Save the Gippsland Line

gippsland-line-2.jpg

 

Dear Daniel Andrews,

We the citizens and people of Gippsland do not agree with the recommendation that regional train services be terminated at Pakenham and our vulnerable, disabled and elderly be forced to change trains on their journey to Melbourne. Many of these people are the disadvantaged of our community, often seeking medical assistance & appointments in metropolitan medical centres that are not available in our region.

This change would also affect the bike tourists and young families who would also have difficulty with young children, prams and bikes changing trains to and from crowded metropolitan rail. The Gippsland area is being promoted as a great tourist region with economic benefits and as a way of overcoming the demise of the coal and timber mill industry and continual rail service is a must for this to succeed.

Other frequent users of the system are our people who work in the metropolitan centres and choose to live in the regional and rural areas here for the lifestyle and community opportunities that we have. The current system is unreliable and often runs late, this additional transfer and changeover time will add to the already overly long trip and decrease the reliability of the transport system to them, not to mention the additional time needed to be added to the start of the trip, getting up earlier, the changes in timetables that will be required etc.

We understand that the cost of upgrading the metropolitan system is a burden, but can Gippsland at least have the same standard as the other Victorian regions, that our Melbourne trains actually go to Melbourne, as they now do.

The Federal Minister for Infrastructure who is a resident here has promised his support in working with the state government to help sort the congestion problem.

We ask that you do not accept this part of the report from the citizens jury on face value and seek further consultation with the impacted communities and federal counterparts as you work towards an upgrading of the lines to at least the standard that the other Victorian Regions rail systems already have.

 

1,310 SIGNATURES
1,200 signatures

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Showing 948 reactions

  • Michelle Templeton
    signed 2016-08-08 17:49:00 +1000
  • Melissa Soutar
    posted about this on Facebook 2016-08-08 17:45:31 +1000
    A Melbourne train should go to Melbourne, why does the Gippsland regional line get substandard service recommended?
  • Mitchell Needham
    signed via 2016-08-08 17:44:21 +1000
  • Graeme Thomson
    signed 2016-08-08 17:36:25 +1000
    Get rid of these city centric political idiots. Especially Daniel Andrews
  • Ashley Barnes
    signed 2016-08-08 17:36:10 +1000
  • Rebecca hanning
    signed 2016-08-08 17:35:45 +1000
  • Josie Rose
    posted about this on Facebook 2016-08-08 17:33:23 +1000
    A Melbourne train should go to Melbourne, why does the Gippsland regional line get substandard service recommended?
  • Paula Page
    signed via 2016-08-08 17:25:41 +1000
  • Paris Fisher
    signed 2016-08-08 17:25:41 +1000
  • Kate Anderson
    signed 2016-08-08 17:24:27 +1000
  • Michelle Young
    signed 2016-08-08 17:20:10 +1000
    East Gippslanders already have to exit one train and then reboard another at Traralgon. Having to catch 3 trains on a 4 hour trip is ridiculous!


    Also I’m guessing the people who want to do this haven’t tried catching metro transport with luggage. Crowded trains, buses and trams are not designed for luggage and all those people.
  • Shelby Wulffers
    signed 2016-08-08 17:12:43 +1000
  • Molly Ross
    signed 2016-08-08 17:11:33 +1000
  • Virginia King
    signed 2016-08-08 17:08:14 +1000
  • Sarah Hurst
    signed 2016-08-08 17:02:48 +1000
  • Montana McStay
    signed 2016-08-08 17:01:54 +1000
  • Caitlin Irwin
    signed via 2016-08-08 17:00:52 +1000
  • Jan Langstaff
    posted about this on Facebook 2016-08-08 16:59:16 +1000
    A Melbourne train should go to Melbourne, why does the Gippsland regional line get substandard service recommended?
  • John Moss
    signed 2016-08-08 16:58:47 +1000
  • Jan Langstaff
    signed 2016-08-08 16:58:44 +1000
  • Matty Rogers
    posted about this on Facebook 2016-08-08 16:58:25 +1000
    A Melbourne train should go to Melbourne, why does the Gippsland regional line get substandard service recommended?
  • Emma Nicholls
    signed 2016-08-08 16:48:46 +1000
  • Julie Smith
    posted about this on Facebook 2016-08-08 16:48:43 +1000
    A Melbourne train should go to Melbourne, why does the Gippsland regional line get substandard service recommended?
  • Julie Smith
    signed 2016-08-08 16:48:08 +1000
  • Dianne Bennett
    signed 2016-08-08 16:47:59 +1000
  • Megan Schellekens
    signed via 2016-08-08 16:46:15 +1000
  • Bronte Spark
    signed 2016-08-08 16:43:34 +1000
  • Taylah Trew
    signed via 2016-08-08 16:40:20 +1000
  • Joy Windle
    signed via 2016-08-08 16:39:48 +1000
  • Kathleen Whelan
    signed 2016-08-08 16:36:43 +1000
    Seems to be a totally ridiculous suggestion. Gippslander deserve to “go all the way” once on board, without having to juggle luggage, prams, biles, etc. on a suburban line, after some hours of travel already. Imagine peak hour!!! Would be most offputting for travellers to Gippsland from Melbourne, as well!