GAWLER RAIL LINE

The Hon. J.S.L. DAWKINS (15:18): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister Assisting the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Energy a question in relation to the Gawler rail line timetables.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.S.L. DAWKINS: On 20 January this year, I noticed posters at the Adelaide Railway Station declaring that Gawler rail line commuters would need a new timetable. I thought that, finally, the state government had responded to public pressure and listened to the complaints of commuters unhappy about the April 2008 timetable changes and the minor adjustments in November and had made some positive changes. Unfortunately, I was wrong.

The changes came into effect on 27 January—back-to-school day for the majority of students in this state and, certainly, the worst day of the year to introduce changes to train timetables as thousands of children returned to school. Despite commuters consistently complaining about the impact of timetable changes introduced last April, the government has done little more than schedule trains leaving the city two minutes earlier. Not one single complaint about services that I have raised on behalf of communities over the past nine months will be alleviated as a result of these timetable changes. Most passengers will still need to catch one train earlier than should be necessary. My questions are:

1. Will the minister indicate why there seems to have been a lack of willingness to go back to the drawing board and make substantial changes?

2. When will the government recognise that it has serious problems with the timetabling on the Gawler line and actually make some significant changes that will help commuters?

3. Will the minister investigate the significant lack of hardcopy timetable schedules available in the time leading up to and immediately after the timetable changes?

4. Will the minister also indicate the number of instances since 27 January when gates adjacent to the validation turntables at Adelaide Railway Station have needed to be opened to allow early morning commuters through quickly to ease congestion at the platforms?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for State/Local Government Relations, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister for Government Enterprises, Minister Assisting the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Energy) (15:21): I thank the honourable member for his questions. I will refer them to the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Energy in another place and bring back a response.