New Connex train timetable starts today - 290 extra weekly trips added including Werribee off-peak frequency boost

A major package of mostly off-peak service upgrades starting 20 July 2009, focusing on the Werribee line which goes from 3 to 6 trains per hour interpeak on weekdays. Half the trains go via Altona while half go via the express line, direct to Flinders Street. Werribee peak trains were already changed to run direct to Flinders Street in the November 2008 timetable. 

Previously the express line was only used for peak trips. Note reference to 'average every 10 minutes'. This is because there were uneven times between trips due to different journey lengths. At this time they were trying to get Werribee trains out of the City Loop through a staged process of adding direct non-Loop trips. 

At the completion of this the Werribee line would operate through to the Frankston line to form a new cross-city group via Southern Cross and Flinders Street (with Frankston trains also taken out of the Loop, something that would be controversial). 

The item also mention the increase in weekly services by 1563 since 1999 or more than ten per cent in a decade. However by 2009 usage had increased by many times ten per cent, leading to widespread crowding. Below is the text from the Connex website. 

Connex, working with the State Government, will introduce 290 new and extended services from 20 July in its latest timetable upgrade.

The timetable features a major improvement to Werribee services between the peaks, a change Connex foreshadowed in November 2008. There will also be three new services following the end of the evening peak.

Services will run on average every ten minutes on the Werribee line between the morning and afternoon peaks. Other lines to receive new services are Williamstown and Pakenham with Frankston gaining two early morning additions, one in the peak.

“We’re working to get the most out of the network. The system is working harder than ever and wherever we can find an opportunity to create new services we will take it,” said Connex Executive Chairman Jonathan Metcalfe.

“Thanks to the changes we’ve been introducing since September 2007 there are now an additional 826 weekly services.

“We’ve improved the availability of the fleet through better maintenance procedures and the good progress we are making on a new agreement with the RTBU is already delivering one of the lowest cancellation rates in recent years at just 0.6 per cent (29 May 2009). Punctuality is improving and we will deliver further gains in that area as more locations have speed restrictions lifted for Siemens trains.

“These new services, especially those on the Werribee Line, will help meet rising patronage.”

Connex has been working with the State Government to make the improvements as part of its ongoing New Operating Plan.

Since Connex started operating in Melbourne in 1999, weekly service numbers have increased by 1,563, or more than ten per cent.

“Improvements can be made while we wait for the 38 new trains the Government has committed to purchasing and we will continue to look for ways of making a better service for our customers,” said Mr Metcalfe.  

Pakenham and Cranbourne

•  An additional service will leave from Dandenong at 6.11am, running express from Malvern to South Yarra, arriving at Flinders Street at 7.00am.
• The 5.41am Pakenham to Flinders Street service has been altered to depart Pakenham at 5.40am, arriving at Flinders Street at 6.57am.
• The 8.22am Oakleigh to Flinders Street service has been altered to stop at all stations arriving at Flinders Street at 8.51am.
• The 6.37am Flinders Street to Cranbourne will now depart Flinders Street at 6.34am and stop at all stations.
• The 7.32am Cranbourne to Flinders Street service is altered to arrive one minute later, at 8.38am.

Frankston

• An additional service will leave from Frankston at 5.32am, running express from Malvern to South Yarra, arriving at Flinders Street at 6.38am.
• An additional service will leave from Carrum at 7.37am, running express from Malvern to South Yarra, arriving at Flinders Street at 8.28am.
• The 6.23am service from Carrum to Frankston has been extended to start from Mordialloc at 6.12am
• An additional service will leave Mordialloc at 6.57am arriving at Frankston at 7.18am.  This service will stop at all stations.
• The 6.29am service from Flinders Street to Frankston will run express South Yarra to Malvern and will now arrive at Frankston three minutes earlier at 7.27am.
• The 7.17am Mordialloc to Frankston has been extended to start from Flinders Street at 6.36am, arriving at Frankston at 7.37am.  This service will stop at all stations.
• The 7.34am Mordialloc to Frankston has been extended to start from Flinders Street at 7.02am, running express from South Yarra to Malvern then express from Caulfield to Moorabbin arriving at Frankston at 7.56am. 

 

Werribee, Williamstown and Sydenham Line

• Additional services will operate between the peak periods on the Werribee line running direct between Laverton and Newport.  These services are direct to and from Flinders Street.
• Additional Werribee services to the city every twenty minutes from 8.58am until 3.38pm, stopping all stations with a journey time of 39 minutes. On average, this will provide customers a service from Werribee to the city, , every 10 minutes during this time.
• An additional express service from Flinders Street to Werribee will depart at 8.25am stopping at North Melbourne, Footscray, Newport and Laverton then stopping all stations to Werribee, arriving at 9.03am.
• Additional services from Flinders Street to Werribee will depart every 20 minutes from 8.40am until 3.00pm, stopping all stations with a journey time 41 minutes.  On average, this will provide customers with a service every 10 minutes from Flinders Street to Werribee.
• An additional service from Flinders Street to Werribee will depart at 7.17pm.  This service will run via the City Loop to North Melbourne, stopping at Footscray, Yarraville, Newport and Laverton then stopping all stations to Werribee, arriving at 7.58pm.
• An additional service from Flinders Street to Werribee will depart at 7.45pm.  This service will run via the City Loop and then express from Newport to Laverton and arrive at Werribee at 8.28pm.
• An additional service from Werribee to Flinders Street will depart at 8.13pm travelling express from Laverton to Newport and arrive at Flinders Street at 8.52pm.
• The 8.14am Flinders Street to Williamstown service is altered to run one minute later, at 8.15am.
• An additional shuttle service from Newport to Williamstown will depart Newport at 7.41pm.  Customers travelling from Flinders Street can take the 7.17pm Flinders Street to Werribee service to connect with this shuttle service.
• An additional shuttle service from Newport to Williamstown will depart Newport at 8.11pm.  Customers travelling from Flinders Street can take the 7.45pm Flinders Street to Werribee service to connect with this shuttle service.
• The 2.57pm Flinders Street to Sydenham is altered to run two minutes earlier, departing at 2.55pm.

https://web.archive.org/web/20090628104319/http://www.connexmelbourne.com.au/news.php?newsid=603&g=-1

These changes were foreshadowed here: 

https://web.archive.org/web/20090628104348/http://www.connexmelbourne.com.au/news.php?newsid=621&g=-1

A plan in June 2008 explained the rationale: 

https://web.archive.org/web/20090628104154/http://www.connexmelbourne.com.au/news.php?newsid=284&g=-1

Note: This item was added retrospectively for posterity.