General News
9 November, 2022
Pitch to reduce rail ticket costs
THE Victorian Labor Party has made a commitment to delivering cheaper public transport fares, more VLocity trains and extra weekend services on the regional rail network if re-elected this month.
THE Victorian Labor Party has made a commitment to delivering cheaper public transport fares, more VLocity trains and extra weekend services on the regional rail network if re-elected this month.
The commitment was part of a $1 billion package to give regional commuters better access to public transport.
This includes the cost of a daily ticket on the regional network being capped at $9.20 for a full fare or $4.60 for a concession, the same price as a metro daily fare.
A daily return fare from Warrnambool to Melbourne currently costs $78.80, with the cap bringing in a cost reduction of around 88 per cent.
The Labor announcement follows a pitch by the opposition in early October, when Liberal candidate for Polwarth Richard Riordan announced the Liberals would halve V/Line fares if elected.
Labor Candidate for South West Coast Kylie Gaston said the cost difference between metropolitan and regional travel had long been unfair.
“Only a Labor Government will make rail fares fair for Warrnambool – ensuring you pay the same price no matter where you live,”she said.
“Labor is already upgrading the Warrnambool line and delivering new V/Locity trains, and now this packaged will deliver cheaper fares and even more services.”
In addition to the price cap, a re-elected Andrews Labor Government has vowed to order 23 V/Locity trains to support rail upgrades across the network, including on the Warrnambool line.
The latest V/Locity trains include comfortable seats for long-haul journeys, room for six bicycles, luggage racks and overhead luggage storage, a toilet, drinking fountain and six wheelchair spaces with companion seats close by.
Each train car seats 222 passengers and features mobile phone signal-boosting technology.
V/Locity trains are less likely to be taken offline due to an engine fault than older model trains, so upgrading the fleet will boost reliability on our regional network.
Labor recently announced a fifth weekday return train service would begin running on the Warrnambool line from December this year.
Stages one and two of the Warrnambool line upgrades include upgrade track, signalling and level crossing.
V/Locity trains are expected to begin operation on the line during 2023 when stage two of the upgrades is complete.
The V/Locity trains will feature more comfortable seats, USB chargers and improved accessibility throughout the train.
The Terang Express recently reported a local group had raised concerns catering services would not be included on the new V/Locity trains.
South West Public Transport Action Committee member John Glazebrook said a group of eight Terang area residents were concerned with the loss of services.
Both Corangamite and Moyne Shire mayors Ruth Gstrein and Ian Smith have publicly called on catering services to be retained on Warrnambool line services.