Trains take a down turn

By Bridget Cook
CONGESTION on the Dandenong rail line was highlighted as a factor for the downgrading of the State Government’s report card on transport.
The Infrastructure Report Card, produced by Engineers Australia every five years, has seen Victoria’s overall rail network reduced from a C- to a D grade.
Local MP Gordon Rich-Phillips said the report highlighted something that he had been telling local commuters for years – that the state government has responded slowly to transport problems and has generally provided insufficient investment to address the problem.
“The Brumby Government’s failure to act means there is now no quick fix to Dandenong’s rail problems, as according to the report it takes a minimum of 3 years to manufacture, deliver and commission a new train,” Mr Rich-Phillips said.
“At this rate Dandenong commuters can only look forward to further delays, cancellations and overcrowding on trains that can’t run on days that are either too hot or too cold.”
A State Government spokesperson said that the report card failed to mention tens of billions of dollars of massive infrastructure projects delivered or underway in Victoria.
The statement said the Australian Bureau of Statistics reported recently that Victoria’s economy grew by four per cent last year, reflecting the record $11.5 billion investment on job-creating infrastructure.
“If Gordon Rich-Phillips wants to spend more money on infrastructure he needs to come clean on whether he will raise taxes or increase debt,” the statement said.
It said five new weekly train services were added in July 2009 by creating the 6.11am service from Dandenong. Also that 100 new weekly services were introduced to the Dandenong line in November 2008 and 30 in April 2008.