PUTTING THE SPRING BACK IN SPRINGVALE

Transcription

1 PUTTING THE SPRING BACK IN SPRINGVALE Springvale Station roared back into action recently after the state-funded grade separation was completed to the benefit of rail customers and motorists. See page 3. ALL HANDS ON DECK Metro has worked around the clock to repair signal cable damage caused by a fire on Tuesday evening near Richmond station. Chief Operating Officer, Mike Houghton, said that the team responded quickly and worked hard to restore services. The fire had a big impact as it burnt through a cable signal box at around 6.30pm, disrupting services on the Pakenham, Cranbourne, Frankston and Sandringham lines, he said. Staff responded immediately, taking appropriate action to get the fire extinguished. Then our customer service staff stepped up to manage the situation across all four lines, with large crowds still massing at the tail shoulder of the PM peak. Metrol train controllers and the communications team were kept extremely busy throughout the night as the situation unfolded. Meanwhile, our crews began the job of assessing the damage a n d r e p a i r i n g e l e c t r i c a l components destroyed by the fire. Infrastructure teams laid new cabling and jointing, with extensive testing being carried out in the early hours. Fifty buses were put on standby, with heavy usage on Tuesday evening. Yarra Trams deployed extra trams to help get customers to their destination. V/Line also showed extraordinary cooperation in dealing with their affected customers. Long line PA announcements, MetroNotify and Twitter all played a part and our station staff remained proactive and helpful. Continued on Page 2 Page 1

2 All hands on deck continued From page 1 On Wednesday we began to recover the situation with reduced running and more customer information about delays, cancellations and altered services. After a lot of hard work by all involved, services were restored on Thursday morning around 4.30am, with loop services back in action at 5am. To all who went the extra mile to help get our services running and keep our customers informed and safe, we say thank you. he said. Next-generation myki gates to be rolled out The fire in the cable signal box disrupted services on the Pakenham, Cranbourne, Frankston and Sandringham lines. Mitcham, Springvale and Richmond stations will be the first to receive next-generation myki gates, which will be installed as new stations are built or existing stations are upgraded. The first of the new gates will be operational from 5 May at Mitcham and 12 May at Springvale. New record for engagement survey The Metro Engagement Survey conducted in March was a great opportunity to have your say. And plenty did have their say! The final participation rate has been calculated at 73.3%. This is a record breaking result, significantly up from the last result of just over 40%. We should see the first data trends coming through from next week, an exciting time when we start to build a truly comprehensive understanding of the wants and needs of employees. The high participation rate has another sizeable benefit too, with a total of $15,810 being raised for The Royal Children s Hospital Foundation. Stay tuned in coming weeks for more updates on the survey results and the next steps along the journey. Brittany and Jacques from HR check out the record-breaking figures. Page 2

3 Sensational Springvale Springy is back! Springvale Station roared back into action recently after the state-funded grade separation was completed to the benefit of rail customers and motorists. Metro staff welcomed Victorian Premier, Denis Napthine, as well as Minister for Roads and Public Transport, Terry Mulder and PTV CEO, Mark Wild. The dignitaries took a tour of the station, met with Customer Service staff and officially opened the $159 million project featuring a new premium station and level crossing removal at Springvale Road. Dr Napthine said this will provide enormous benefits for the 25,000 vehicles per day that travel along Springvale Road, with the boom gates previously down for 42 per cent of the time during peak periods. In addition to relieving congestion, improved safety is another important outcome that has been delivered through this project, with vehicles and pedestrians no longer forced to interact with the train lines at this location, he said. Mr Mulder said the project will not only benefit passengers on the 450 trains that pass through Springvale each weekday, but also the 25,000 vehicles per day using Springvale Road. Other benef its include improved bus, taxi and parking facilities, including short term drop-off points, and improved bicycle and pedestrian amenities with a new path located near the station precinct. Final works will continue at Springvale Station in the coming months to complete key features such as landscaping of the station forecourt and installation of lifts. Final road surfacing of Springvale Road and surrounding local roads will also take place in the coming months. The new premium station will provide high levels of service and be staffed from first to last train every day, Mr Mulder said. Page 3

