IN response to recent letters regarding the Regional Rail Link, as a regular train service user and a civil engineer I think any rail and public transport improvement is welcomed, but there is always more to be done.
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Yes, in my train travelling time over recent years while the number of services and carriages/seats available have increased considerably, the travel times have also risen and peak service departure times made even less convenient.
The Regional Rail Link does provide much-needed additional capacity and much-reduced conflict between Metro and Regional trains, particularly as they near Southern Cross Station.
However, and unfortunately for Bendigo line travellers, the tracks are still shared with Metro services from Sunshine through to Sunbury.
Additionally, with the extension of Metro services to Sunbury the government saw fit to reduce the maximum track speed from 160km/h to 130km/h, further slowing V/Line trains on top of them being caught behind Metro services.
As Bendigo, Castlemaine, Kyneton and Sunbury all continue to grow, so too must the rail service.
Ultimately in the future we will need to see the Bendigo line returned to dual track for the entire distance and a third track provided from Sunshine to Sunbury to allow express and passing services.
In the short term, space must be found within the Metro timetable to implement another two or three Flagship express services each way per day!
Importantly for a growing Bendigo, we also need to see intra-urban commuter shuttle train services operating regularly across the city between the existing operating stations and to a number of infill stations as well.
Only then will Bendigo truly have a rail service to serve the population and one to be envied!
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