A TWO-year trial of VLocity trains and honest timetables are among suggestions to improve the Border’s V/Line rail service.
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The proposals were made at a Wodonga forum on Wednesday night which sought roundtable feedback on a new public transport plan for regional Victoria.
The troubled V/Line service dominated talk at the two-hour brainstorming session which saw about 60 participants identify problems and solutions.
The VLocity and timetable ideas were flagged as ways of improving rolling stock on the North East line.
A call was also made to have Albury to Melbourne trips take three hours in the short term, two hours in the medium term and one hour in the long term.
Concerns with the service centred on reliability, punctuality, cleanliness of carriages and taxi connections.
The isolation of Wodonga’s railway station and transport links to it were also raised.
Wodonga Mayor Rodney Wangman joined fellow councillors Mike Fraser, Eric Kerr and John Watson in making suggestions.
Cr Wangman spoke of a lack of toilets on board trains, while Cr Kerr raised transport from Wodonga CBD to the rail station.
Councillors Barb Murdoch and Jenny O’Connor (Indigo) and Mary Fraser (Towong) and Victorian Greens leader Greg Barber also came with Indi MP Cathy McGowan tuning into sections from Canberra via Skype.
Mount Beauty resident Sarah Gamble, who commutes to Melbourne for work as a HR manager, said she was passionate about better rail.
“Four hours to Melbourne – in Europe you can do that distance in one hour,” Ms Gamble said.
“My grandmother grew up in Wangaratta and she caught the train we ride on now.
“We need a long term solution and new trains, that would make me really happy.”
Border Rail Action Group chairman Bill Traill believed Wednesday night’s event was a success.
“I can only judge it by the table I was at and there was constructive enthusiasm about the trains issue and a lot of issues that were discussed were relevant,” Mr Traill said.
“If people are interested that equals pressure to remedy the obvious deficiencies.”
The event was the third workshop in the North East this week with others in Wangaratta and Benalla.
Feedback will be on Public Transport Victoria’s website within a month and a draft regional transport plan is due to be presented to the Victorian Transport Minister by October 30.
