Seymour resident Janine Cole (front) shares the struggles she faces as a local commuter at a press conference at Seymour Train Station with (back, from left) Tallarook local Bernard Morris, Shadow Public Transport Minister Matthew Guy, State Member for Euroa Annabelle Cleeland and Victorian Opposition Leader Jess Wilson.
Photo by
Billie Davern
Victorian Opposition Leader Jess Wilson made a stop at Seymour Train Station on Thursday to speak on how her government’s latest election promise would benefit local commuters.
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Joined by State Member for Euroa Annabelle Cleeland and Shadow Public Transport Minister Matthew Guy on September 3, Ms Wilson was able to hear the first-hand experiences of disappointed travellers from the region.
Tallarook local Bernard Morris said the growing population across the Mitchell Shire was putting pressure on services like the Seymour and Albury lines.
“In the 25 odd years I’ve been travelling, my complaints are a lack of reliability and a lack of capacity,” he said.
He said unreliability was directly affecting his ability to access important appointments.
“Being left on the platform at Tallarook when you have a medical appointment in town is frustrating,” he said.
“When you miss a medical appointment, it can take weeks or months to get a new one.”
Under the coalition’s plan, the Albury line service would double from six trains per day to 12.
It would also see the addition of five, three-car Vlocity sets to the Seymour and Albury lines, redeployed from the Melton and Wyndham Vale lines, which would receive new hybrid electric trains.
A total of 25 Vlocity sets from these lines would be re-allocated to regional lines.
Victorian Opposition Leader Jess Wilson (front) shares plans to double Albury line trains from six services to 12, with Shadow Public Transport Minister Matthew Guy and State Member for Euroa Annabelle Cleeland.
Photo by
Billie Davern
“Our plan to get regional trains back into country Victoria is going to see thousands of extra seats added across the network every day,” Mr Guy said.
“Those trains should be running in country Victoria.”
Seymour resident Janine Cole welcomed the announcement, saying she recently travelled on a sprinter train packed with “hundreds” of people with her father, who experienced health concerns due to standing for long periods.
“I had to stand all the way to Donnybrook, and we had to actually ask people to move so my father could sit down,” she said.
“I’m really pleased with the announcement and I look forward to more seats and more trains.”
Ms Cleeland said she’d heard countless stories from people across the electorate about the impacts of a lack of train services, carriages and seats.
“One that resonates with me is a pregnant woman who couldn’t get off the train and she lost control of her bladder because she was stuck on the train,” she said.
“That was one that happened a few months ago that I think is just humiliating.
“(There’s) stories of people sitting on the floor and Janine’s father having health issues because he’s had to stand for long periods of time — you can ask anyone who lives locally and it’s had an impact on their life.”
Ms Wilson thanked Ms Cole and Mr Morris for “advocating for so long for a fair share for their local community”.
“By ensuring that we put suburban trains on suburban lines, we can return regional trains to regional Victoria, like right here on the Seymour and Albury lines,” she said.
“This will mean more trains, more seats, more capacity and more services between Seymour and the border — exactly what these communities want.
“As Bernard said, these are growing communities and they deserve the services to make sure that they can get to work, they can get to the city, they can get to their medical appointments and they can get home after the footy.”
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