State boosts regional rail

By ALANA MITCHELSON

THE Gippsland train line has received more than 16 million towards upgrades and increased services under the State Budget.
An investment of 1.3 billion will focus on improving regional rail services, with more than 170 additional services and 27 VLocity more carriages across the V/Line network.
This would include $9 million for practical passenger improvements at stations such as signage and disability access on the Gippsland line.
Another $7.6 million will go towards “business cases” for projects to deliver more services and better reliability to regional raill lines including Gippsland.
Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan said investments to the regional rail network aimed to support demands 10 to 30 years into the future.
“We’re investing $1.3 billion in better regional trains and tracks to reduce overcrowding, improve reliability and run more services to growing communities across regional Victoria,” Ms Allan said.
“We’re delivering what our public transport system needs now and for the future, to get Victorians home safer and sooner, wherever they live.”
The Regional Network Development Plan will be released in the “coming weeks,” she said.
Shadow Minister for Public Transport David Hodgett said the Gippsland rail continued to miss out.
“The Andrews Government has shunned Gippsland commuters again in the Victorian budget, providing little investment for the Traralgon and Bairnsdale lines,” he said.
“Commuters are angry and fed up with being ignored.
“The government will reap billions of dollars in additional taxes and the sale of the Port of Melbourne, and is gloating how much extra money it has, yet there is no commitment to improving peak services or returning express services.”