The Public Transport Users Association has welcomed a Coalition pledge to add early morning trains to Ararat’s schedule.
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The Victorian Liberal National opposition this week pledged to introduce a weekday v/Line passenger rail service that arrives in Ararat in 9am as part of a suite of election promises for transport in western Victoria.
PTUA Ballarat Branch convener, Ben Lever said the new services would help passengers along the Ararat line.
“In the current term of government, Ararat has gotten a new early-morning peak service that allows people to live in Ararat or Beaufort and commute to Melbourne by 9am,” Mr Lever said.
“If implemented, this new service would allow people to do the reverse-commute by train - travel from Ballarat to Ararat every morning, and take the existing coach service home in the evenings.
“There are already many people who live in Ballarat and work in Ararat, but they currently have to drive - so there is a clear market who could take advantage of this service.”
The state government introduced new weekday passenger rail services to Ararat in August, with first arrivals at 10.39am and first departures at 6.18am.
The Liberal-National Coalition has also pledged to introduce “tourist friendly coach services to Halls Gap and the Grampians, including timetable improvements to provide better connections, more shelters and room for bikes to be carried on the bus to support growing tourist visitation to the Grampians”.
The Coalition would also “negotiate with Great Southern Rail to secure its continued service to the towns of Ararat, Stawell and Horsham”.
Ripon MP Louise Staley said an improved passenger train schedule would help Ararat Rural City’s battle to maintain a growing population, which saw just 0.1 per cent growth last year.
Victoria will go to the polls on November 24.