The pain continues for Gippsland rail commuters with buses again replacing trains due to metropolitan line works.
The Nationals Member for Eastern Victoria Melina Bath said Gippslanders are being treated as second class citizens by the Andrews Labor Government when it comes to rail travel.
“The constant barrage of rail service interruptions on Gippsland’s underperforming rail service is frustrating for those who require the train for work, study, leisure or attend medical appointments,” Ms Bath said.
“This week’s service interruption is the latest in a long line of ongoing rail dramas designed to improve travel punctuality and reliability for city commuters only.
“Gippsland passengers would be forgiving and patient if service interruptions were improving our regional line, but this is not the case.
“The constant interruptions are for Labor’s city centric infrastructure plans being built at the expense of country people.
“The Andrews Labor Government has no regard for Gippsland passengers with mobility issues, parents travelling with prams and people who require the train service for toileting.
“Replacement buses make travel incredibly difficult for young families, people with disabilities and our older citizens.
Ms Bath has also accused the state government of being deceiving when advertising free travel on the Gippsland line with passengers reporting they have been charged a fare from Bairnsdale today.
“It appears the state governments’ ‘free V/Line travel’ only applies from Traralgon. It’s a case of Gippsland commuters be aware, the devil is in the detail,” said Ms Bath.
“Gippslanders are fed up with their rail service that has not met its 92% punctuality target in over four years for either short or long distance trips.
“Under Labor’s management, train punctuality on the Gippsland line fluctuates between appalling and average.
“Sadly the only consistency on the Gippsland rail line under Daniel Andrews is inconsistency.”