Martyrs will be introducing their minimum standards timetable on 683 (Chirnside Park - Warburton) on Monday September 4. Services on weekends are greatly improved, running every hour. On Sundays this means there will now be 12 trips each way, instead of a mere 4.
There was no sign of the new timetable when I travelled yesterday.
Martyr's web site says current timetable is the March 2006 version.
The reduction in the 10 minute connection off the 0800 train arrival (bus now departs at 0805) is a bit of a worry because the train is often a couple of minutes late.
There is a group of regular passengers who make the connection every day.
This must have been updated today (Wednesday). Interestingly, I called Martyr's this morning and discussed a few concerns about the new timetable. Apparently, the operator has little say in how the timetable is drawn up. Operational convenience and financial considerations appear to take precedence over such things as train/bus connections. I realised operators such as Martyr's have a hard job balancing the conflicting demands of passenger and DOI requirements.
Still some pretty awful train to bus connections at Lilydale but local inquiries suggest that the new timetable was worked out for operational rather than passenger convenience. Also the need to deliver more service for less money!
There are some instances where a train later than the one shown in the timetable makes a reasonable and more convenient connection at Lilydale.
I think it is important to consider train to bus connections at places such as Lilydale and Frankston where lengthy journeys are involved on semi-rural services with longer headways.
Received in the post today was the new Route 683 timetable dated October 2006 and effective from the 2nd.
The East Warburton trial service is still not included in the main timetable, although it according to the Martyrs website it is still operating and the online timetable was updated as at 28/9/06.
