Recent changes to the V/Line timetable on the Gippsland railway line are creating significant challenges for Latrobe Valley commuters, with many workers now unable to arrive in Melbourne in time for the start of their shifts.

As part of the State Government’s Big Switch timetable review, the earliest morning Gippsland service now arrives at Southern Cross Station later than it previously did. While the updated timetable has delivered increased service frequency throughout the day, the later arrival time of the first train has had unintended consequences for early shift workers.

Tradespeople and early shift workers have been particularly affected. Many previously relied on the first service to reach Melbourne before 7am. Under the revised timetable, those same commuters are arriving later than their required start times.

Although the new timetable means that services are expected every 40-minutes from Traralgon, concerns remain about overall journey times and network performance. The trip to Melbourne now takes approximately 40-minutes longer than it did in the 1980s, and recent performance data indicates the Gippsland line is not consistently meeting reliability and punctuality benchmarks set by V/Line.

Council also has concerns about the broader economic and social implications for the region. Reliable and timely transport links are essential to supporting employment pathways, retaining skilled workers and maintaining the Latrobe Valley’s attractiveness as a place to live while working in Melbourne.

At the February Council meeting, a Notice of Motion was introduced calling for the Minister for Public and Active Transport to review the Gippsland timetable. Councillors unanimously supported the motion to request a review of the decision to alter the earliest service and consideration of reinstating an earlier arrival time to support Gippsland commuters.

Latrobe City Mayor, Councillor Sharon Gibson staunchly supports the review. 

“The State Government’s Big Switch timetable review has ultimately meant more trains more often to the Latrobe Valley, but it needs to be tweaked to ensure that we have the services and the timetables that work for our community,” said the Mayor. 

“The potential impacts this may have on employment, commuters, and retention of skilled workers within the region needs to be recognised. While we are happy with upgrades to our train lines and stations, there are hopefully unintended consequences with the timetabling and shorter trains servicing our area.”