Trains to ease rail squeeze

Jessica Benton
Extra carriages would help cut crowding on Geelong rail services, Premier John Brumby announced yesterday.
Mr Brumby said State Government would buy nine new three-carriage V/Locity train sets and add an extra carriage to the existing fleet to increase space for passengers.
The new high-speed V/Locity sets were the “centrepiece” of a $236 million package to boost capacity on the state’s regional rail network, he said.
Overcrowding on Geelong services has forced commuters to stand or bring their own seats for the trip to Melbourne. V/Line has counted record monthly passenger levels this year as high petrol prices and traffic congestion force more Geelong commuters onto Melbourne-bound trains.
Mr Brumby said the Government funding would pay for 28 new V/Locity train sets to services for Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo and Traralgon from next month.
The new sets were on top of an existing order for 22 V/Locity carriages to meet projected growth on regional rail services, he said.
“It’s great to see people voting with their feet in our rail services but it has created crowding on the popular fast-rail corridors…particularly during the week.”
However, a spokesperson for Public Transport Minister Lynne Kosky said V/line had yet to determine how many of the new train sets and extra carriages would service the Geelong line.