Local train commuters have been handed both a win and a loss, with the State Government announcing an improved Sunday service for Bairnsdale but rejecting a call for an additional mid-morning weekday train.
The rejection came in response to advocacy from Gippsland East MP, Tim Bull, who had requested an extra service to Melbourne to fill the six-hour gap between the 6.45am and 12.54pm departures.
Mr Bull, who had proposed a simple bus connection to a Traralgon train, said he was disappointed by the decision.
“I have had a number of representations from locals stating they want a service that leaves sometime between 8am and 10am,” Mr Bull said.
He received a response from Minister for Public Transport, Gabrielle Williams, stating “there are currently no plans to introduce an additional rail service and there are no immediate plans to address this gap by introducing a coach service”.
Mr Bull criticised the government for committing billions to city rail projects while a simple bus service for Bairnsdale was denied.
“This government needs to realise much of regional Victoria sits outside Ballarat, Bendigo and Geelong,” he said.
The news comes as the State Government announced the completion of the Gippsland Line Upgrade, which will bring some benefits to Bairnsdale passengers.
From Sunday, September 14, the existing Sunday Sale services will be extended to start and end in Bairnsdale, providing a welcome additional travel option for weekend commuters and visitors.
The upgrade project, funded by the state and federal governments, enables more than 80 extra weekly services across the Gippsland line, primarily through infrastructure improvements at Traralgon and Morwell.
Minister for Transport Infrastructure, Gabrielle Williams, said the upgrade will “change the way people travel across eastern Victoria for the better”.
The broader Gippsland line will see significant timetable improvements, the extension of the Sunday service is the primary direct benefit for Bairnsdale. The new train and coach timetables are now available on the V/Line website.
