The State Premier and Minister for Public Transport visited the Alstom factory in Dandenong South this week where 23 VLocity trains are to be built to support around 500 jobs in the local area.
The visitors, Daniel Andrews and Minister Ben Carroll said the 23 VLocity trains being built there would keep passengers moving across the State by ensuring there were more trains to run around regional Victoria, and to do so more often.
According to Mr Andrews, the program was a promise and it was being kept.
“We promised to build new VLocity trains in Victoria, for Victorians, and that’s exactly what we’re doing,” Mr Andrews said.
“Making it easier for passengers to travel across our State, as well as supporting hundreds of local jobs and strengthening our economy,” he said.
The Premier said each VLocity train had six accessible spaces in each three-carriage set and included comfortable seats for long-haul journeys, a dedicated storage area for bicycles and accessibility improvements.
“In a boost for those heading west, these VLocity trains will increase capacity on the Melton line – allowing nine-car train sets to run to boost capacity on the line by 50 per cent – as well as ensuring locals on the Geelong and Bacchus Marsh lines travel in comfort,” Mr Andrews said.
“There are already more than 100 VLocity trains in service – and works on this order will get underway at the factory next year, once the order of 12 VLocity trains from the Victorian Budget 22/23 is complete.”
Mr Carroll said the State was continuing to make critical public transport investments where they were needed most with the 23 new VLocity trains not only keeping Victorians moving, but also backing local jobs.
Mr Andrews and Mr Carroll said that in the boost for heading west, the VLocity trains involved would increase capacity on the Melton line – allowing nine-car train sets to run at boost capacity on the line by 50 per cent as well as ensuring locals on the Geelong and Bacchus Marsh lines traveled in comfort.
“All of our investments in rolling stock also support local maintenance jobs,” they said, “with an additional 100 maintenance workers at Alstom Ballarat who will maintain these new trains once they are on the network.”
They said the way Victorian passengers travelled across the State now, they already saved around $8 million since the introduction of the regional fare cap.
