Passenger Rail

First VLocity rolls out from Refresh program

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Bombardier’s Dandenong workshop has finished refurbishment work on the first three-carriage VLocity train as part of Victoria’s $50 million refreshment program.

The VLocity Refresh program is refurbishing the interior of all 75 VLocity trains operating on the state’s regional network.

The trains are being fitted out with new carpets and seats, priority seating areas, more handrails and minor repairs as required. Automatic announcement technology will also be installed.

The state government says the program goes further than any previous refurbishments, and will bring the existing fleet up to the standard of the future VLocity fleet. It will also pave the way for nine-car VLocity trains to operate across the entire fleet.

Visiting Dandenong on July 8 to see the first three-car VLocity train roll out of Bombardier’s workshop, acting premier Lisa Neville noted more people than ever before were being moved by regional operator V/Line, with 22.3 million journeys recorded in FY19.

“With more V/Line passengers than ever before, there has never been a better time to upgrade our VLocity fleet to boost accessibility and comfort for passengers in regional Victoria and Melbourne’s west,” the acting premier said.

“These upgrades will not only improve the travel experience for regional Victorians, they’re supporting local jobs in Melbourne.”

Public transport minister Melissa Horne said the $50 million Refresh program was part of a big boost for regional rollingstock in Victoria. $340 million was announced in the 2019 budget for 18 new VLocity trains.

“We’re updating our existing regional train fleet and building more trains, trams and buses – getting more and more Victorians where they need to go and creating local jobs in the process,” Horne said.

“The millions of trips taken on V/Line every year will now be smoother and more comfortable than ever before.”

The VLocity Refresh program is set to be complete by late 2021.

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