V/Line’s on right track
Patronage, reliability on rise
THE Geelong rail line has recorded its busiest 12 months on record, new V/Line figures reveal.
More than 7.7 million passengers rode the line during the 2016-17 financial year, with that record expected to soon be broken as 74 extra services are introduced in seven weeks.
V/Line chief executive James Pinder said that the regional rail service’s presence was “growing with the region”.
“The good news is that as more people travel on the line, we’re introducing extra services and more trains to help meet the demand,” Mr Pinder said.
“We’ll continue to look at ways to improve the performance of our trains, as we deliver important improvements across the entire network.”
V/Line also broke punctuality records last month, coming in with the best performance results for the line since October 2016.
Almost 90 per cent of Geelong-line trains arrived on time in June — a five-point increase compared with May.
The result was higher than the V/Line network average of 84.6 per cent of services delivered on time.
Mr Pinder said V/Line was “thrilled” with the result.
“We’re thrilled that more of our passengers arrived at their destination on time in June, and it is something we aim for each month,” he said.
The results came as planning work begins on duplication of the rail line between South Geelong to Waurn Ponds.
It’s believed the final upgrade will include a second “We’ll continue to look at ways to improve the performance of our trains.” platform and pedestrian overpass at Waurn Ponds station.
The first stage of the “Surf Coast rail” project was locked in during June, when the Andrews Government confirmed $110 million of commonwealth funding towards the project.
It came as part of almost $1.5 billion of federal cash for the Regional Rail Revival package, announced in the Victorian Budget in May.
The funding will also be used to reserve the rail corridor for a future spur line to Torquay, connecting the coast to the rail network for the first time.
V/ LINE CHIEF JAMES PINDER