By BEN CAMERON
PAKENHAM trains were the least punctual of all metropolitan services for the third month in a row.
For the month of September, 88.7 per cent of trains ran on time, according to the latest figures from Public Transport Victoria.
It had similar results for July (88.7) and August (88.3) and its 12-month average (88.4) is the worst of all metro trains. Cranbourne is the second worst (89.3).
Pakenham trains were also the least reliable with 97.8 per cent of trains running as scheduled for the month of September.
It comes as Labor candidate for Gembrook Collin Ross was reminding Pakenham commuters last week that trains would not run through the City Loop if the State Government was reinstated.
The Cranbourne News reported back in May plans for the Cranbourne-Pakenham corridor’s commuters missing the City Loop and being offloaded at Southern Cross station on the furthest side of the CBD.
Mr Ross said it would be a disaster for Pakenham train line commuters and add an extra 20 minutes minimum to their trip.
“Trains will dump you at Southern Cross Station on the other side of the city,” he said.
“This is a disaster for Pakenham and Cranbourne Line commuters.”
He said Labor would continue the Pakenham line through the loop and add an extra five trains to the tunnel.
Public Transport Minister Terry Mulder said changing trains “already happens every day in Melbourne, as not every train goes direct to Flinder Street or via the City Loop.”
