Risky … Greens MLC Colleen Hartland returned to Footscray station after labelling Connex’s emergency system unsafe last week.By Candice Boyle
CONNEX have defended its emergency response system following calls the transport company is putting passenger safety at risk.
The system was labelled as a health risk by Greens MLC Colleen Hartland following a dangerous incident at the Footscray Station last week.
Ms Hartland was waiting for a train to Yarraville when she witnesses a boy being dangled in front of an oncoming train during a dangerous play fight on the station platform.
After shouting at the boys to stop she pressed the emergency red button on the platform in an attempted to intervene, only to find there was no immediate response from the emergency system.
“The more disturbing part of this was that there was no response to the emergency button.
“Not only are the trains late and so overcrowded that they’re a health risk, but the emergency measures aren’t up to scratch,” she said.
Connex communication manager Andrew Cassidy denied there was any problem with the emergency system at the station.
Mr Cassidy said there was no immediate response when Ms Hartland pushed the button, as the station attendant who operated the system was sick at the time.
“It was a unique set of circumstances. There was no fault with the red button,” he said.
Mr Cassidy said one staff member was physically ill and the other was part way through selling a V-Line ticket to a customer. When the sick staff member returned to the station he then went out onto the platform to identify the problem.
Although, according to Ms Hartland it took more than 10 minutes for the staff member to arrive.
“I was there for another 10 minutes, as my train was delayed as usual but there was no response,” she said.
Mr Cassidy said the emergency system was taken extremely seriously by Connex and each of the emergency buttons are tested every day, and in this case the button was “working fine”.
The incident follows a continued effort by Ms Hartland to have Connex address overcrowding problems and the ticket pricing system.
“I will continue to use public transport, and will continue to advocate for it to run as it should — on time and safely.
“I called the Connex feedback line last night, and I wrote to the minister and the CEO of Connex this morning. I will raise the matter in parliament this week,” she said.
