Delays, cancellations and a lack of carriages are being experienced by V/Line travellers on a daily basis.
In response to such concerns, the Seymour Train-line Action Group was formed on Facebook seven years ago and is filled with unimpressed train users.
One such user is Samantha McCormack, who joined the group at its inception.
Samantha, who is from Clonbinane, gets on the line at the Heathcote Junction Station three times a week.
She said she had been using the service for around 17 years, and really started to notice a difference when there was a change in trains.
“It was much better at the start — 17 years ago, it wasn’t too bad, it ran pretty well,” Samantha said.
“I think it was when they got rid of those long trains, and then they replaced them with the sprinters, that’s when they cut them back to two carriages, and that’s when problems really started.
“It’s not enough carriages — by the time we depart Wallan, we’re already full.”
Samantha said a big problem was the age of the trains, that they were “old” and “always breaking down”, which could leave travellers stranded and with limited options to get home.
“There’s been a couple of occasions where the train has just broken down, and we’ve been told, ‘Make your own way home,’” she said.
“I mean, how do you do that?
“I’ve tried to ring a local taxi, and they’re not operating later in the day.
“There was one occasion where I actually had to get home with one of the other commuters’ wives, who came to pick her husband up, and he said to me, ‘That’s just not good enough.’”
With the state budget’s recent release, it was announced that services would be added to the Seymour line.
“Seymour line passengers will have more travel options during the busiest times of the day, with additional weekday peak services funded in the Victorian budget,” a government spokesperson said.
“Planning is also under way for more weekend services on the Seymour line as part of the Victorian Government’s commitment for almost 200 extra weekend services across the network.”
While this is welcome news, Samantha said the real issue was the need for four carriages rather than two.
“We need at least four carriages in peak time, especially on a weekend when there’s football and people are catching the train down for sports events,” she said.
“The other day, it was so crowded that there was a young girl who collapsed on the train.
“A lot of oldies also go down to get medical appointments, so, you know, they don’t need to be standing up crammed into a packed train.
“Two carriages? There’s not enough in those circumstances.”
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