V/Line
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Commuters call for more carriages
Victoria’s free public transport initiative has now been extended until the end of May but overcrowding has prevented many regional travellers from using it this month. Premier Jacinta Allen announced free travel across April in response to limited fuel supply and rising petrol prices, as war continues in the Middle East. On Sunday, the Premier…
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Don’t risk your life on the rail network
Victorians are being urged to be safe around trains and at level crossings, with more than 250 near hits with pedestrians and vehicles recorded on the V/Line network in the past 12 months. There were 194 near hits with pedestrians over the past year, up more than 55 per cent on last year. Of the…
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Push to connect South Kyneton
South Kyneton residents are calling for pedestrian and vehicle access improvements to be prioritised. Residents are seeking a safe pedestrian path to Kyneton Train Station and vehicle bridge over the Campaspe River from Edgecombe Street. Developer, Kyneton on Riverside, is leading a petition for the projects to be prioritised and has already gained hundreds of…
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Families disadvantaged
The recent capping of public transport fares has been celebrated by many in central Victoria, in particular individuals who regularly commute to Melbourne, but the new pricing structure has resulted in the eradication of the popular Family Saver Ticket, putting families travelling with young children at a disadvantage. Castlemaine resident Nina Trikojus told the Express…
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Ring in the new year with free travel
Metropolitan and regional trains, trams and buses will be free from 6pm tonight until 6am on New Year’s Day. V/Line travel within Victoria will also be free as well as on long-distance services arriving in Melbourne after 6pm New Year’s Eve. Free travel extends to the first V/Line service from Melbourne to any Victorian destination…
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Early morning anger: commuters speak out
Fed up Castlemaine commuters have slammed the early morning passenger train service to Bendigo as totally unreliable and are demanding answers from the state government and V/Line. Workers, students, apprentices and those unable to drive themselves are among many locals who say the 7.54am train service from Castlemaine is supposed to get them to Bendigo…
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'Near-miss' Maldon crossing upgrade begins
Work to improve the safety of a notorious railway crossing at Maldon begins this week, following a concerning series of near misses. The level crossing where the Maldon-Bendigo Road crosses the Victorian Goldfields Railway tourist railway is to be rebuilt to significantly enhance the safety of the crossing, the scene of several recent close calls…
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Growth groan – Riddell rail under pressure
Train users are feeling the squeeze of Riddells Creek’s service as commuters from outside the town descend to take advantage of cheaper fares, and service pressure is about to increase. It’s not uncommon for Gisborne, Macedon and Mount Macedon commuters to board at Riddells Creek to slash their fare, but impending population growth for the…
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Cruel Halloween prank
A cruel Halloween prank has left a V/Line train driver in distress. The driver of the 8.22pm Southern Cross to Epsom service reported striking an object hanging from an overhead bridge at Forrest Road, Malmsbury, at about 9.35pm on October 31. Police and emergency services attended and found the object was a dummy. The dummy…