V/LINE has apologised for the presentation of some of its classic fleet trains of late, following issues with its train wash plant.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
A spokesperson for the train operator said the plant had been undergoing extensive repairs, which had been completed.
“With the train wash plant now back up and running, we have an immediate plan to rectify this to ensure there is a noticeable improvement in the cleanliness and presentation of our classic fleet to meet passenger expectations,” she said.
“We are delivering more services than ever before on the network and last year, an extra 28 train weekly services were added to the Bendigo line to give passengers more choice on when they want to travel.”
V/Line’s comments come after Member for Northern Victoria, Wendy Lovell raised a constituent’s complaints about trains between Kyneton and Melbourne in Victorian parliament on Wednesday.
Metcalfe resident Rupert Dalley wrote to Ms Lovell about late and grimy old trains after travelling to Melbourne via train about two weeks ago.
It was the latest in a series of letters Mr Dalley said he had been writing since 2016, which complained of similar issues.
“The trains aren’t predictable,” he told the Bendigo Advertiser.
Both the train to Melbourne, and the train back to Kyneton were late during his most recent rail adventure.
Mr Dalley said the delays added roughly 40 minutes to his travel time.
He also noted dirty windows and offensive-smelling rest room facilities.
“The trains in Europe, they’re just absolutely sparkling,” Mr Dalley said.
He suggested older trains – which he claimed to encounter most times he frequented the service – be replaced with modern and clean carriages.
Mr Dalley said he had seen little evidence of improvement on the Bendigo line.
In parliament on Wednesday, Ms Lovell asked Minister for Public Transport and Member for Bendigo East, Jacinta Allan: “Will the minister provide a commitment to address the issues raised in my constituent's letter and improve the quality of the passenger rail service between Kyneton and Melbourne?”
In a subsequent statement to media, Ms Lovell expressed concerns the government had ‘dropped the ball’ when it came to the quality of rail services for passengers travelling on the Bendigo line from Kyneton.
“We won’t be lectured by Wendy Lovell, who was part of a government that did nothing but cut $120 million out of V/Line,” a government spokesperson said.
“We’re delivering more services than ever before because we’re committed to helping regional passengers get to where they need to go sooner.
“We know how important a comfortable and reliable ride is to passengers, so we’ve asked V/Line to to make improvements to the cleanliness of its classic fleet to meet passenger expectations.”
More than 96 per cent of trains on the Bendigo line were delivered in May, and 76.9 per cent of trains arrived at their destination on time.
V/Line cited trespasser and police-related incidents among the reasons for delayed services on the Bendigo line during the month.
Other sources of delays included trains stopping at stations longer than scheduled and delays in the shared section of the metropolitan network.
Ms Allan has asked Public Transport Victoria and V/Line to review performance across the regional network.
V/Line and PTV are understood to be working together to detail opportunities for improvements to each corridor, which will be presented to the minister for consideration.