Congratulations are in order for the High Capacity Signalling Implementation Project Team who were awarded the highly regarded MTR Grand Award in Hong Kong on 1 November, 2024. Our team was recognised for being the first railway in Australia to safely retrofit High Capacity Signalling to an existing rail network and successfully operating mixed mode services. This marked an important step forward in commissioning the new technology that will operate through the new Metro Tunnel, bringing Day One another step closer.   It took an enormous One Team effort to commission the new High Capacity Signalling and operationalise Communication Based Train Control mixed-mode services on our network. This global recognition by MTR is a shared achievement across Metro.   Congratulations to all involved. 

Improved safety at Dandenong station and an increased sense of community wellbeing are key outcomes after the first year of Metro’s innovative community outreach initiative. As the first of its kind in Victoria, the Community Connectors pilot program has facilitated more than 3,300 engagements since it began in July 2023. Delivered in partnership with South East Community Links (SECL), the program employs two specialised outreach practitioners — Community Connectors — who provide assistance to people visiting the station and help them access services, such as housing support, alcohol/drug programs and mental health services. Community Connectors work closely with Metro staff, Protective Service Officers (PSOs) and Victoria Police to improve safety.

Metro Trains is proudly marking 15 years as the franchise operator of Melbourne’s metropolitan railway network. Starting in 2009, Metro Trains Melbourne is a joint venture between MTR Corporation, John Holland and UGL Rail, a Division of UGL Pty Ltd, celebrating 15 years of joint success. Metro Trains CEO Raymond O’Flaherty says Metro has taken its place as a key part of Melbourne.

More train travellers are being hurt in accidents on platforms and on board, prompting a safety warning as many people take to public transport for major events across Melbourne this spring. An average of 80 passengers have been injured each month for the first half of this year – the result of a range of slips, trips and falls. Metro Trains is reminding passengers to be safe around railway stations and on-board busy trains, especially during Melbourne’s unpredictable weather this spring. Metro Trains chief executive Raymond O’Flaherty said that as the city’s events season ramps, it was timely to remind passengers to be careful. “Hold onto handrails, don’t run for a train and please use lifts if you need them,” he said. The number of injuries and incidents across the Metro network has risen again this year. Last year 831 incidents were reported, an increase from 655 in 2022.

Flinders Street Station celebrates a major year milestone on September 12 – Australia’s oldest rail station has kept Melbourne moving for 170 years. Minister for Transport Infrastructure Danny Pearson was on the concourse to celebrate the occasion. “Everyone in Melbourne has a special memory of the station, be it meeting friends or family under the clocks or strolling through the station on the way to the footy at the ‘G’,” he said.Metro CEO Raymond O’Flaherty reflected on the huge achievement of keeping Melbourne moving via the network’s busiest station.

Metro Trains is offering a new SMS service to notify the public of upcoming works. The alerts offer a convenient, sustainable alternative to paper letters said Metro’s Executive Director Corporate Affairs, Clare Abbott. “Successful trials in December 2023 and March 2024 have demonstrated that this is the way that residents prefer to be notified,” she said. Public and Active Public Transport Gabrielle Williams said, “This new service will make sure people are notified as Metro gets on with critical works on our transport network.” Moving forward, every notice delivered to residents and traders will include information on how to sign up for SMS. To opt in and stay informed, subscribe to SMS updates by texting the name of your closest station to 0475 109 470. For example, if Sunshine Station is your closest station, simply text “Sunshine” to 0475 109 470 and you will be added to that list. Residents can sign up for multiple locations. More information can be found at http://metrotrains.com.au/sms-disruption-alerts

The winners of the 2024 Australasian Rail Industry (ARI) Awards were announced on Wednesday 7 August, and among them was Chief Engineer Phil Ellingworth, who was awarded the prestigious ARI Career Achievement Award.   The Career Achievement Award recognises the passion and commitment of individuals who have spent many years in rail, and have made a difference for a company or the industry.  Phil Ellingworth has devoted 42 years to a distinguished career in rail engineering, including 26 years in Australia, following a move from the United Kingdom in 1998.   Phil joined Metro in October 2015, stepping into the role he holds today.   Phil is responsible for ensuring the technology we rely on is effective and safe, and for authorising changes to the infrastructure and rolling stock on our network. His work ensures Metro satisfies its obligations under its rail accreditation and Rail Safety National Law.   Deputy Chief Engineer Anthony Hart speaks of Phil’s excellence.   “Phil sees the railway holistically – a set of integrated systems rather than isolated disciplines,” he says.

The Australasian Railway Association has recognised several high quality winners from Metro Trains Melbourne with a prestigious 2024 Australasian Rail Industry Award. This year, Metro’s award winners were: Customer Service Excellence Award for the 2024 Taylor Swift concert series. Taylor Swift played to 96,000 people each night at the MCG over three nights in February. Our commitment to excellence in customer service shone during these concerts, thanks to our meticulous planning, robust execution, and enthusiastic participation. The initiative not only navigated the logistical challenges of a large-scale event, but also elevated the overall customer experience, establishing a new benchmark for future events.  

Metro Trains Melbourne has a big year ahead, with CEO Raymond O’Flaherty launching the FY25 Business Plan. A major focus will be intensive preparations for the opening of the Metro Tunnel and raising the bar on the passenger experience we provide every day to Melbourne. The plan sets out Metro’s shared focus areas and priorities for the year ahead. It will help us stay focused on doing the right work at the right time, delivering value for money, and driving towards our purpose – We Move Melbourne.

