2016-11-18
Victorian Greens transport spokesperson Samantha Dunn has called for the Transport Minster to explain what she is doing to fix the problems crippling V/Line on the Warrnambool and Echuca lines.
“These constant failures aren’t acceptable. This is the third outage this year for V/Line,” said Samantha Dunn, Greens Spokesperson for Transport.
“Victorians spent 6 months riding on replacement coaches after a similar boom gate incident in January. Then there was a collision with a truck on a level crossing on the Warrnambool Line in July, which injured 19 people,” said Samantha Dunn, Greens Spokesperson for Transport.
“Residents in regional and rural Victoria need to be sure that the train system is safe. Costly incidents like this shutdown will keep happening unless the State Government comes up with a plan to fix the problems across the regional rail network.
“The warning signs have been there for years that there is underinvestment in maintenance and operation of the V/Line network. The 2011 V/Line Strategic Plan noted these problems would happen unless the investment deficit was made up.
“Consecutive Labor and Coalition Governments have penny-pinched on Victoria’s transport system, and these cancellations are the direct result. The Greens are the only party that have repeatedly called for proper funding of V/Line’s Strategic Plan” said Ms Dunn.