THE fight to keep the Gippsland railway line open to Bairnsdale has paid big dividends with the State Government upgrading the line, and announcing this week that VLocity class trains would be added to the route.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pity V\/Line passenger services stopped running to Leongatha in July 1993.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nDespite assurances for the return of passenger rail services to Leongatha, the Victoria ALP abandoned their promise and then under Ben Carroll pull up the rail line to Leongatha through an underhanded process.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
The VLocity train service to Bairnsdale starts this Sunday; stopping at Trafalgar, Yarragon, Longwarry, Bunyip, Tynong and Nar Nar Goon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nThis has increased the time taken to travel between Melbourne and Bairnsdale.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
Minister for Public and Active Transport Gabrielle Williams announced on Thursday that the remaining two locomotive-hauled classic fleet services on the Bairnsdale line have now been retired, making way for new modern and efficient VLocity trains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nThe transport minister is clearly not aware the Vlocity trains are terrible for longer distance travel<\/a>, they are not fuel efficient and are not a modern train configuration already over 2 decades old. In fact the poor air issues at Southern Cross Station have been made worse by the introduction of vlocity trains<\/a> using the station.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
The State Government invested $31 million to expand the stabling facility at Bairnsdale to house two three-carriage VLocity trains overnight, which has enabled this change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nReducing the trains to 3 car sets is removing over 120 seats per train service between Bairnsdale and Melbourne. V\/Line has removed capacity in seating on the Shepparton and also the Warrnambool Lines<\/a> with the introduction of Vlocity trains that are not designed for longer distance services over approximately 2 hours.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
A new timetable has also been introduced, with the first and last services now stopping at those additional Gippsland stations creating more public transport options for these communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe\u2019re delivering a better train service for Gippsland \u2013 with modern and reliable VLocity trains running on all services, and cheaper fares so that passengers can get to where they need to go,\u201d said Labor Member for Eastern Victoria Tom McIntosh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n