The Victorian opposition has attacked the Andrews Labor government’s project to upgrade the Maryborough Line, claiming that train services could be returned to Dunolly “tomorrow”.
According to shadow public transport minister, David Davis, the government’s announcement last week that train services would be returned to Dunolly following a $130 million project to convert the existing broad-gauge track between Ballarat and Maryborough to dual gauge was merely “weasel words” and “smoke and mirrors”.
“If Daniel Andrews and Jacinta Allan wanted they could return passenger services from Maryborough to Dunolly tomorrow on the existing dual gauge connection,” Davis said.
“This is just a stunt without any actual outcome.”
The government’s Freight-Passenger Rail Separation Project, which is to separate broad-gauge passenger services from standard-gauge freight rail services, will also aim at potential increases in passenger train services to Ararat and Maryborough, and allow future passenger rail to Dunolly by retaining the line’s dual-gauge connection from Maryborough.
State transport minister Jacinta Allan visited Maryborough yesterday, and said the project would bring the line up to standard.
“We’ve listened to the Maryborough passengers and the community, and we’re working hard to ensure they get the transport services they deserve,” Allan said.
“We delivered extra services to Maryborough last year and there is more for passengers to look forward to, as we deliver the infrastructure to pave the way for more services.”
The Liberal Nationals opposition has said that the project proffered by the government is inadequate, and has committed $32 million to extend V/Line passenger services on the Maryborough line.
According to Liberal Ripon MP Louise Staley, the opposition policy will ensure services will return to not only Dunolly but to St Arnaud and Donald.
“Only a Guy government will ensure services will run all the way to Donald and upgrade all the stations along the way to bring more towns onto our country rail network,” she said. “We’ve committed the funding and it will be one of the first things we will do in a Guy government.”
The station at Dunolly is a bit delapidated. It would take six months to lay out the yellow line on the platform.
Realistically just a bus shelter will do, perhaps the same way they did Clunes and Creswick where a bus shelter opposite the heritage platform sufficed.
Not sure of the state of the Donald station building, if it’s not delapidated.
Love to see passenger services resumed to Donald.