Council
23 January, 2026
Chaos on the train lines
IN the wake of the state government’s announced free train travel across summer, Member for South West Coast Roma Britnell has called for more carriages on the Warrnambool line.
“The government is busy congratulating itself on offering free train travel on weekends while passengers on the Warrnambool line are left standing, pushed onto buses or unable to travel at all,” Ms Britnell said.
Ms Britnell called on the state government to urgently increase capacity by adding extra carriages and to stop prioritising “headline grabbing announcements” over proper planning.
“We don’t need gimmicks, we need a transport system that works, is safe, and is planned properly.
“The government has added a service without adding the carriages needed to support it. A three-carriage train on a heavily used regional line is completely inadequate, and the state government knows it.”
Ms Britnell said she had repeatedly called for six-carriage trains to be deployed to meet demand, ensure passengers can be seated, and prevent unsafe overcrowding.
“I have been warning for months, most recently in parliament late November, that demand is outstripping supply and that standing passengers on regional trains is dangerous,” she said.
“The warnings were ignored and I heard of several instances of poor planning which has caused serious safety concerns.”
Ms Britnell she said she knows of one commuter who recently booked on a Sunday to travel to Melbourne on an unreserved service only to discover, on arrival, that the three carriages were already full.
“Passengers were then told a bus had been arranged for excess passengers – but one was also full, so V/Line had to put on a second bus to Geelong.
“It’s just so poor that people can’t even travel to Melbourne on a train. If services are being so heavily booked, why aren’t more carriages added?
“This kind of chaos is not only unsafe, it leaves a terrible impression on tourists visiting our region.”
For more information on this weekend’s event contact David on 0439 715 220, Terry 0309 775 212 or Brian 0448 711 476.
This is strictly a cash-only event so please arrive prepared.
