Hansard debates

Mr NORTHE (Morwell) (00:19:18) — (13 276) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Public Transport, and the action I seek is for the minister to implement the same incentives and penalties for Metro Trains Melbourne that are currently in place regarding the punctuality of regional rail services. I seek this action because Gippsland rail services are regularly delayed due to metropolitan train services being given priority. The logical conclusion that one comes to is that the operator of Victoria's metropolitan train network simply gives priority to the metropolitan train services because they are highly incentivised to ensure that those services run on time. However, this is not the case for Gippsland rail services, and from the perspective of many Gippsland commuters we are the poor cousins.

Once again local communities have been in contact with me about this scenario. I was provided with an example of an incident that occurred just last Friday morning whereby a Frankston-bound train was given priority over a Traralgon-bound train at Flinders Street station. It appears the operators of V/Line services are continually ignored by Metro operators when it comes to these matters.

For Gippsland commuters a small delay can ultimately end up being a significant delay, and that is simply not fair. It is not fair on V/Line staff either. If it is good enough for Metro to receive incentives or penalties for their performance relating to metropolitan rail services, then the same should apply to regional rail services. Maybe this might see an improvement to Gippsland V/Line punctuality, which has long suffered from the title of being the worst-performing line in regional Victoria.

An article in the Herald Sun of 13 September referred to the fact that punctuality targets for Metro had been lifted from 88 per cent to 92 per cent, but there is no notion of what impact that has had on regional rail services, including the Gippsland rail services. Metro can basically benefit by up to $15 million per year from the performance of the metropolitan rail services, but there is absolutely nothing with respect to regional rail services. I call upon the minister to implement the same incentives and penalties for Metro when we are talking about Gippsland rail services.