4 Behind the scenes of driver training at Springvale Last Saturday, Channel 9 News featured a story about Metro driver training currently underway on the Pakenham/ Cranbourne and Sunbury lines. The training is at Springvale Station following the level crossing removal and on the Sunbury line following Regional Rail Link work. Pakenham driver Phil Barling told reporter Andrew Lund about a previous collision he had with a truck at the Springvale level crossing, which made the removal of the crossing all the more important to him. Phil also helped explain why Metro had to implement planned cancellations for driver training during May. If you missed the story on Channel 9, check out the Metro Twitter feed or visit: Thanks for your assistance on the day Phil! A touch of class in the underpass The Ashley Street rail underpass at Tottenham is receiving a facelift courtesy of a new mural by artist Sam Songailo. The underpass entrance and adjacent bridge portals have been decorated with a mosaic overlay. Metro and RRLA have been engaging artists throughout the Regional Rail Link project, with this particular installation to be maintained by the City of Maribyrnong. Page 4

5 A familiar face on House Rules For Channel 7 House Rules fans, you may have recognised one of the contestants our very own Lisa Lamond, HR Manager Projects. one of six teams on the popular home renovation show, which started on-air this week. The teams hand over the keys to their homes and leave their competition rivals to transform every room in their house, ultimately vying off for the chance to walk away with their entire mortgage paid off in full. After watching the first few episodes, Lisa s manager, General Manager Projects Phillip Walker, jokingly questions Lisa s driving ability. After seeing a few mishaps, I really should put a note on her file to never allow Lisa behind the wheel of a Metro vehicle again!, Phillip said. Jokes aside, Phillip said it was great to be able to support Lisa with time off to compete in the show. Lisa gives 100 percent to everything she sets her mind to and although it s only week one, I look forward to seeing Lisa improve her power tool skills. We like to support employees where we can with their interests outside of work, and we are pleased to be able to support Lisa during this unique opportunity. "My only piece of advice to Lisa was to remember you come from Projects, so don't make a goose of yourself and don't burst into tears," he said. Anyone watching the show would know there have already been a fair few tears from Lisa, as there have been for many of the other contestants. To watch Lisa in action, tune in to House Rules on Channel 7 every Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday night. If you don t see Lisa on the small screen you might also see her on one of the many billboards around the city promoting the House Rules program. Crowd management at its best George Kotsiris, Southern Cross Stationmaster, is fast becoming a crowd favourite of footy fans, soccer fans and the many others who attend special events at Etihad stadium. George is the affable face and voice of Metro at the Bourke Street concourse, with his clear, c o n c i s e a n d a c c u r a t e a n n o u n c e m e n t s g u i d i n g thousands of fans to their platforms as they descend on Southern Cross homeward bound. On 23 April, the driver on the Frankston line gave a wonderful and sincere broadcast over PA re the train running late. Her explanation was simple and her apology sincere. It was lovely to be informed i n s u c h a professional manner. Well done. - Rob P Page 5

6 Caught in the act Last week, several Authorised Officers from Malvern depot - Ramsey, Constantin, Roy and Lams - were undertaking plain clothes duties on a city bound train around 8pm when they observed two males acting in a suspicious manner in a carriage ahead of them. The AOs could see the men vandalising the train, so while keeping the offenders under observation, made contact with 000 and organised a police response at Dandenong station. As the train moved into D a n d e n o n g S t a t i o n, t h e AOs identified themselves and detained the males, took images of the graffiti and then removed the offenders at Dandenong where Protective Service Officers (PSOs) were waiting for them. With the assistance of the PSOs, the graffiti implements were confiscated and the men were reported for their act of vandalism. The keen observation and presence of mind by our AOs, plus great teamwork with the PSOs, brought about an excellent result in catching these offenders in the act. Mother s Day Classic On Sunday 11 May, show your support for breast cancer research by walking or running in this year s Mother s Day Classic. For more information, visit or contact the Health and Productivity team at health@metrotrains.com.au Vandal brought to justice On Monday, Authorised Officer James Moroney attended court in Brisbane as an expert witness in the trial of a habitual graffiti offender. James was asked by QLD Police to help shore up the case against the offender, who was initially arrested by James in 2008 before fleeing to Queensland to avoid a warrant in Victoria. But after years of continued offending in Queensland, the man was finally apprehended and put before the court. This offender was charged with 97 graffiti offences from when we apprehended him in Melbourne up until he was caught in Queensland so it s great to see him brought to justice, James said. James was congratulated by the police prosecutor for his evidence and professionalism while being cross examined during the trial. It was a great learning experience to be part of the trial and to play a role in bringing this offender to justice, as too many offenders often get away with too much, he said. Page 6

