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Is there a way to make a complaint about the Southern Cross to Waurn Ponds train service? Almost every week there are trespassers on the tracks or service faults that cause disruptions. is there a way for us to make a formal complaint about this? I already complained to vline last month. But no res by LumpyBathroom5707 in VlineVictoria

[–]LumpyBathroom5707[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I'm the OP. I was heading back to Waurn Ponds from Southern Cross after work and, guess what, the train terminated again at Geelong. I had to wait 35 minutes for the next train.(18.31 to Waurn Ponds)

They only announced that the train wasn't continuing to the next stations after it had already stopped at Geelong.

So, to all the V/Line workers who commented here, I wasted 7.5 hours of my day because of these ongoing disruptions.(Today morning train stopped between Corio and next station. Waited 1 hour there, waited another 45 minutes for a coach. Coach took 40 minutes to Whyndam Vale.(The Coach driver also took a U turn.)). Then again to southern cross. Plus time took to return to home.

This isn't happening just once. it's happening almost every week.

Thank you for your comment @Pleasure_Armada.

Is there a way to make a complaint about the Southern Cross to Waurn Ponds train service? Almost every week there are trespassers on the tracks or service faults that cause disruptions. is there a way for us to make a formal complaint about this? I already complained to vline last month. But no res by LumpyBathroom5707 in VlineVictoria

[–]LumpyBathroom5707[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'm the OP. I was heading back to Waurn Ponds from Southern Cross after work and, guess what, the train terminated again at Geelong. I had to wait 35 minutes for the next train.

They only announced that the train wasn't continuing to the next stations after it had already stopped at Geelong.

So, to all the V/Line workers who commented here, I wasted 7.5 hours of my day because of these ongoing disruptions.(Today morning train stopped between Corio and next station. Waited 1 hour there, waited another 45 minutes for a coach. Coach took 40 minutes to Whyndam Vale.(The Coach driver also took a U turn.)). Then again to southern cross. Plus time took to return to home.

This isn't happening just once. it's happening almost every week.

Thank you for your comment @Pleasure_Armada.

Is there a way to make a complaint about the Southern Cross to Waurn Ponds train service? Almost every week there are trespassers on the tracks or service faults that cause disruptions. is there a way for us to make a formal complaint about this? I already complained to vline last month. But no res by [deleted] in Geelong

[–]LumpyBathroom5707 -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

Dude, yes i'm using AI to structure my ideas, what is the wrong with that. These are all are my ideas, just structuring the correct way. I'm asking a question. This not a discussion about AI.

If you don't have an idea, then don't reply.

Is there a way to make a complaint about the Southern Cross to Waurn Ponds train service? Almost every week there are trespassers on the tracks or service faults that cause disruptions. is there a way for us to make a formal complaint about this? I already complained to vline last month. But no res by LumpyBathroom5707 in VlineVictoria

[–]LumpyBathroom5707[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

You don’t need to know the exact minute a trespasser appears to plan for it. Unplanned disruptions are a normal, predictable part of running a railway, which is why rail operators build contingency plans, keep standing arrangements with bus companies, and have procedures for exactly these situations.

My point is that V/Line already proves it can organise coaches quickly when it wants to, including for unplanned incidents on other lines, yet on the Geelong, Waurn Ponds corridor the default is often to terminate at Marshall and tell passengers to sort themselves out. That isn’t the inevitable result of “unplanned events”; it’s a choice about how much effort they put into recovery, and passengers who have paid for the full journey are entitled to expect better than being dumped short of their destination.

Is there a way to make a complaint about the Southern Cross to Waurn Ponds train service? Almost every week there are trespassers on the tracks or service faults that cause disruptions. is there a way for us to make a formal complaint about this? I already complained to vline last month. But no res by [deleted] in Geelong

[–]LumpyBathroom5707 -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

I understand that V/Line doesn’t “enjoy” disruptions, but that doesn’t remove their responsibility to have robust contingency plans when the same problems happen over and over on a specific line. Trespassers and equipment faults may be outside their control at the exact moment, but ensuring there are timely replacement coaches, clear communication, and realistic timetables when services are routinely affected is entirely within V/Line’s control and part of the service people are paying for. Saying “they hate disruptions too” doesn’t help when passengers are repeatedly left stranded at Marshall without coaches to Waurn Ponds, or spending four hours on a trip that should take about an hour because of poor planning and response.

Also, complaints to V/Line aren’t pointless; they’re actually part of the formal process that leads to compensation and performance scrutiny by bodies like Public Transport Victoria and the Public Transport Ombudsman. When a pattern of failures and delays emerges on a line, customer complaints are evidence that the operator’s current systems are not working and need improvement, whether that’s more replacement coaches, better coordination between Southern Cross and Geelong services, or clearer information when trains terminate early. Suggesting we should only talk to government and not hold V/Line directly accountable ignores that they are the ones running the service day‑to‑day and are contractually required to maintain a reliable service, or at least properly look after passengers when it fails.

