Train disruptions continue

Public transport commuters between Gippsland and Melbourne will continue to face longer travel times for another fortnight in the latest planned disruptions to train services.

Road coaches have replaced V/Line trains between the city and Pakenham since last Wednesday and will continue to do so until June 15 due to level crossing removals between Caulfield and Dandenong.

Coaches will be used for the entire journey on the weekend of June 16 and 17 as well as some evening services from June 18 to 21.

A statement released by Public Transport Minister Jacinta Allan and Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing on Wednesday alerted travellers that longer journeys could take up to 90 minutes extra than regular V/Line train services at peak times and up to 60 minutes longer during off-peak times.

Express coaches at peak times running between Warragul and Drouin and Parliament station in the city, trialled during the previous disruption, would operate again.

Those coaches would provide free Wi-Fi services for passengers to connect to the internet.

Express and semi-express coaches would also operate for passengers travelling to and from Rosedale, Sale, Stratford and Bairnsdale until June 17.

Passengers wanting to travel to metropolitan stations between Pakenham and Dandenong and and Southern Cross and Caulfield will need to connect with Metro services that will continue to operate.

Committee for Gippsland chief executive officer Sophie Morrell, in her first week in the job last week, was fielding plenty of complaints about replacement buses.

Major issues were Pakenham commuters getting on the V/Line replacement buses at that station and no express coaches from the Latrobe Valley stations – Traralgon, Morwell and Moe – to Melbourne.

Passengers from those stations have to travel by train to Pakenham to catch coaches.

A valid myki card or paper ticket is required for travel on all replacement coach services.