7 Cycling for good In March this year, Karleen Robinson, Signals & OCS Asset Systems Officer, participated in a charity ride through Vietnam and Cambodia that raised over $122,000 for the Because I Am A Girl campaign. Karleen and 24 other Plan International supporters set off on their bicycles for the unique opportunity to travel from Ho Chi Minh City to Siem Reap on two wheels. After 11 days and 400kms, our band of misfit cyclists arrived at our final destination of the Beng Mealea temple in Angkor, Cambodia, Karleen said. The donations raised will contribute to Plan International Australia s projects that fight gender inequality and champion girls' rights. Plan International is working with children and communities across the world to address the barriers that prevent girls from completing their education. I was able to see first-hand the incredible work that Plan International has contributed to in the district of Kampong Cham. As a group we were sometimes sore, tired and mentally challenged to keep going. But we experienced the purest kindness, happiness and genuine hospitality from all the people we met and villages we visited, she said. Kathleen Robinson (pictured back row, 5th from right) and the other supporters who rode through Vietnam and Cambodia to raise money for Plan International Australia. Dandenong rail corridor upgrade a step closer with the release of tenders The transformation of Melbourne s busy Cranbourne and Pakenham railway lines is a step closer with the release of six separate tender packages covering the full scope of works for the project. In the space of just five weeks, the Rail T ransf ormation Consortium has prepared all of the material required for the initial scope of the project, culminating in the release of all tender packages. The $2 billion plus project will see the removal of four level crossings, the procurement of 25 high capacity trains, installation of a high capacity signalling system, power sub-station upgrades and a new train depot at Pakenham East. The capacity upgrade will allow for an additional 30 per cent of services on the Cranbourne and Pakenham lines every hour during weekday morning and afternoon peaks by 2019, plus improved opportunities for running regional and freight services. Rail Transformation Consortium Bid Director, Raymond O Flaherty, has welcomed the milestone release of the tender documents. We ve made solid progress with the release of all the tender packages and we are now in the process of further briefings with potential bidders to ensure we get the right outcomes for this project. We have a lot of work to do in the coming months with potential bidders in order to meet the tight timelines of this project, he said. The Premier and Transport Minister visit Carnegie, site of a future level crossing removal and station rebuild. Page 7

8 Welcome Welcome to new Authorised Officers - Group 2 - who started 31 March. Pictured (back row) are Simon Chapman, Christopher Hargreaves, Michael McLauchlan, Andrew Norris, Armardeep Jathaul and front row (from left) Sean Bielski, Kelli Williams, Alex Wilson, Carl Casey and Vicky Stassos. Today (30 April) I travelled from Clayton to Bendigo using the Cranbourne line, which could only go direct to Flinders Street due to the fire at Richmond. I had to change trains to get to my destination and I was initially a bit daunted about finding my way. However, there were frequent announcements on the trains and the platforms to inform me and other commuters of the best way to reach our destinations. I'd like to thank your staff for their courtesy and organisation in what must have been a stressful time. driver of 5.22/33 Flinders is gold. She's so proactive and really helping move us along safely. Kudos. (via Twitter) I was at Ivanhoe station on 25th April at about10am, I would like to pass on feedback about the lady behind the counter. She gave me exceptional service, she was friendly, easyto talk to and helped me out with all my needs without any fuss or hassle, I feel this feedback is important to provide as not enough good feedback gets told nowadays. Thank you! Welcome to the Trainee Station Staff - Group 2 - who started 10 April. Pictured back row (from left) are Pranay Kumar, Amber Riley, Robyn Rowe, Clive Neville and front row (from left) Srinivas Katkuri, Ryan Pinto, Anoushka Abeeluck, Jagjit Singh, Joseph Michael and Roslyn Gupta. I am just full of praise for the way you are keeping graffiti off the trains. Please pass on our thanks to all concerned, they are doing a great job! Page 8

