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Trains North East Rail Regional Public Transport

Labor’s track record on country trains goes from bad to worse

11 October 2019

Half of the state’s V/Line services have failed to meet their punctuality targets every month for the past two years, a new analysis of data by the State’s Opposition shows.

Commuters on five lines - Bendigo, Gippsland, Ararat/Maryborough, Albury-Wodonga and Bairnsdale – have been late every month since September 2017, while Ballarat commuters were on time just one month out of 24.

The Bendigo, Gippsland and Ararat lines have not run on time for three years, while the Bairnsdale train hasn’t been on time since at least August 2014.

Shadow Minister for Regional Public Transport and Deputy Leader of The Nationals Steph Ryan said worsening problems meant it was impossible for commuters to have confidence in Victoria’s rail network.

“Daniel Andrews has found billions to put into Melbourne level crossing blowouts, while country passengers continue to miss out,” Ms Ryan said.

“Labor is ignorant of the thousands of Victorians who are inconvenienced on a daily basis by delays, breakdowns and cancellations.

“V/Line punctuality is getting worse, not better, because the Andrews Labor Government refuses to make the investments needed to make our regional trains run on time.”

The Andrews Labor Government invested just four per cent of the capital funding for public transport in this year’s State Budget into regional Victoria this year.

 

	# months service failed punctuality targets in past two years	Last time service met its punctuality target
Geelong	21	September 2019
Ballarat	23	July 2019
Bendigo	24	July 2016
Seymour	20	September 2019
Gippsland	23	July 2016
Warrnambool	22	June 2019
Ararat / Maryborough	24	October 2016
Swan Hill / Echuca	6	September 2019
Albury / Wodonga	24	May 2017
Shepparton	19	September 2019
Bairnsdale	23*	August 2014**

 *December 2018 data not published for Bairnsdale or Gippsland lines    **Earliest record available