TRAIN services to and from Swan Hill could eventually run five times daily under the State Government’s new public transport strategy for regional Victoria unveiled this week.
The plan also proposes extra passing loops and track and signalling upgrades on the Swan Hill line to allow for higher speeds, more trains and more freight.
The government also announced it would soon begin plans to increase capacity on the Bendigo line to be able to run services every 20 minutes during peak times and every 40 minutes during daytime hours and in the evenings.
But Member for Murray Plains Peter Walsh said the government failed to identify new funding to deliver on its recommendations.
Mr Walsh said while there was strong demand for track upgrades and an extra train service later in the day, no money was allocated in the budget to address these concerns.
V/Line has faced scrutiny this year after a series of faults on its regional rail services pulled trains off the tracks, and Mr Walsh said the new plan did not resolve the V/Line crisis.
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