Greens MP Colleen Hartland told the upper house “a number of people” had raised the issue of a lack of luggage lockers at the Bendigo station with her.

“This is causing quite a problem for people who are, say, coming from Castlemaine to Bendigo for medical appointments, for shopping or whatever, and they have got nowhere to actually leave their bags,” she said.

“It is unclear as to why the lockers are no longer available and why they have been removed.”

Ms Allan said the lockers had been removed for security reasons, saying “the safety and security of staff and passengers is our number one priority”.

“Public transport operators have undertaken a range of security measures across the network including the removal of lockers and rubbish bins at some stations a number of years ago, including Ballarat and Bendigo,” she said.

But Ms Hartland said that explanation had been met with confusion by the commuters that approached her office.

“One of the issues that was raised by these people was that there is a concern about terrorism, but there are luggage lockers at Flinders Street and at Spencer Street, so I think Bendigo is probably not a big target,” she said.

It is understood the lockers’ removal was part of a general increase in security and not in relation to a specific threat to public transport and that while the situation in Bendigo is managed by V/Line, the regional rail operator has no say over what happens at Flinders Street and Southern Cross stations.

Rubbish bins were also removed from the Bendigo station in September 2014 after the national terror alert level was lifted to “high”.