Metro’s Moving Melbourne Community Grants are supporting nine not for profit organisations doing important work to help improve people’s mental health. The winning not-for-profit organisations all met the criteria of having a focus on: Wellness – preventative care to reduce the risk of poor mental health. Education – activities that inform and promote awareness of good mental health. Support services – assistance like counselling, psychiatric support or crisis care that directly supports people experiencing mental health challenges. The winners are sharing in a grant pool valued at $190,000. The full list of 2024 winners are: Inner Eastern Local Learning and Employment Network – $20,000 Launch Housing – $20,000 A Better Life for Foster Kids – $10,000 Banksia Gardens Association – $10,000 Dadfit Community – $10,000 Orygen – $10,000 The PROJECT ROCKIT Foundation – $10,000 Second Chance Animal Rescue – $10,000 For the first time, Metro passengers may get the chance to see one of the winners on their next train journey with Blind Sports & Recreation Victoria awarded free advertising on Metro trains during the next year. Minister for Public and Active Transport Gabrielle Williams says, “Every investment in mental health is a win for Melburnians, and I’m proud to support this initiative from Metro Trains. “This investment represents an ongoing commitment to support positive outcomes in the mental health space, which holds significant importance for all Victorians.” Metro Trains CEO Raymond O’Flaherty says, “Mental wellbeing is something we can all rally around. Metro Trains is always looking to get behind not-for-profit organisations who are actively making a difference in the community. “It is a privilege to support the vital work of community organisations through the Moving Melbourne grants program.” Over the past five years, Metro’s community grants program has provided $460,000 to community organisations.  

Did you know the Hartwell Station railway bridge features an iconic piece of graffiti painted around 1940? Or that the Moorabbin Air Museum has one of the biggest collections of Australian-built aircraft in the world? Metro Trains Melbourne has partnered with Storytowns Podcast Tours and the Department of Transport and Planning to capture untold stories of our city with a series of podcasts. With an initial run of 43 podcasts which have been downloaded more than 14 thousand times, the program has been expanded to now include 126 podcasts covering the entire metropolitan rail network. From the Werribee Park mansion, the Vietnamese restaurants of St Albans and the live music scene in Northcote, the series covers a variety of themes, including local food, street art, travel tips, fun facts, and interesting stories about each suburb’s history, culture and train stations. The use of geo-located podcasts along the city’s train lines is an Australian-first with the podcasts playing automatically as you approach a landmark or point of interest across Melbourne’s one-thousand-kilometre metropolitan train network. Since launching in 2019, Storytowns has offered hundreds of free geo-located podcast tours throughout Australia, transforming the way people explore and connect with their surroundings. The Storytowns app is available for download on both iOS and Android devices at www.storytowns.com.au/metro. Users can access the podcasts for free and start their journey right away. This initiative recently won an IABC Gold Quill Award of Merit and was announced as a finalist for Excellence in Marketing and Communications Content in the Gartner Marketing and Communications Awards, with the winner to be announced in September.

Metro Trains is onboard with Melbourne Storm as an official partner for the 2024 and 2025 NRL seasons and to celebrate, a special interactive digital photo booth has been opened at iconic Flinders Street Station. Storm stars Tyran Wishart and Josh King were the first to use the booth today ahead of this week’s round fourteen clash with the Newcastle Knights at AAMI Park on Sunday afternoon. For the next three months, Metro Trains passengers will be able to take virtual snaps with their favourite Storm players as a keepsake of the 2024 season. Metro’s CEO Raymond O’Flaherty says, “We’re thrilled to be continuing our partnership with Melbourne Storm until the end of the 2025 season and encouraging their loyal fans to leave the car at home and catch the train to the game.

On the 9th of May, Southern Cross Station buzzed with activity as it hosted a special event geared towards supporting individuals of all abilities. Designed to support people of all abilities, Try Before You Ride aimed to increase attendees’ confidence in using the public transport system. The event drew in over 130 participants, offering them the chance to explore stationary Metro and V/Line trains, as well as bus, coach, and taxi services, along with guided tram trips. This hands-on experience provided invaluable practice for boarding and disembarking, familiarised attendees with accessibility features, and facilitated conversations with public transport staff. Metro’s Accessibility and Inclusion Team, along with the Community Education Team, a group of Authorised Officers, a train driver and team of Multi-Modal Authorised Officers helped to deliver the event. Ebony Fry, Accessibility and Inclusion Advisor, remarked, “There was significant community interest in this event, and it was great to have the opportunity to support attendees and address their questions and concerns.” The success of the event was a result of extensive collaboration among Metro, V/Line, Kinetic, Yarra Trams, and the Department of Transport and Planning in preceding months. It was rewarding to receive positive feedback from attendees and we hope the event has provided them with the confidence they need to access public transport.

Metro is proud to be working with our new First Nations community partner, Barrbunin Beek supporting the delivery of programs that meet the First Nations community’s needs. Located in Olympic Park, West Heidelberg, Barrbunin Beek means ‘happy place’ in the Woiwurrung language. Barrbunin Beek is a place for local Aboriginal and Torres Strait people to meet and build community through a series of different programs. Metro’s Senior Adviser, Indigenous Affairs Jhdara Jones said the partnership will increase women’s and children’s programs and, in turn, increase engagement and participation for First Nations families to grow connection. “At Metro, we’re genuinely excited to join hands with Barrbunin Beek Aboriginal Gathering Place on the path towards reconciliation and enabling self-determination. “It’s a commitment to walk together, learn from each other, and create meaningful opportunities.” Barrbunin Beek’s Kristen Munro says she is looking forward to the programs the partnership will facilitate. “Our new partnership with Metro Trains will allow us to empower our Women and Boorais (Children) by accessing existing and new programs at Barrbunin Beek that are designed to strengthen their connection to Culture, create new kinship networks and encourage self-determination and self-empowerment of all involved.” The partnership aligns to Metro’s commitment to reconciliation and support self-determination of Victoria’s First Nation’s communities.