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Govt backs off Gippsland train changes

Government plans to terminate Gippsland trains at Flinders Street instead of Southern Cross Station have been put on hold following an overwhelming backlash from the regional community and complaints aired in State Parliament.

By Kevin Balshaw - 16th October 2009 - Back to News

Government plans to terminate Gippsland trains at Flinders Street instead of Southern Cross Station have been put on hold following an overwhelming backlash from the regional community and complaints aired in State Parliament.

The Member for Eastern Victoria, Philip Davis, has received formal advice in Parliament from the Government that "a decision has not been made on this option" (to terminate trains at Flinders Street).

The response, from Public Transport Minister Lynne Kosky, to Mr Davis’ call in Parliament for all Gippsland trains to continue running through to Southern Cross, also includes the assurance: "No change to existing stopping patterns is likely before 2011 …"

Mr Davis said the Government’s backdown was welcome news for rail travelers from Bairnsdale, Sale and Traralgon.

He said Minister Kosky had attributed the deferral of a decision on the Gippsland rail timetable to the upcoming change in the private operators of Melbourne’s transport services.

But he said the real reasons were the Gippsland community’s resistance and that it was politically expedient for the Government to avoid controversy over the issue until after next year’s state election.

Mr Davis said the initial Government statements on the proposed change indicated that Gippsland trains would terminate at Flinders Street to help ease congestion on the metropolitan rail network, while all other country trains would continue running to Southern Cross.

The Government’s terminology had now changed and it was talking of an option that would affect only some Gippsland services during peak travel times.

The minister’s formal advice had raised hope, Mr Davis said, that the whole idea may be allowed to fade and the change will never be introduced.

Ms Kosky said in her response to Mr Davis: "… no decision will be made until further detailed timetable planning is undertaken between the Department of Transport, V/Line and the new metropolitan rail operator.

"Planning will include consideration of a staged introduction of any operational changes and will include measures to mitigate impacts on peak-period passengers between Flinders Street and Southern Cross Stations.

"No change to existing stopping patterns is likely before 2011 and commuters will be fully informed of any proposed timetable changes."

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: kevin.balshaw@parliament.vic.gov.au



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