The state government will add new coach services between Ouyen, Dimboola, Horsham and the passenger train network at Ararat.
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Numerous passengers have complained about the time needed to travel from areas west of Ararat to Melbourne, which can require multiple coaches and trains with poor schedule overlaps.
Victorian Public Transport Minister Jacinta Allan visited Ararat Railway Station on Wednesday morning to announce the additional services.
From 30 September 2018, two extra coach services will be added between Horsham and Ararat on weekdays, as well as a new service from Dimboola to Ararat, via Horsham.
The Friday night coach from Ararat to Ouyen will be reinstated.
Ms Allan said the changes had been brought in as a result of feedback that the “important communities” along the routes needed more services.
“It will give people more choice as they travel around this wonderful part of regional Victoria, and to be able to do so on public transport,” she said.
“Whether’s it’s people being able to access medical appointments, job opportunities, socialising as well.
“These are all really important reasons for why it’s so important to continue investing in public transport in regional Victoria.”
The Horsham to Ararat coach runs via Dadwells Bridge, Stawell and Great Western.
The coach from Ararat to Dimboola follows the same route to Horsham then continues to Dimboola via Pimpinio.
The coaches will connect with train services at Ararat Railway Station, which has been criticised for the lengthy gaps between road and rail departures during some periods of the schedule.
Ripon MP Louise Staley said the new “Band-Aid” services would not be enough to overcome connectivity issues and some areas had been left out of Ms Allan’s announcement.
“Local councils are telling me that Southern Grampians has been completely ignored again and the coach services that are coming out of the Wimmera are not what communities are looking for,” she said.
“I’m sure people will use them but really what they want to know about is (passenger) rail into these areas.
“Once again, the minister and the government had nothing to say about even looking at a business case for extending rail into the Wimmera or to Hamilton and Horsham.”
Ms Allan said the new services would complement the $130 million Freight-Passenger Rail Separation Project, which would also deliver benefits for Ararat passengers.
The project will enable a fifth train service for Ararat by extending the stabling facilities at Ararat railway Station.
The project was designed to also benefit Ararat trains travelling through the Ballarat Station precinct, as it will untangle this section to create more paths for passenger and freight lines into the future.
The Freight-Passenger Rail Separation Project includes signalling upgrades, track duplication and replacing the Armstrong Street bridge in Ballarat.
The works will allow two tracks to be built under the new bridge, getting rid of the existing bottleneck and creating more space for trains to pass each other.
Passenger information and timetables for Horsham, Ararat and Ouyen services will be available from late August 2018 at V/Line stations and online via ptv.vic.gov.au.