Connex Melbourne
 |
|
| Subsidiary | |
| Industry | Public transport |
| Founded | 29 August 1999 |
| Defunct | 29 November 2009 |
| Headquarters | Melbourne, Australia |
| Products | Train operator |
| Profit | $22.5 million (2008/09) |
|
Number of employees
|
2,501 (August 2009) |
| Parent | Veolia Transport |
| Website | www.connexmelbourne.com.au |
Melbourne railway network
|
|
| Locale | Melbourne |
|---|---|
| Dates of operation | 1999–2009 |
| Predecessor |
Public Transport Corporation M>Train |
| Successor | Metro Trains Melbourne |
| Track gauge | 5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm) |
| Headquarters | Melbourne |
Connex Melbourne was a wholly owned subsidiary of Veolia Environnement, which had a franchise from the State Government of Victoria to operate all suburban passenger rail services in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. In August 2007, Connex's contract was extended until November 2009. Connex lost the bid to renew its contract to Metro Trains Melbourne who took over the network on 30 November 2009.
As at August 2009, Connex Melbourne operated 15 train lines, 331 trains, 12,909 weekly services, and carried about 720,000 passengers each weekday. In 2008/09, 214 million passenger trips were made.
Melbourne Transport Enterprises (later Connex Melbourne) was awarded a franchise to operate the then government-owned Hillside Trains rail services in Melbourne's eastern and north-east suburbs in August 1999. The franchise for the southern parts of Melbourne's suburban train network was awarded to National Express Group trading as Bayside Trains and later M>Train).
On 22 December 2002, National Express withdrew from its operations in Victoria, and the State Government took control temporarily. Early in 2003 the Government began negotiations with Connex to assume responsibility for all Melbourne's metro train network. A new partnership agreement was reached in February 2004 that awarded Connex the exclusive right to operate Melbourne's entire metro train network from 18 April 2004.
In August 2007 Connex's contract was extended until 29 November 2009. Veolia Transport was short listed to bid for the new franchise but lost to the Metro Trains Melbourne consortium and ceased operations on 29 November 2009.
Following Veolia's rebranding of its transport operations from Connex to Veolia Transport on all other transport systems worldwide in late 2005 and early 2006, Connex Melbourne was the only Veolia company to retain the Connex name. It was not until May 2008 that Connex Melbourne began to publicly acknowledge its connection with the parent company, using the "Connex: A Veolia Transport Company" phrase in publicity material and using the Veolia Transport and Connex brands together. Branding on staff uniforms, trains and station signage was not altered.
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