By ALANA MITCHELSON
PAKENHAM and Cranbourne train services have been revealed as the worst performing lines across the network, according to a new report.
The latest Public Transport Victoria performance statistics showed that punctuality along the Pakenham line fell to 83.8 per cent in July and to 84.5 per cent for Cranbourne.
The south-east metro lines also saw the lowest percentage of services delivered. Pakenham saw 95.8 per cent of its peak-time services delivered and was outperformed by all other metro lines.
Member for South Eastern Metropolitan Region Inga Peulich said performance along the Pakenham and Cranbourne train lines had declined since Labor took office in November 2014.
Ms Peulich said it was a return to the “bad old days” under the Brumby Labor Government.
“When the Coalition left office we’d improved punctuality to 91 per cent on the Pakenham Line and 92.5 per cent on the Cranbourne Line. More than 98 per cent of services were delivered to both lines,” she said.
“$2.5 billion was committed for further improvements. Labor has slashed the improvements and commuters are paying the price.
“The lack of action on this, crime, traffic and station parking clearly demonstrates that Labor takes the south east for granted.
“To make matters worse, Labor is still committed to redirecting the line, so it will no longer go to South Yarra, Richmond and the current city stations.“
A spokesman for Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan said the former Liberal Government had not launched any projects to improve services on the Cranbourne and Pakenham lines.
“Not one project in four years for Victoria’s busiest rail corridor,” he said.
“We know there is pressure on local services, which is why we’re investing more than $14 billion to completely transform the Cranbourne and Pakenham lines.
“This investment will remove every level crossing between Dandenong and the city, and install next generation signalling to run high-capacity trains through the Metro tunnel.”
