Wednesday, 5 February 2025

 Kim O’KEEFFE (Shepparton) (14:49): (962) My question is to the Minister for Public and Active Transport. Minister, when will nine return weekly train services be delivered on the Shepparton line as promised? In August 2021 the then Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, now the Premier, stated that stage 3 of the Shepparton line upgrade would be completed in 2023. We are more than a year past that date and this critical infrastructure project is yet to be completed. The current limited services have led to significant overcrowding on the Shepparton line, which is having a serious impact on people’s safety and wellbeing, with many travellers not being able to get seats. I was recently contacted by an 86-year-old woman who had her finger crushed in the door while she was trying to get out of the toilet with her mobility aid. She said people were squashed right up to the toilet door. She had to go straight to hospital for surgery on her finger. Unsafe overcrowding will continue until we see the promised extra services.