The Wangaratta deputy mayor sent a shot directly at the Victorian government at Tuesday's council meeting for putting commuters’ health at risk by allowing the service between Albury and Melbourne to deteriorate.

“Some of the bean counters in the bureaucracy, I challenge them –  they should really should explain why they continue in their positions,” he said.

“After personally experiencing some of the delays, having to come back from Melbourne by bus, it beggars belief why this iconic infrastructure has got to this situation.

“In my family’s history of 100 years, I don’t think I’ve ever heard my forebears talk about the dilemmas where this railway is situated now.

“You’ve got no hope of understanding whether you’re going to get on the train or not.

“Even the taxi drivers in Melbourne more commonly ask you the question, ‘where do you want to go - the terminal for the bus or the terminal for the platform?’.”

Wangaratta, Wodonga, Albury and Benalla councils joined with the Border Rail Action Group to lobby the Victorian government together.

Wangaratta development services director Barry Green said the group’s Hume Corridor Passenger Rail Study Report “considers the economic losses that are incurred by the municipalities because of the lack of quality train services”.

Councillors voted unanimously to accept the report and continue advocating for a better train service, but Cr Benton said the report could have been “more vigorous in its intent”.

.Cr Dave Fuller agreed and congratulated everyone involved in the report.

“Hopefully we can get some quicker resolution on this topic because it’s probably about 10 years overdue,” he said.

The report found “the sub-standard services between Albury and Melbourne are limiting socioeconomic benefits”, but passenger numbers could lift by 75 per cent if issues were addressed and lead to a total of $12.7 million travel cost savings by communities.