A faulty window wiper and passenger communication system forced all passengers off a C-Series train in Perth on Wednesday afternoon.
Just after lunch, passengers were told to get off the service entering Perth underground and catch the next train because that train could no longer continue service.
A C-Series train at Alstom’s Bellevue facility.
A Public Transport Authority spokeswoman described the problems as a minor technical issue, but confirmed the train had to make the 40-kilometre trip up the Yanchep line to the Nowergup depot to be fixed.
“The minor technical issue related to a windscreen wiper and a passenger communication system not operating as it should, which on rare occasions can occur on all trains the PTA operates,” she said.
“For operational reasons and out of precaution, it was determined the best option was for passengers to disembark and board a train following immediately behind, which is standard practice across all Transperth railcars when there is a technical issue.
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“After passengers disembarked, the train continued to travel up the line to Nowergup for this minor repair.”
The spokeswoman said there was minimal disruption to timetabled services, and thanked passengers for their patience.
The issue occurred at a heightened time for the WA government and PTA as the quality and reliability of its C-Series trains are thrust into the spotlight.
The PTA is set to meet with drivers, the Rail, Train and Bus Union and C-Series manufacturer Alstom in coming weeks to discuss concerns raised by more than 300 drivers in a recent survey about the new trains.
One of those concerns was the passenger communications system, with 82.5 per cent of respondents reporting they had struggled to clearly hear or communicate with passengers via the passenger emergency intercom.
More than 95 per cent of respondents considered the audio quality of the train radio a safety risk and 68 per cent said it was a serious safety risk.
The survey revealed 93.7 per cent of drivers thought the trains were not fit for traffic when they started taking passengers, while 82.8 per cent reported “braking inconsistencies” like “reduction in braking effort, loss of braking effort, surging”.
More than 97.7 per cent also reported inadequate air-conditioning in the cabins and 82.5 per cent said the problems affected their mental wellbeing.
More than 79 per cent wanted the government to suspend railcar delivery until the issues were addressed.
The PTA spokeswoman said the C-series trains run approximately 100 services a day, and like the A and B-series trains, technical issues could occur.
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