V/Line could appear before an upper house inquiry early this year to explain every failure on the rail network, and to answer questions about its hot weather policy which left freight trains stranded in the middle of the grains harvest season.

Greens leader Greg Barber wrote to the chair of the economy and infrastructure committee recommending V/Line be called to answer questions.

Speaking in Bendigo, Mr Barber said there was uncertainty about the cause of delays on regional lines.

“If you asked them to explan each and every failure, they’d give you a plethora of reasons, but the thing is those reasons seem to occur every month,” he said.

“So instead of saying this was a problem last month so here’s our solution to stop the next one, it’s just like, that problem is normal.

“Let’s hear what they have to say, let’s see them hand over some of this information to account for each and every failure.”

Trains on the Bendigo line arrived on time 85.2 per cent of the time for 2016, better than the Albury, Bairnsdale, Gippsland and Warrnambool lines, but worse than six others.

The Bendigo line was closed for the month of October due to works at the St Albans station.

V/Line’s hot weather policy has also faced scrutiny, after freight trains across the western and northern Victorian network were stopped on days with temperatures greater then 33 degrees Celsius.

The Rail Revival Alliance echoed Mr Barber’s call for V/Line to front the upper house inquiry, and were concerned about the reasons for the hot weather policy, which also slows passenger trains on the Bendigo line when the temperature reaches 36.

Group president Noel Laidlaw said slowing passenger trains on hot days did not make sense.

“All over the world, railways run normally under these weather conditions and it is erroneous of V/Line to use the excuse that trains have to be cancelled or have speed restrictions due to hot weather,” he said.

“It is high time an independent review takes place, the necessary changes made and to get the network into the 21st century and to stop further inconveniencing passenger services.”

Acting Transport Minister Jaala Pulford was contacted for comment.