WEDNESDAY UPDATE:
Transport Minister Gladys Berejiklian has insisted "the vast majority" of train travellers like the new train timetable despite complaints increasing by 949 per cent.
"With rail patronage of 314 million (journeys each year) the number of complaints about the timetable represents 0.002 per cent of passengers," she said.
The NSW Auditor-General's revealed the number of complaints in a report released Tuesday (see earlier story below).
Ms Berejiklian said Labor failed to provide opportunities for train travellers to provide their feedback.
"Following the establishment of Sydney Trains, we have improved the feedback line, created a new mobile website, introduced real-time apps and twitter handles," she said.
"We rolled out the biggest timetable change in more than 25 years, with more than 1000 extra weekly train services.
"The vast majority of our customers are pleased with the new timetable.
"Our customers are telling us they want more services, and that is why since coming to Government we have put on 10,500 extra weekly services.
"Customers are clearly voting with their feet. Patronage is up, crowding is easing and independent surveys show customer satisfaction is improving."
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TUESDAY STORY:
Complaints about train timetables jumped 949 per cent jump after the big changes last year, the NSW Auditor-General’s report has revealed.
St George was one of the regions hit hardest by the new timetables.
Changes included a cut in the number of services and the withdrawal of peak period express trains at stations such as Kogarah and Rockdale.
The report said 4804 timetable complaints were received in the year to the end of June 2014 compared with 458 in the previous 12 months.
Opposition Leader John Robertson said the new timetable had been given ‘‘a massive thumbs down’’.
Complaints also increased about other aspects of the rail system: ticketing (up 50.9 per cent), on-time running (up 15.1 per cent), security (up 26 per cent) and service (up 24.1 per cent).
Complaints about cleanliness dropped by 1.9 per cent.
Transport Minister Gladys Berejiklian has not responded yet.
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