9 Digital communications for customers on the move At Metro we use several digital communication channels to provide information to customers, as well as internal and external stakeholders. Customer Communications Manager, Kieran Clarke, leads the highly dedicated staff in the Metrol Communications team, which is responsible for the dissemination of information via several digital communication channels. Ever wondered how it all works? Here s a breakdown of the various tools at our disposal and the general engagement strategy for each one Metro Info (GroupMe) Purpose GroupMe is a free instant messaging platform and is used to provide internal operational information relating to train running. This channel is for internal consumption only and includes updates on incidents as they unfold. Intended Audience Internal Metro staff, Department of Transport, Public Transport Victoria, Yarra Trams, V/Line and some other external stakeholders. There are currently over 470 members subscribed to the Metro Info feed. Website Healthboard Purpose To provide live updates pertaining to the current status of a line. The content is tailored for the customer and presented under one of the following categories: good service, minor delays, major delays, suspended, works alert, or travel alert. Intended Audience All customers and customer service staff. Monthly site visits average between 700, ,000 views and are accessed across different devices: Mobile 49% Desktop 43% Tablet 8% Metro Notify App Purpose To provide live updates pertaining to the current status of a line. The content is drawn from the information posted on the website Healthboard. Users have the capability to opt in to receive travel alert push notifications for their nominated line(s). Intended Audience All customers and customer service staff with a smart device. Current downloads sit at over 90,000. Twitter Purpose To engage with customers in an effort to make their journey more enjoyable. We do this by responding to their questions, engaging in banter and sharing content that we think our audience will appreciate. We make judgments on when to send out broadcast messages and when to engage on a one-to-one level. This requires monitoring the mood of the community and engaging appropriately. Intended Audience All and sundry anyone uses this micro-blogging platform. Currently we have 38,000 followers. DIGITAL USAGE AT A GLANCE Metro Web (desktop and m-site) million page views 805,511 visits, including 3 9 4, u n i q u e visitors. That s a 93% increase in web visits and a 75% increase in new users since April % of our web visitors were aged under % of our visits came through a tablet device, 54.4% through a mobile device and 36.9% through desktop. metronotify 93,290 total downloads of metronotify: ios 62,384 Google 27,741 Windows 3,165 Check out the digital communication infographic on the back page! Page 9

10 In Brief Major Events Pardon our Progress AFL Round 7 We re running extra trains to get fans to and home from: Carlton v Collingwood Friday 2 May, 7:50pm, MCG Essendon v Bulldogs Saturday 3 May, 7:40pm, Etihad Hawthorn v St Kilda Saturday 3 May, 1:45pm, MCG North Melbourne v Gold Coast Sunday 4 May, 1:10pm, Etihad Geelong v Richmond Sunday 4 May, 3:20pm, MCG Better Homes and Gardens LIVE Saturday 3 & Sunday 4 May The Showgrounds We re running extra trains to get customers to and from Better Homes and Gardens LIVE at the Showgrounds, this Saturday and Sunday. Additional services can be viewed at: metrotrains.com.au by going to Service Updates and clicking Extra Services. Pakenham & Cranbourne Lines Sat 3 May (after 8:45pm only) Due to construction work taking place at Springvale Station, buses will replace all trains between Westall and Dandenong Visit metrotrains.com.au for more details MetroRecruit Current Vacancies Closing 9 May Multi Modal Authorised Officer Team Leader Multi Modal Authorised Officer Crew Leader Closing 14 May Health Assessment Coordinator Have you got a story to share in METROEPRESS? All vacancies can be found on MetroRecruit on the Intranet. Metro Performance 28-day average as at Friday 2 May % Delivery 91.7% Punctuality You or your team might have celebrated a milestone, kicked off a new project or be trailing a new innovation. If you have great news to share, please your story ideas to employee@metrotrains.com.au Page 10

11 Metro Digital Communications Digital Comms Team www metrotrains.com.au Twitter 400K unique monthly visits HEALTHBOARD good service minor delays major delays suspended works alert travel alert followers respond to questions share content engage link to website GroupMe 480 metronotify app members 90K Mobile 49% Desktop 43% Tablet 8% downloads Stakeholders www + + = digital engagement with 530,000 customers