Buses have replaced trains along the Gippsland line two-thirds of the time since the start of 2023, confirming the region is a train desert under the Allan Labor Government.
Shadow Minister for Roads, Danny O’Brien, analysed V/Line announcements on social media and calculated buses had replaced trains on 416 out of 639 days – 65% – between January 2023 and September 2024.
Labor earlier refused to answer Mr O’Brien’s question about the number of days buses had replaced trains on the Gippsland line, leaving him to trawl through V/Line announcements on X/Twitter instead.
The Nationals’ Member for Morwell, Martin Cameron, said Latrobe Valley and regional Victoria had been left behind while resources are directed to cost blowouts on Melbourne projects.
“For seven long years we have been promised improved services under the Gippsland Rail Revival Project, but our services are going backwards while Labor blows billions on the Suburban Rail Loop,” he said.
“It’s no joke to say that Gippslanders check to see if a train might be replacing their regular bus service, and they have frankly had a gutful.
“When trains aren’t running in the Latrobe Valley, commuters must travel by bus to East Pakenham and walk over 100 metres without cover to the train station.
“This is a huge barrier for people with mobility issues and the elderly, and many people tell me they struggle to get from the bus to the station before the train departs.
“The most frustrating aspect is that most of the time the disruptions have occurred due to works in Melbourne like level crossing removals that offer no benefit for us at all.
“There is no end in sight for the Gippsland Regional Rail Revival and while the saga drags on it delays other critical projects like safety works at the dangerous Bank Street intersection that are dependent on upgrades to railway signalling.
“This government has spent more than $40 billion in cost blowouts on mega city transport projects, but we cannot get them to cast an eye east of Pakenham where our roads and train services have been abandoned.
“Labor can’t manage money, can’t manage our transport system, and Victorians are paying the price.”
