By MICHELLE HERBISON
RACV will undertake the region’s 13th transport-related study, citing a “misconception” the automobile organisation focuses only on roads.
Public transport and mobility manager Thanuja Gunatillake said the RACV On Track survey would target train users state-wide, aiming to improve timetables, overcrowding, service reliability, safety, station amenities and parking.
The online survey adds to 12 transport-related studies under way in the region, including by G21 Geelong Alliance, GHD Consultants, Aecom Consultants and VicRoads.
The Independent reported last week that Geelong’s council would spend $150,000 on an integrated comprehensive transport plan to provide a “transportation framework” for the municipality, accounting for walking, cycling, public transport, cars and freight.
RACV spokesperson Thanuja Gunatillake said the organisation supported people who used all modes of transport.
“There’s the perception by a lot of people that we’re fundamentally about roads and infrastructure but that’s certainly not the case.”
Ms Gunatillake said RACV wanted to “be part of the solution” as metropolitan and regional rail services grew.
Greens leader Greg Barber last week hit out at V/Line for failing to meet its April reliability target of 92 per cent on the Geelong and Warrnambool lines.
V/Line’s Geelong punctuality figure for April was 80.4 per cent, with Warrnambool at 85.6 per cent.
Mr Barber said V/Line’s reliability had a “continuous trajectory of decline basically since Public Transport Minister Terry Mulder took over”.
“When V/Line was just a service for people going on holidays and visiting the grandkids, punctuality and reliability didn’t matter that much. Now it’s a serious commuter service between Geelong and Melbourne and they should be aiming for 100 per cent reliability and punctuality,” Mr Barber said.
“There’s a whole series of different excused they’ll give but it’s the same set of excuses every month. I say, ‘Fix it’.”
Mr Mulder blamed a fifth of V/Line’s April delays on sharing tracks with Metro trains.
“Geelong and Warrnambool’s trains will further improve once the Regional Rail Link opens in 2016 because V/Line trains will no longer share tracks between Werribee and Southern Cross as is the case at present,” he said.
“To build a new railway such as the Werribee West to Deer Park line through Tarneit, safety must be maintained.”
