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TRAIN passengers welcomed Bendigo Railway Station's new protective services officers with open arms on Tuesday night.
Romsey's Belinda Black said she would use the train more now that she knew the station was protected.
"It's good that they're here," she said.
"You feel safe. I won't be so stressed about my daughter who gets the train all the time. I'll feel more relaxed about her being here."
Bendigo La Trobe University student Sarah Medbury commutes from Riddells Creek and said she regularly waited for a train home at night.
"My boyfriend hates it that I'm here by myself," she said.
"It feels so much more safe now. I were hoping they would come here."
Dianne Nolan of Bendigo also said the officers' presence made her feel more safe.
"I think it's fantastic for them to be at the station," she said.
Bendigo resident Ryan Jones was at the station last night to meet a friend and said he felt safe alone.
"I'm a guy but for women I suppose it's different," he said.
"The officers are doing their job of keeping people safe."
The state government has deployed 700 protective services officers across 108 stations.
Bendigo is one of the first four regional stations to receive the service.