By Corey Everitt
The regional train station for Bunyip and Longwarry are uncertain to be used anytime soon, even though their brand new platforms are completed.
Narracan MP Wayne Farnham has raised the issue of the completion of the upgrade to the regional Gippsland Line, as it is unknown yet when the final stage of duplicating the line will be completed.
Mr Farnham said commuters on the Gippsland Line have “suffered with a second-class rail service“.
“We have endured delays, cancellations and buses replacing trains for years now,” he said.
“The Gippsland rail upgrade was meant to deliver better services, including line duplication between Bunyip and Longwarry. Many stations have been upgraded with new platforms thanks to funding from the former federal coalition government, but no tracks have been installed.
“My community wants to know: when will the duplication of the line at the Bunyip River Bridge be completed, and when will the tracks be installed at Bunyip and Longwarry stations so new platforms can be used?“
Upgrades to Bunyip and Longwarry Station have been completed in recent months adding a second platform for each and accessible crossings over the rail.
While the second platforms were added as part of the duplication of the rail to allow a faster timetable for commuters, the duplication has not been completed rendering the new platforms unused as of yet.
These projects were apart of the Regional Rail Revival which put $530m from both State and Federal Government funding to an upgrade across the majority of the Gippsland Line.
When the project was in early stages, the time frame for construction had completion for the entire Gippsland line upgrade set for 2022.
Due to delays from such things as the Covid-19 pandemic, the completion has been pushed significantly.
A spokesperson for the State Government said works are progressing.
“Work continues to progress on the Gippsland Line Upgrade to deliver the new signalling system needed to introduce more frequent services for Gippsland commuters,” they said.
“The communities at Bunyip, Longwarry, Morwell and Traralgon can already see the benefits of the project with newly upgraded stations at these locations.”