The Nationals’ Member for Shepparton District, Kim O’Keeffe has called on the Minister for Transport Infrastructure, Gabrielle Williams to provide clarity as to when the completion of Stage 3 of the Shepparton Line Upgrade be delivered.
Speaking in Parliament, Ms O’Keeffe also asked the Minister if the completion will include additional carriages to address the overcrowding issues at peak times currently being experienced by passengers on the line.
“Overcrowding is a significant issue on the Shepparton Line, leaving many people having to stand for parts of their journey.
“My office has been inundated with frustrated passengers sharing their experiences of overcrowding and unsafe travel”, Ms O’Keeffe said.
With the recent announcement of free weekend travel on public transport across Victoria from December this year to February 2026, it is expected to see increased patronage on the line which raises the concern of the already overcrowded services.
“We need to ensure that people can travel safely on public transport and that they have a seat whilst travelling. Stage 3 will increase the daily return services to Melbourne from 5 to 9 but the Minister has not given a timeframe from when what will happen.
“It is important that we have adequate public transport and infrastructure to address the needs of an increasing population. The current public transport needs including trains and bus services are currently not being met in the Shepparton District.”
Ms O’Keeffe has also been calling on the Minister for a much needed and overdue bus review.
“It has been over 15 years since our last review and during that time the region has grown significantly.
“With that growth comes the need for increased bus services. We also have some towns that have very limited or have no bus services at all.
“The community deserves clear answers about when additional carriages, more frequent services, and modern ticketing systems will be delivered.
“As a region, we have been waiting far too long for this upgrade that was due to be completed in late 2023 and is yet to be completed.
“It’s clear that the Allan Labor Government can’t manage projects, can’t manage public transport and regional Victorians are paying the price.”
