Cheaper trains, more often under Labor election pledge

LABOR would cap daily regional rail fares at the same rate as metropolitan services under a $1 billion election commitment.

Premier Daniel Andrews unveiled the pledge on Wednesday at Ballarat, which would cap daily travel on V/Line services at $9.20 for a full fare and $4.60 for concession passengers in a permanent change starting in March next year.

Commuters who travel with myki Pass would also have daily travel fares at the Melbourne rate of $5.52 a day.

Current peak travel fares can cost up to $27.60 for a return trip between Geelong and Melbourne, or triple the cost of the proposed daily cap.

The commitment follows a pledge last month from the Liberal Party to slash fares in half and provide free travel for replacement bus V/Line services.

Labor’s investment would also deliver more VLocity trains to regional networks and add close to 200 more weekend services on major train lines.

The party would order 23 new trains if re-elected, with the first set to carry its first passengers in 2024.

Trains would also run every 20 minutes on the Geelong line from 8am to 9pm on weekends and are also due to have five services an hour at peak times once the South Geelong to Waurn Ponds Duplication project wraps up in the same year.

Labor said its pledge was designed to tackle cost-of-living pressure, support local jobs and improve regional services.

“That’s a pretty significant saving, plus there’s extra services and there’s additional trains,” Mr Andrews said.

“It’s fantastic for jobs, great for that rolling stock industry, and having that local capability so we don’t have to import trains is really important to us.

“It means more money in people’s pockets, that’s obviously a good outcome, and it’s about fairness.

“Why should you have to pay more just because you live in regional Victoria?

$9.20 is what we pay in Melbourne, and V/Line should be identical.”