Full reserved seating aims to remediate train overcrowding

A SEATING crisis on V/Line trains since cheaper fares were introduced five months ago will ease with all Albury line weekend train travel to be trialed under a reservation-only booking system. Problems arose when ticket prices were slashed by about $40 return or the equivalent of a daily metro fare ticket, but the shortfall with the plan was that only two of six carriages on the Albury line offered reserved seating. A large volume of people who didn't reserve a seat have been forced to stand for all or some of an up to 4-hour long journey, with some choosing to sit on the floor. Extra train services on a Saturday morning from Albury and another on Sunday afternoon from Southern Cross was trialled during July and August to address the demand, but overcrowding still exists. The State Government will trial weekend reserved seating from Saturday, September 2 until late November following feedback from a recent survey of weekend passengers. It found that more than 70 per cent supported a move to reservation-only seating on the busy Albury line trains. Under the trial, if all seats are booked on a service, passengers would then have the option of purchasing an unreserved ticket, which alerts them that they may have to stand for some or all of their journey. Alternatively, passengers may also have the option to travel on an overflow coach, on services where these are available. Benambra MP Bill Tilley welcomed the change but said this shouldn’t be just a trial it should be permanent, and it should be extended to every service and not just weekends. “This is a great win for mature conversations in the parliament and those people who had the confidence to contact us about their experiences,” he said. “Those frank discussions with the minister are so much stronger when you can tell authentic stories, horror stories, of overcrowding, people standing and sitting on carriage floors on trains for four hours all while travelling at up to 130kph. “But this shouldn’t be just a trial, it should be permanent, and it should be extended to every service and not just weekends. “Only then can V/Line, its frontline staff and passengers have the certainty and confidence in the service. “What’s been lost in some of this is that the staff have been copping the flak for a lack of planning – cheaper fares were always going to see a spike in demand.” V/Line will keep Albury line passengers updated as details of the seating reservations trial are finalised ensuring passengers have advanced notice of the change. Once implemented, V/Line will closely monitor the trial. In the meantime, Albury line passengers are encouraged to plan ahead and reserve a seat for all long-distance services by booking online, at a staffed V/Line or premium Metro station, by calling 1800 800 007, or by visiting a retail ticket agent. Passengers with accessibility needs are also encouraged to call 1800 800 007 to book a reserved seat or accessible space with special provision being made in the trial to ensure sufficient seating is available for those with special needs. Since cheaper fares were introduced on March 31, about 150,000 Albury line passengers have used the service.

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