Frustration with late trains boils over Neil Walker neil@mpnews.com.au COMMUTERS travelling on the Frankston line faced frustrating service cancellations and delays during the early morning weekday peak hours of 7-9am last week. Several scheduled train services were cancelled at short notice and customers were quick to vent their anger at delays on social media. Metro Trains spokeswoman Sammie Black said an incident involving a person being struck by a train late on Monday afternoon “had a knock on effect” throughout the week. “We understand it inconveniences customers and our aim is to ensure everyone gets to their destination while delaying the smallest number possible,” Ms Black said. Delays on the Frankston line came in the same week Metro Trains was forced to ban V/Line trains from running on metropolitan and suburban tracks after a VLocity train, V/Line’s newest model, failed to trigger boom gates as it approached a Dandenong level crossing. That boom gates failure follows several such incidents on the Stony Point line last year. Metro Trains installed axle counters along the line to trigger boom gates in all cases where trains approach level crossing intersections. Wear and tear on V/Line trains’ wheels, since they travel greater distances than their metro counterparts,
are being blamed for failure to trigger boom gates. Labor Public Transport Minister Jacinta Allan said axle counters will now be installed at 29 level crossings across Melbourne’s railway network at a cost of $23 million. Public Transport Victoria advised The News that the Stony Point line axle counters cost $5.8 million to install last year. Metro confirmed there have been no boom gate incidents since July when the axle counters were installed. The premier Daniel Andrews blamed V/Line for the cancellation of train services across the network last week citing a “failure to adequately prepare for increased regional services – including a failure to plan for additional trackgreasing – which has led to an escalated rate of wearing on the wheels of VLocity carriages”. “This lack of preparation has led to the cancellation of train services across the network – an unacceptable and avoidable situation that has frustrated thousands of regional commuters,” Mr Andrews said in a statement last Wednesday. He said all travel on V/Line services will be free until Sunday 31 January “as a small acknowledgement of the frustration recent service disruptions have caused”. The Labor state government has pledged to remove 50 level crossings, including the separation of road and rail at 11 crossings along the Frankston line.
Making a difference: Chloe Tuppen, Nicky Mih and Claire Schnackenberg, of Free To Shine. Picture: Yanni
Combating sex slavers in Cambodia MORNINGTON-BASED human rights group Free To Shine is expanding its education program in Cambodia. The group’s main office, at Siem Reap, has put around 550 “at risk” rural girls back in school to stop them from being targeted by sex traffickers. Siem Reap, in Cambodia’s northwest, is a major tourist hub close to the internationally renowned temples of Angkor. In August Free To Shine plans to open a second Cambodian office at Battambang, near the Thai border. Free To Shine volunteer Claire Schnackenberg said donations are needed to replicate the program in Battambang. Research has found that the educa-
tion program in Siem Reap would be effective in Battambang in making girls less vulnerable to people traffickers, as well as giving rural girls there “a brighter future”. Several successful fundraising events in Mornington last year included a masquerade party, which raised $6500 for the cause. Ms Schnackenberg said education is the main focus of Free To Shine’s programs. “It’s seen as a solution in helping girls gain better employment when they leave school, as well as becoming better leaders,” Ms Schnackenberg said. “Family circumstances in Cambodia can sometimes make it difficult for girls to go to school. Having elderly
or injured family members can mean children are required to work in order to feed the family. Also, a lack of transport can stop girls from getting to school over dangerous roads, and the importance of going to school is often understated, particularly for girls.” Free To Shine helps lessen the burden of going to school giving the girls a bike, school uniform and school supplies. “Each family is different and circumstances vary from village to village,” Ms Schnackenberg said. Education Outreach officers regularly visited each family to see how the girls were going at school and whether or not they needed more help. Details: freetoshine.org
ADD ON COOLING EVAPORATIVE COOLING DUCTED HEATING
Ph 5977 6122
Service: 5977 5789
Special deals also available on split system units, reverse cycle ƐLJƐƚĞŵƐ Θ ƐƉĂĐĞ ŚĞĂƟŶŐ
FREE QUOTES
KŶ EĞǁ /ŶƐƚĂůůĂƟŽŶƐ
baygas7@bigpond.com A.B.N. 15 050 136 322. Plumbers Licence: 14942. R.H.L. L025363 Mornington News 26 January 2016
PAGE 13