been a positive change in direction on some of these issues, much more would need to be done to achieve a public transport system that was available and accessible for all Victorians.
