Reliability in August was the best for 2017 at 98.8 per cent, beating two other services and the average for all.

It’s only the third time in the past 12 months the service has avoided coming in as least reliable.

V/Line chief executive James Pinder said punctuality also improved by 5.6 per cent, with 110 of the 143 Albury trains arriving on time.

“Reliability also improved … to 2.6 percentage points higher than the previous month,” he said.

“This is the highest reliability figure since December last year and exceeds the 96 per cent target for the third consecutive month.”

Mr Pinder said vandalism to track infrastructure was the main reason for delays to Albury line services last month.

Bill Traill of the Border Rail Action Group said the latest performance data had to be taken with a grain of salt, pointing out as recently as May, reliability was just 67.7 per cent.

“There can be no sustained improvement in reliability of service until the aged and fragile rolling stock is replaced; nor is there any commitment by the Victorian government to take such action on the North East corridor,” he said.

“Real commitment can only be judged by putting money on the table – that clearly hasn’t happened on our corridor.

“We will continue to put pressure on the state government, hoping they will abandon their mantra ‘When the track is finished, we’ll supply the rolling stock’ – that’s not a commitment, it’s a vague promise.”

Mr Traill said BRAG had celebrated achievements, working within a group formed with the relevant North East councils.

“We have had a visit from three high-level officials within the ARTC,” he said.

“It’s a big breakthrough and recognition the ARTC are prepared to establish contact with BRAG, among others, on the matter of track upgrades.”