Ms TIERNEY (Western Victoria) — The results are in: Geelong train commuters are the unhappiest in the whole state of Victoria. On numerous occasions in this place I have raised the issues facing Geelong public transport users, whether those be overcrowded car parks at Geelong stations, dilapidated facilities at stations such as North Shore and Corio, the consistently late arrival of V/Line services or train overcrowding. The government has been made aware of all of them.
The latest indication that the government is failing Geelong commuters is the recent RACV On Track survey, which has shown that only 6 per cent of commuters are happy with the service. Any business with an approval rating of 6 per cent from its customer base would cease to exist if it did not change its ways. Yet this government continues to ignore the problems.
Geelong commuters reported the most overcrowding in the state, and were the second-most vocal about the consistent lateness of V/Line services. This survey is yet another wake-up call for a government that just buries it head in the sand when it is called on to do some work.
The Napthine government will say that it is investing in the Grovedale train station, but the truth is that the member for South Barwon in the Assembly, Andrew Katos, and the Napthine government will provide only 200 car parks for the station, which will be full on its first day of use. This government has not provided money for upgrading the existing stations and there are no new services, yet $8 billion is being tipped into a hole in Melbourne, which gives nothing to Geelong commuters.