Article: V/Line chief slams rail upgrade plans

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From the Herald Sun click here!

V/Line chief slams rail upgrade plans

V/Line chief slams rail upgrade plans
Article from: Herald Sun

Ashley Gardiner

August 10, 2009 12:00am

A SENIOR transport official has delivered a stinging attack on his own Government's major blueprint to improve train services.

In a blunt warning, V/Line has said the State Government's proposed fix for the transport system is inadequate.

The frank assessment is contained in a confidential briefing to the Department of Transport, seen by the Herald Sun.

In the report, V/Line chief executive Rob Barnett warns that the promised 20 new V/Line trains would not be enough.

"This is insufficient to meet our growth requirements and will not allow the retirement of any significant numbers of loco-hauled fleet in the next 10 years," the report says.

"This position is not sustainable."

Like Connex services, patronage on V/Line trains to the outer suburbs and country Victoria is booming.

Passenger numbers on the Ballarat, Bendigo and Geelong lines have soared 20 per cent in a year, and by 27 per cent on the Gippsland line.

Opposition transport spokesman Terry Mulder said the comments proved the State Government's priorities were wrong.

"There is one shareholder in V/Line, and that's the Government," Mr Mulder said.

"It's damning, given the criticism is coming from inside government itself."

Mr Mulder said V/Line's warning was bad news for commuters.

"This will mean, in regional Victoria in particular, people will be left stranded on platforms," Mr Mulder said.

A V/Line spokeswoman said the organisation was happy with the proposed government investment in the short to medium term.

But V/Line's long-haul locomotive-hauled trains were about 50 years old and should be retired in about 10 years, she said.

"This is our way of flagging with government we're going to require that down the track," the spokeswoman said.

State government spokeswoman Rebecca Harrison said $1.5 billion had been spent on restoring and upgrading the regional rail network.

"The Victorian Transport Plan provides for an additional 20 new rail carriages," Ms Harrison said.

"We believe this is sufficient to meet current and future demand for services."

[ozbob]

There are some very significant observations and lessons in this article for all governments!