A commuter backlash against train services to Bacchus Marsh continues more than two weeks after new Regional Rail Link timetables came into effect.
An online petition calling for more trains to Bacchus Marsh drew almost 500 signatures in a week.
The new rail link was supposed to free up capacity on both regional and metropolitan lines, but commuters are angry that fewer services run at Bacchus Marsh, Melton and Rockbank since new timetables were introduced on June 21.
Regular V/Line commuter Janelle Sheen created the petition, which she intends sending to parliamentarians and V/Line, after waiting 50 minutes for a train home from Melbourne.
“This is an ongoing issue and if we don’t all get on board and say, ‘This isn’t good enough’, nothing will get done,” Ms Sheen said. “A large percentage of the town’s workers and children use the train service to travel to work or school, to both Melbourne and Ballarat.”
Ms Sheen said trains were “overloaded like never before” during peak times, with people still waiting up to 70 minutes for their train.
V/Line spokeswoman Ebony Jordan said two new carriages had been added to the Ballarat line for peak hours, starting this week. Passenger capacity data is available at www.vline.com.au
The petition is at www.change.org, search: V/Line
