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Public Transport | July 24, 2018

Members statement - Western Victoria rail services

Victorian Parliament - 24 July 2018 - Ms KEALY - Last week the cat was let out of the bag on Labor’s lack of planning around returning passenger rail to western Victoria, with it being revealed that the Labor government is currently installing concrete sleepers between Ararat and Ballarat which will only suit broad‑gauge trains.

One of the greatest barriers to returning passenger rail to western Victoria is the change of rail gauge at Ararat, with standard gauge from Horsham and Hamilton to Ararat but broad gauge from Ararat to Ballarat. We need to plan to standardise rail between Ararat and Ballarat so we can bring back passenger rail from Ballarat to Horsham and Hamilton.

Western Victoria is always forgotten when Labor is in government, and this is just another example of Labor failing to plan for growth and the return of passenger rail to our region. People who live in western Victoria deserve a better deal. Only a Liberal‑Nationals government will take steps to improve access to passenger rail in western Victoria.