OUR GHOST TRAIN

A GEELONG “ghost” train has disappeared from service about once a week for the past eight months due to sick V/Line staff and other network faults.

Since November the 3.10pm Southern Cross to South Geelong train has been cancelled or its route altered 31 times, with staff sickness making up the bulk of cancellations (20).

Other trains scheduled at this time on the Geelong line have been cancelled due to maintenance requirements, driver training and a train fault.

V/Line CEO James Pinder said the high frequency of Geelong trains gave the rail operator “flexibility” to cancel trains.

“Our aim is to run all services as per the timetable, but the high frequency of Geelong trains gives us greater flexibility to make service changes, such as cancelling a train with lower patronage, to protect other services that carry more passengers on the same corridor,” Mr Pinder said. “We are running more services, more often to Geelong with trains every 10 to 15 minutes during the peak and 20 minutes in the off-peak on weekdays.

“Less than 1 per cent of Geelong line services are cancelled due to staff sickness each year.”

Earlier this year the Geelong Advertiser revealed that 52 trains in February and March were cancelled or altered due to staff sickness.

Mr Pinder said V/Line was working to recruit more than 80 drivers with a further 70 currently in training.

The 3.10pm service to South Geelong is one of three Geelong trains departing Southern Cross Station each weekday between 3pm and 4pm.

Public transport adviser for the former Liberal state government Edmund Carew called on Auditor-General Andrew Greaves to consider a performance audit of V/Line’s maintenance contract and staff sickness issues.

“Since June 26, the ghost train has been