Warrnambool’s new VLocity train services have been labelled “a step backwards” by a south-west MP after Brauer College was forced to send its year nine students on two separate trains for its annual excursion.
V/line deliberately removed the N set based rolling stock off the route a train setup to handle the longer distance journey to cities like Warrnambool. V/Line did this knowing they would only ever be allowed to run 3 car sets a reduction in 2 cars as the N sets were 5 carriage trains. Overall this has meant a lot less seating capacity is available between Geelong and Warrnambool.
V/Line was either aware or ought to have been aware this would cause a considerable downgrade in service to passengers and the region. In relation to the change Jacinta Ermacora MP Labor Member for Western Victoria promoted the Vlocity train replacement thereby advocating for the reduced service. To be fair Roma Britnell MP (Member for South West Coast) also advocated for the change to a Vlocity based train now a substandard service.
Vlocity Trains are not and will never be a suitable platform for longer distance journeys. Sadly service quality to both Bairnsdale and Warrnambool have both suffered from these poor decisions.
The Warrnambool Line is now serviced only by short haul rolling stock, with no train catering or comfortable seats for what is almost a 4 hour journey each way. Customer satisfaction is not a measured KPI at V/Line as a customer service organisation. I would guess this means the CEO and the Executive Team are not measured on how customers are treated or serviced.
Work that one out I dare you.
Having worked for over 25 years in PT I can say country victoria is being treated as third world. VLine (Metro) cannot restrict schools like this, they certainly don’t in Melbourne. V/line do have improved timetables and increased services planned but not released until the Transport Minister okays it. Why the delay?
I got a a question….why should they wait for Transport Minister who is not versed in train operations to give the okay?
Should not the operation manager or the Assist CEO of V/line who got a background of metro rail operation pull ranks and say to her….you provide the funds for maintance etc. do not tell when or how to operate our trains?
What a most disgraceful thing to put upon a group of school children. The train to Melbourne for an excursion would be usual and normal business in any other place but Victoria, and the response from V/Line as usual criminal.
It must have been terrible to have been let down by V/Line yet again. Warrnambool is now a substandard service.
V/line do not care about people using the system. It is run by a bunch of no hopers in spring street who would not get a job anywhere else.
The person who has stopped the delivery of more suitable trains for regional Victoria has just been rewarded by the government giving them the CEO job at V/Line. What other pending debacles can we now expect from yet another underperforming career public servant?
V/Line are becoming a state based joke. Very clear now the local MP never had the best interests of Warrnambool in her heart when she lied to all of us about the new trains (we did not ask for) having enough seats when she knew they did not.
Tired of complaining propaganda by people likely not even using the train. No memtion in the story of the extra train services on the Warrnambool line.
Are you talking about yourself Mike? telling long distance riders what train is fit for purpose for them?
Ballen is peanut compared with Warrnambool…..
A sleek modern VoLcity train is no good when it fails the test of time….
You can only put on some many trains at time…..face it the 5 car loco haul was the benchmark, and now the result of the one size fit all concept has failed badly….
VoLcity only good when run within their scope of operation fact, these problem was rare or unheard of until some bright spark DI Hire told them forced them to all routes, and they being having issues ever since they scaled back the loco hauls!!!
I seen all unfold in front me unlike your blinkered views!
Anytime you try and blame DI on things, you loose the argument, think of it as the new Godwin’s law. Same goes if you use woke. Till you can have a rational discussion without denigrating people, any salient points you might have are worthless.
Who should take the responsibility for this unmitigated mess?
Yes I can Blame DI as I have checked some key desion maker’s in V/Line background Lizie….
Not has railway operating background….
ie: The Head of Operations Director is a former furniture store logistic manager!
Some roles need specalised skills and picking someone from off the street is not the way because of fancy a uni grad cerit MBA without certain experince and background knowelege in railway and safe workings in roles of great responsiblity!!!
This not role for someone who has not climb the ranks within the rail Industy….
Plus the Assit CEO has rail background of Metro rail ops
But the new CEO is from Vic Roads and road tranposrt…..
What do they about know operating a Regional Railways system that has different boundry condtions compare with metro trains, were people aren’t on board for long periods travelling over 3-4 plus hrs one way to Regional town with little access to food and drinks within close distance from , the terminating station and little time to spare getting the not fit for purpose newer trains!
Plus sourcing food /Drinks before boarding a coach for another for fews hours to Portland for example?
No eating or drinking applies on a good number of buses
What makes you think there were extra services?
Capacity is the issue.
The entire system is corrupt.
No mention in the article of the extra train services to Warrnambool
What we’re the extra services?
What extra train services?
Tired of complaining propaganda by people likely not even using the train. No mention in the story of the extra train services on the Warrnambool line.
LoL Mike on the website here are you are bitching about someone posting something TWICE on line this morning 8/8 but you have did the same as well the on this post the day 7/8 before!!
So some readers will say now you are in no position to point fingers at anyone!!
6 Aug
Firstly, Jacinta isn’t the local member for Warrnambool. She is an MLC for Western Victoria and just happens to (almost) have an office in Warrnambool. It would be nice if people could use their names and get titles correct.
And Roma also advocated for a more reliable and consistent approach to transport rather than an outdated approach overall that doesn’t take into account any of the other factors that go into running a reliable network, rather than just I don’t these ones.
I have just read several articles where Roma was criticising the delays with the new vlocity trains. I would say she has very much supported the introduction of a service downgrade. Over and above all else the labor member should have known better and topped the change of train type it is shocking. Never going to use it again. Cramped and no in carriage catering. 3rd world operations snd unacceptable to all of us.
Stop trying to make excuses for the transport department they are equally as pathetic as V/Line.
If she was not that involved in Warrnambool then why was she defending the decision to use poor quality rolling stock?
Because she was misguided……as I wrote to her to her and went in full detail of what the newer trains were like……she was horrified when I gave my observation of the older vs newer trains in techical terms….