Dedicated Country Carriages
Western Victoria MP has called on the Victorian Government to introduce direct trains from regional Victoria to Southern Cross station or dedicated carriages for regional passengers on V/Line trains.
Currently, Warrnambool V/Line trains are continuing to pick up passengers from suburbs such as Tarneit and Sunshine, which are in LGAs with over 100 and 170 active COVID-19 cases respectively.
Mrs McArthur said, “If regional Victorians need to travel to Melbourne for essential reasons, we need to ensure that their risk of exposure to people from highly-infected areas is minimised.”
“Dedicated carriages for passengers boarding outside of the Stage 3 restricted areas would be an effective solution to try to minimise intermingling of passengers.”
“Alternatively, direct trains that run express through suburbs that are highly contaminated could be a good way to get regional Victorians in and out of the city with minimal contact with people from high risk areas.”
“To keep regional Victoria predominantly virus-free, we need to get smart about how to manage people who are travelling in and out of the city, particularly when going through the most virus-ridden areas."
"It would seem unlikely V/Line will embark on protocols of temperature checking of passengers before boarding, signing in as happens in work sites and cafes, or thorough cleaning of all surfaces and enforced physical distancing, so dedicated carriages might well be the most logical solution."
“Country areas are grateful for not being subject to the same restrictions that are so severely impacting metropolitan Melbourne but all measures need to be taken to keep it that way, so rural Victoria remains as virus free as possible.”
16 July 2020