Sick passengers delay thousands of metro trains annually in Australia's second largest city

Sick passengers are delaying thousands of Melbourne's train services every year, contributing to the city's poor public transport punctuality statistics.

Local media reported on Wednesday that up to 12 services every day are being delayed on Melbourne's busy train network, delaying tens of thousands of travelers every year.

At unmanned railway stations, which make up the majority of Melbourne's train stops, drivers had to wait with the passengers until paramedics arrived, delaying the service and subsequent services on that specific line.

During the first six months of 2015, 185 sick passengers delayed more than 2,000 services going in and out of Melbourne, often during peak periods.

Other causes for delays that were less common included police intervention of services, vandals, and people jumping in front of trains.

Network operator Metro currently delivers services at 91.8 percent punctuality, far behind the enviable 99 percent punctuality statistic that world leader Hong Kong and its MTR system boasts.

Melbourne's Public Transport Users Association spokesman Daniel Bowen said on Wednesday that train services were delayed to ensure the sick passengers were cared for until authorities arrived at the scene.

"While Metro has paramedics on duty in peak hour, they can't be at every station," he told Fairfax Media.

"One option that should be explored is to provide basic first aid training for station staff, enabling them to assist passengers off the train in less serious cases."

The most common illnesses that caused delays were injuries sustained from falling, seizures and fainting. More serious conditions such as heart attacks were also common.

Metro revealed that the winter months were worst for illness, but fainting was more common in the warmer months.

Earlier this year, Metro chief executive Andrew Lezala said that the problem would only get worse as overcrowding on Melbourne 's trains continued to force sick passengers together.

"Ill passengers will only have a bigger impact as trains get more crowded," he told Fairfax Media in April.

Metro, via its website, has asked that sick passengers do not get on board its trains, following in the footsteps of cities such as Sydney which does the same. Endi