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Daniel Andrews’ secret plan to dismantle V/Line

Secret plan to swallow up country rail services into the struggling metropolitan PTV system

By Portal Admin - 8th July 2018 - Back to News

Daniel Andrews and his failed Public Transport Minister, Jacinta Allan, must come clean on their secret plan to swallow up country rail services into the struggling metropolitan PTV system.

The Andrews Labor Government has appointed Jeroen Weimar, CEO of Public Transport Victoria (PTV) to the role of V/Line Board Chairman from 1 July.

Quotes attributable to Shadow Minister for Regional Victoria and Decentralisation Peter Walsh

Only a Premier for Melbourne would orchestrate the takeover of our country rail services by Melbourne-focused bureaucrats.

Our regional communities want their rail services strengthened, not swallowed up by a cityfocused administration that is preoccupied solving Melbourne’s commuter crush.

As Transport Minister, Jacinta Allan recently tried to take over and centralise bus services and only failed because private bus operators fought back against a raw deal that would have disadvantaged country communities.

Now its revealed Daniel Andrews and Jacinta Allan also have a secret plan for centralising our country rail services.

It’s time for Labor to come clean and tell us exactly what they are planning for our rail services because Regional Victoria can’t afford any more dud deals from the Premier for Melbourne.

Quotes attributable to Shadow Minister for Public Transport David Davis

Make no mistake, Daniel Andrews and his Public Transport Minister, Jacinta Allan, are beginning the process of destroying V/Line, Victoria’s country rail operator.

Not content with smashing its performance, they are now putting in an urban Board Chair with clear riding instructions to make V/Line fit the Metro mould.

How will Mr Weimar deal with this clear conflict of interest when the priority of Metro trains conflict with country rail – V/Line – services? Whose side will he take?

The fear is that Metro services will repeatedly override country trains.

Background: Victoria’s Rail Performance

Daniel Andrews’ city-centric government has crushed country rail performance since coming to government on almost every measure. The performance on country rail has collapsed since November 2014.

• Punctuality has reached the lowest level in over five years and one of the lowest levels on record across the V/Line network.
• Punctuality is far below that achieved in 2014 (79.3% vs 90.8% Nov 2014).
• Nearly 10 times as many services were cancelled in May (335) across the V/Line system than in Nov 2014 (36).
• The 92% target for punctuality has never been achieved over the last 4 years under Labor.

• Punctuality well below 2014 – 90% in May 2018 vs 94.3% in November 2014.
• Punctuality fell to second lowest level in the last four years in May 2018.
• Punctuality continues to trend down since 2014.
• Punctuality is below the 92% target on 12 of the 16 metro lines.
• Labor is running over 3,000 less services on time in May 2018 across the Metro system than the previous Coalition Government did in November 2014.

Source: www.gippsland.com

Published by: support@gippsland.com