By KATHRYN BERMINGHAM
EXTENSIVE campaigning paid off for a group of Pakenham train travellers this week when commuter access was reinstated to all but two daily V/Line services to and from Melbourne.
Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan announced that an earlier decision to bar Pakenham commuters from boarding regional train services would no longer take effect.
However, from next year Pakenham commuters will still be barred from the 4.16pm and 5.37pm weekday trains out of the city – services deemed to be experiencing the greatest levels of overcrowding.
Ms Allan said the reversal was made due to loading analysis and feedback from commuters.
“Today’s announcement strikes the right balance,” she said on Monday 30 November.
“It means Gippsland passengers can get the train home at the busiest times, while giving Pakenham passengers access to the services they want, when there is room.”
The move follows months of lobbying by Pakenham commuters who had started a Facebook group, organised a letter-writing campaign, conducted a survey and made several pleas to the government through the media and various members of parliament.
Pakenham commuter and group organiser Ben Lewis said the decision was unexpected.
“I feel this is a win that will be welcomed by most commuters that utilize the V/Line service from Pakenham,” he said.
“It comes as quite a surprise, really, because most responses we have been getting from the government seemed like they were not listening and were just providing cut and paste responses hoping we would just go away.”
The decision reaches a compromise between Pakenham and Gippsland commuters, who had expressed concern about overcrowding caused by metro passengers using regional services.
Mr Lewis added that the decision to bar passengers from the 4.16pm service was justified, but that he hopes the government may reconsider banning Pakenham passengers from the 5.37pm.
“The 5.37pm is usually a fairly quiet service and is never that full when it gets to Pakenham so, potentially, that is one we can continue to talk to the government about getting reinstated,” he said.
He also thanked the members of the Pakenham V/Line Commuters Facebook page as well as MPs Brad Battin, David Hodgett and Brian Paynter for making representations in parliament on behalf of the group.
A similar decision has been made concerning passengers on the Sunbury line who will also be allowed access to all but the two busiest V/Line services.
Ms Allan said that all Pakenham commuters would reap the benefits of the Melbourne Metro Rail Project, which will direct trains on the Pakenham and Cranbourne lines into the city via a new underground train network.
“Our multi-billion dollar investment in new trains, better signalling and level crossing removals will transform the Cranbourne Pakenham line, creating space for 11,000 extra passengers in peak hour.”
The changes come into effect on 1 January.
