Connex and Yarra Trams lose Melbourne contracts

Brumby said KDR represented the best value for Victorian taxpayers, with KDR’s bid for Melbourne’s trams “making it clear” that it was committed to customer service, including an increased focus on staff training and providing timely and accurate information to passengers.
KDR is a consortium between Keolis, a subsidiary of the French public enterprise railway company SNCF, and Australian maintenance provider Downer EDI.
KDR will initially be offered an eight year term with an option for a further seven years. Final discussions will now take place, leading to the signing of the new operating contract in August.
The Victorian Government said that it is confident TransdevTSL, which has partnered with the Victorian Government for the past 10 years to operate Yarra Trams, will meet its entire current obligation in the existing contract before KDR takes control of the network in December.
Brumby said that MTM’s bid for Melbourne’s metropolitan rail network focused on improving services for passengers and creating a more reliable and safer network.
“Most importantly, MTM made it clear that its priority is to focus on what we believe are non-negotiables for Melbourne commuters: punctuality, safety, reliability, customer service and cleanliness,” Brumby said.
MTM will begin operating Melbourne’s trains from December, and will operate the network for eight years with a contract option to extend its term for a further seven.
Brumby said that the company had a proven track record of operating metropolitan train networks, achieving 99 per cent reliability for the Hong Kong rail network.
The new train contract will include a 50 per cent increase in funding for rail maintenance to keep the system operating at its peak performance.
While Victorian Public Transport Minister Lynne Kosky thanked TransdevTSL and Connex for their “hard work and commitment”, Opposition Transport spokesman Terry Mulder reportedly said Connex and Yarra Trams were the Brumby Government’s “sacrificial lambs”.
“From December, Minister Kosky will supply MTM and Keolis with the same decrepit tracks and rolling stock for the rail and tram networks respectively,” he reportedly said.
Brumby said Connex’s past performance has nothing to do with the Government’s decision though he reportedly said that while there are some things Connex have done well, there are some things which they could have improved.
Connex executive chairman Jonathon Metcalfe said he was disappointed by the decision.
Following Premier Brumby’s announcement of the change in Melbourne’s tram and rail operators, Mulder reportedly called for Kosky to be “relieved of her duties” as Victoria’s Public Transport Minister.