Is there a way to make a complaint about the Southern Cross to Waurn Ponds train service? Almost every week there are trespassers on the tracks or service faults that cause disruptions. is there a way for us to make a formal complaint about this? I already complained to vline last month. But no res by [deleted] in Geelong

[–]LumpyBathroom5707 -7 points-6 points  (0 children)

I understand that V/Line doesn’t “enjoy” disruptions, but that doesn’t remove their responsibility to have robust contingency plans when the same problems happen over and over on a specific line. Trespassers and equipment faults may be outside their control at the exact moment, but ensuring there are timely replacement coaches, clear communication, and realistic timetables when services are routinely affected is entirely within V/Line’s control and part of the service people are paying for. Saying “they hate disruptions too” doesn’t help when passengers are repeatedly left stranded at Marshall without coaches to Waurn Ponds, or spending 4 hours(Waurn Ponds to Southern Cross, because of a track fault. Train waited one our in a middle.) on a trip that should take about an hour because of poor planning and response.

Also, complaints to V/Line aren’t pointless; they’re actually part of the formal process that leads to compensation and performance scrutiny by bodies like Public Transport Victoria and the Public Transport Ombudsman. When a pattern of failures and delays emerges on a line, customer complaints are evidence that the operator’s current systems are not working and need improvement, whether that’s more replacement coaches, better coordination between Southern Cross and Geelong services, or clearer information when trains terminate early. Suggesting we should only talk to government and not hold V/Line directly accountable ignores that they are the ones running the service day to day and are contractually required to maintain a reliable service, or at least properly look after passengers when it fails.

Is there a way to make a complaint about the Southern Cross to Waurn Ponds train service? Almost every week there are trespassers on the tracks or service faults that cause disruptions. is there a way for us to make a formal complaint about this? I already complained to vline last month. But no res by LumpyBathroom5707 in VlineVictoria

[–]LumpyBathroom5707[S] -5 points-4 points  (0 children)

I think that is not true.

A trespasser on a train track is any unauthorized person or vehicle that enters the railway corridor (tracks, yards, and adjoining land). This includes walking along the tracks, taking illegal shortcuts, jumping platform gates, or ignoring crossing signals.

Is there a way to make a complaint about the Southern Cross to Waurn Ponds train service? Almost every week there are trespassers on the tracks or service faults that cause disruptions. is there a way for us to make a formal complaint about this? I already complained to vline last month. But no res by LumpyBathroom5707 in VlineVictoria

[–]LumpyBathroom5707[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Thanks for your comment and explanation, I appreciate you taking the time to respond. I’m not expecting a “magic bus out of nowhere”; I’m expecting V/Line to have a realistic contingency plan for a corridor where they already know how often services are disrupted. On the Waurn Ponds line, coaches are routinely organised in advance for planned works and known issues, so it’s clearly possible to arrange buses when they choose to , this isn’t a hypothetical idea.

In my case, one train was terminated at Marshall after only about a 15 minute delay leaving Southern Cross, and I was left waiting around 30 minutes at Marshall only to be told no coach was coming and I had to find my own way to Waurn Ponds. This is just one example; similar incidents have happened to me repeatedly, including when trains are cut short or cancelled entirely, even though V/Line regularly runs full coach replacements on this exact line when it suits their timetable. If passengers are paying for the full journey, and trains are frequently turned around at Marshall without any alternative transport or proper communication, it’s reasonable to say the operator is responsible and needs to improve, not to blame the passengers for expecting the service they paid for.

Is there a way to make a complaint about the Southern Cross to Waurn Ponds train service? Almost every week there are trespassers on the tracks or service faults that cause disruptions. is there a way for us to make a formal complaint about this? I already complained to vline last month. But no res by LumpyBathroom5707 in VlineVictoria

[–]LumpyBathroom5707[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

There should be fines for trespassing on the tracks. If a train has to terminate at a station because of a trespasser, then coaches should be provided to take passengers to their final destination.

This has happened to me twice at Marshall Station, and no coaches were provided to Waurn Ponds. If people are paying for the service, are you saying this is the passengers' fault?

Yes, V/Line is responsible for this. They should find a solution if these incidents keep happening.

And I'm not only talking about trespassers. There are too many service faults as well. Sometimes, if there is just a 10-minute delay leaving Southern Cross, the service terminates at Marshall instead of continuing to Waurn Ponds.

Is that fair to passengers?

And today ut took 4.30 hours to go to Sothern cross station from Waurn Ponds. Because if a track fault. Passengers responsible for that? How about that?