LIberals reject portrayal of North East rail line in annual report

Matthew Guy has slammed V/Line's Albury line service, pointing to deficiencies with the VLocity trains.

His criticism was prompted by last week's release of the Victorian Department of Transport's 2022-23 annual report.

It stated that "passengers on the North East line are experiencing faster, smoother journeys with the launch of a new timetable in August 2022, which benefits from major track works and new trains".

Mr Guy and his Liberal Party colleague and Wodonga MP Bill Tilley believe that depiction does not reflect reality.

"Limited buffet services, no sunshades or curtains in summer, reduced seating per carriage and the ever-present threat of line speed downgrades are making Victoria's North East line the problem child of the regional rail network," Mr Guy said.

"Border residents travel some of the longest rail distances in Australia without a proper buffet service.

"Border residents face scorching summer days with no sunshades or curtains, the only long-distance trains in Australia without them.

"They face rail trips of almost four hours with no reclining seats."

Mr Tilley said it was a "disgrace" the Victorian government was investing in a suburban rail loop in Melbourne "yet they can't provide a cup of tea or a Mars bar for border residents on many new VLocity services".

"Labor just don't give a stuff about country Victoria, it's that simple," Mr Tilley said.

"If we had trams, maybe they'd care, but it's astonishing the new Labor Premier refuses to provide basic levels of comfort to country travellers like a sunshade or a reclining seat.

Mr Tilley also said the Australian Rail Track Corporation and government were "locked in a dispute about rail line funding that could see the passenger train maximum speed lowered from 130 km/h to 80 km/h".

The office of Transport Infrastructure Minister responded to Border Mail questions, prompted by the Opposition, in broad terms.

"We've invested more than any Victorian Government in history to transform the regional rail network - upgrading every line in the state, adding more trains and services, reducing journey times and saving regional Victorians millions through the fare cap," a government spokesman said.

"We won't take lectures from Matthew Guy and Victorian Liberal Nationals who just last year said they would cut critical rail projects for regional Victoria."

"In 2021 we introduced modern VLocity trains to the Albury line following the completion of the North East line upgrade reducing journey times and improving the reliability of services."

Staffing issues have been cited for the lack of buffet services, while the concerns with curtains went unaddressed.

The ARTC confirmed it was still seeking a deal with the Victorian government, but there are no plans to reduce the maximum train speed limit of 130kmh/h.

"ARTC operates under commercial principles and would require a contribution from the Victorian government, as the operator of passenger services, to maintain the line at a class two standard," a spokeswoman said.

"In the interim, ARTC has committed additional funding to keep performance standards of the line.

"ARTC continues to engage with the Victorian Government on funding of maintenance of the line in the medium to long term."

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