My mother has recently experienced extended long delays in reaching my place using public transport, which would normally take her approximately an hour and a half from Central train station. My mother lives in Eastern suburbs of Sydney and has ample choices of bus services from her home to Central train Station (unlike Mount Druitt commuters living in the outskirts catching their buses to Mount Druitt train station).
So here is my mothers story told to me:
'Just over three weeks ago, on a Saturday, she left Central train at around 9am after knowing that service will end at Granville train station, changing for buses to commute further west. She was carting her 'weekend luggage' and like many other trips, she thought she will be at my place at little time.
Suddenly, whilst enjoying her trip, the train reached Granville train, stopped and announcements were made that the train service was ended and commuters to transfer to buses waiting for passengers. This meant a long walk up the stairs, down the ramp to the Granville bus interchange and then working out which bus to get, still carting her luggage.
Then there was the long time on the bus route (all stations to Blacktown), which increases the time compared to travelling on buses to trains by two to three times. Then checking her watch and getting frustrated. The worry of her wasting more valuable time, which could have been spent importantly with families.
Next was getting off the Blacktown Bus interchange up the stairs to across the walkway down to platforms to reach the train for the short trip to Mount Druitt. Finally, she got off Mount Druitt train station ,up to the concourse and then down to the bus interchange waiting for the 755 Busways bus service.
As she was advised by another bus commuter the 755 Busways bus had just left and there was going to be another long wait for the next bus service. She decided to not wait and catch a taxi to my place adding further costs to complete her journey. By then my mother was exasperated, exhausted and really made her have second thoughts about coming over to my place which took her 3 hours from her home to my place.
My mother is just over eighty years of age and is quite independent, yet travelling longer periods of time and in many modes of public transport to get to one destination can be quite distressful (especially when not used to it). The same could be said for commuters of her age as well, who feel the same.
Yet my mother understands City Rail track-work needs to be done - she thinks it should be up to City Rail to look at other times for this to be done - not to make it inconvenient, like what happened to her this important weekend.
So here is my mothers story told to me:
'Just over three weeks ago, on a Saturday, she left Central train at around 9am after knowing that service will end at Granville train station, changing for buses to commute further west. She was carting her 'weekend luggage' and like many other trips, she thought she will be at my place at little time.
Suddenly, whilst enjoying her trip, the train reached Granville train, stopped and announcements were made that the train service was ended and commuters to transfer to buses waiting for passengers. This meant a long walk up the stairs, down the ramp to the Granville bus interchange and then working out which bus to get, still carting her luggage.
Then there was the long time on the bus route (all stations to Blacktown), which increases the time compared to travelling on buses to trains by two to three times. Then checking her watch and getting frustrated. The worry of her wasting more valuable time, which could have been spent importantly with families.
Next was getting off the Blacktown Bus interchange up the stairs to across the walkway down to platforms to reach the train for the short trip to Mount Druitt. Finally, she got off Mount Druitt train station ,up to the concourse and then down to the bus interchange waiting for the 755 Busways bus service.
As she was advised by another bus commuter the 755 Busways bus had just left and there was going to be another long wait for the next bus service. She decided to not wait and catch a taxi to my place adding further costs to complete her journey. By then my mother was exasperated, exhausted and really made her have second thoughts about coming over to my place which took her 3 hours from her home to my place.
My mother is just over eighty years of age and is quite independent, yet travelling longer periods of time and in many modes of public transport to get to one destination can be quite distressful (especially when not used to it). The same could be said for commuters of her age as well, who feel the same.
Yet my mother understands City Rail track-work needs to be done - she thinks it should be up to City Rail to look at other times for this to be done - not to make it inconvenient, like what happened to her this important weekend.
| This is how fast my mother thought she going! |
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