Bendigo bio-wash plan after record 'animal strikes' on train line

The state government has budgeted $5 million for the facility to be built at the Bendigo Station precinct - the second one in the V/Line network.

Once constructed, trains on the Bendigo line should no longer need to travel to Melbourne for inspection and cleaning after colliding with an animal.

The Bendigo line has the highest number of so-called 'animal strikes', accounting for about 60 per cent of all incidents across the network.

Transport Infrastructure minister Jacinta Allan said most of the 'animal strikes' on the Bendigo line resulted from kangaroos and trains colliding.

"When these animal strikes happen they're obviously quite a distressing experience on their own. But it also causes some damage to the trains and it requires them to go through this biowash process," she said.

Trains are generally out of service for one or two days after hitting an animal. Returning to service can take up to seven days, depending on the degree of damage.

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V/Line has so far recorded 47 'animal strikes' requiring bio-wash this month, across the network.

There were 54 last month, 76 in March and 83 in February.

V/Line recorded fewer 'animal strikes' in December and January, with 37 and 32 respectively. However, works on the Bendigo line meant services were replaced with coaches for much of January.

It is not known how many of the recorded incidents requiring bio-washing occurred on the Bendigo line.

Bio-washing has taken 27 of the V/Line network's trains out of service so far this month, for one or two days at a time. Twenty-six units were off the tracks for one or two days in April, and 39 in March.

Forty-four units were out of action in February.

The government expects a second bio-wash facility to enable more trains to be washed faster.

"It means the trains can be cleaned, repaired and got back into service much more quickly, which will improve reliability and services for passengers not just on the Bendigo line, but indeed right across the network," Ms Allan said.

Construction of the Bendigo bio-wash is expected to create up to 50 jobs. Five to eight jobs will be ongoing, to operate the facility.

V/Line expects the Bendigo bio-wash facility to be constructed in 2020. But dates are yet to be confirmed.

"Now that the government has allocated the funding in the budget for the bio-wash facility the team can get going," Ms Allan said.

"We want it to be built as quickly as possible because of the improvements it will make to reliability.

"When you take a train out of service for one or two days as a result of these animal strikes, it has a knock-on effect across the entire network."

The state government's $49.6 million investment on work along the Bendigo line includes new railway stations at Goornong, Raywood and Huntly.

Labor went to the state election with the promise of the new stations.

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