The Nationals' Member for Ovens Valley, Tim McCurdy, said the commitment would deliver much-needed additional capacity for passengers travelling between Albury, Wodonga, Wangaratta, Seymour and Melbourne.
Under the plan, five additional V/Line VLocity sets, providing 1,110 seats overall, will be allocated to Seymour and Albury to run longer trains with more seats during busier periods.
The additional sets will be used multiple times every day, helping to reduce overcrowding and provide greater capacity for passengers across the North East.
“Anyone who regularly catches the train along the North East line knows how frustrating it can be when services are packed and there simply aren’t enough seats,” Mr McCurdy said.
“Our communities have been crying out for better train services, and this plan delivers more seats and more capacity on the services people rely on every day.
“Whether you are travelling to Melbourne for work, school, healthcare or to visit family, you deserve a train service that works around your life; not one that forces you to plan your life around the timetable.
“North East Victoria is growing, and our public transport needs to grow with it.”
The Liberals and Nationals’ plan will introduce new hybrid electric trains on the Melton and Wyndham Vale lines, freeing up 25 three-car V/Line VLocity sets to be redeployed across the regional network.
Mr McCurdy said the plan represented a significant investment in regional Victoria.
“Regional Victoria deserves its fair share, and under a Liberals and Nationals Government, we will direct 25 per cent of infrastructure spending to regional Victoria, up from the current 12 per cent.
“This is about delivering practical improvements that people in our region will actually feel, more trains, more seats and better connections.
“We have a plan to change that and make sure regional communities get the reliable public transport they deserve.”
