Victorian Election 2018: Labor pledge $340 million to replace trains on Geelong and Ballarat lines

THE state’s Public Transport Minister says she is confident an election promise to roll out new trains would go a long way to fixing woes on the Geelong line.

Jacinta Allan, Lisa Neville, Premier Daniel Andrews, and Christine Couzens at Geelong station. Picture: Alison Wynd

THE state’s Public Transport Minister says she is confident an election promise to roll out new trains would go a long way to fixing woes on the Geelong line.

Jacinta Allan announced yesterday Labor would spend $340 million to replace old trains on the Geelong and Ballarat lines, if it wins the state election.

The investment would see 54 VLocity carriages built to make up to 18 new three-car trains, but Ms Allan has not said how many will specifically go to the Geelong line.

It comes as new figures reveal 177 trains were cancelled on the Geelong line last month.

The statistic continues a horror period for V/Line, which has cancelled 1155 trains on the line since the start of the year.

In comparison, only 201 trains were cancelled in 2017.

Ms Allan said replacing the old trains would be a “massive boost” to the reliability of services to Geelong and Ballarat.

“While the Classic fleet comprises only 40 per cent of our regional train fleet, it accounts for a whopping 68 per cent of faults,” she said.

“The new fleet is expected to deliver 50 per cent less faults leading to less cancellations and late trains on the Geelong and Ballarat lines — giving a big boost to reliability and punctuality too.”

RELATED: V/Line Geelong line ’crisis’ forcing commuters to consider career changes

Labor’s pledge follows a Coalition promise to spend $633 million on ordering 16 new six-carriage trains for regional routes.

Opposition public transport spokesman David Davis accused Labor of playing catch-up, while taking a swipe at the Government for recent issues on the Geelong line.

“The V/Line service is an absolute shambolic disgrace,” Mr Davis said.

“The Government cannot be trusted to deliver for V/Line. People’s lives are being turned upside down because of the decrease in punctuality and the massive surge in cancellations on the Geelong line.

“Daniel Andrews and his absolutely incompetent transport minister should hang their heads in shame.”

Originally published as Victorian Election 2018: Labor pledge $340 million to replace trains on Geelong and Ballarat lines