More train chaos
Gippsland train travellers are facing more major disruptions with road coaches replacing V/line trains for more than a fortnight starting late this month.
The State government has announced that from March 30 until April 15 V/Line trains will not run on services to and from Traralgon and Bairnsdale and will be replaced by coaches for the entire journey.
The announcement advises passengers to allow for an extra 60 minutes travel time and as much as 90 minutes during peak times.
It will be another major inconvenience to commuters that have endured numerous cancellations of train services due to level crossing removals and installation of new signalling on the metropolitan section of the rail network between Dandenong and Caulfield.
The most recent were last Saturday and Sunday when all trains services between Melbourne and Gippsland destinations were replaced with road coaches due to the metropolitan works as well as track works in Gippsland.
Additionally, many services late at evenings have been replaced with road travel on a number of days this year.
Further ahead, from April 29 to May 1, buses will replace trains from 8pm onwards each day between the city and Caulfield and Oakleigh.
Premier Daniel Andrews said the government would begin a “six-week road and rail construction blitz” across the metropolitan area from next Friday.
Member for Narracan Gary Blackwood said the government had not provided any details of how the works will benefit Gippsland commuters in the long term and left many wondering if they are worth the delays.
He said that in January and February there were line closures, service disruptions or train cancellations on one of every two days.
There has been no offer from the government of compensation or fare reductions for travellers which, Mr Blackwood said, was one to repair the damage that is being done.
The replacement of trains with road coaches last weekend caused people to rethink and possibly cancel travel plans to major events; such as Gippslanders that were considering going to Melbourne for the Moomba celebrations and others that might have been interested in being at Moe on Saturday for the AFL pre-season match between Footscray and Collingwood.