Tuesday 9 February 2016
Public Transport Minister Jacinta Allan has added to the misery of regional Victorians by admitting in Parliament that the V/Line crisis is costing taxpayers $300 000 a day in replacement buses.
At the same time it was revealed through a Parliamentary inquiry today that the cause of the wheel-wear problems plaguing V/Line won’t be known until the end of March while timetables won’t be back to normal until mid-year at the earliest.
Leader of The Nationals Peter Walsh said the revelations would rub salt in the wounds of regional commuters.
“After everything they have gone through – train cancellations overcrowding replacement buses signalling faults wheel wear – to find out it’s costing taxpayers $300 000 per day is a slap in the face for regional Victorians “ Mr Walsh said.
“That’s $300 000 every day that could be better spent providing a better train service or fixing up our ageing schools repairing dangerous potholes on our roads or improving our hospitals.
“Just like the $1.1 billion wasted on not building the East West Link we are seeing more money going down the drain under Daniel Andrews and Jacinta Allan’s watch.”
Mr Walsh said rural and regional Victorians needed some real answers on the V/Line crisis.
“Regional Victorians are sick and tired of excuses. If Jacinta Allan can’t fix the train mess then Daniel Andrews should step in and take over “ Mr Walsh said.