Free travel, more pain for Vic commuters

Regional Victorian train passengers will get eight days of free travel but face months of more disruptions due to track upgrades.

Hundreds of V/Line train services have been replaced since Friday as damaged wheels and a ban on Vlocity trains on suburban tracks have caused chaos.

Public Transport Minister Jacinta Allan has ordered an independent review of V/Line and committed $23 million to installing axle counters to make sure trains properly trigger boom gates.

Anyone who gets on a V/Line train from Saturday until January 31 can also travel without paying a cent.

V/Line has been running more trains over many more kilometres of track after timetable changes, leading to wheels wearing down.

"Disappointingly V/Line have not put in place a changed maintenance regime to ensure that this wheel wear didn't occur," Ms Allan told reporters on Wednesday.

"I find that unacceptable."

Vlocity trains, the newest in the V/Line fleet, were temporarily banned from suburban lines in Melbourne after one of the trains failed to trigger boom gates and warning signals at a level crossing on Friday.

Public Transport Victoria said the axle counters would fix the problem but would take up to six months to install on Metro Trains' suburban lines.

"Throughout the installation phase, PTV will work with Metro to minimise disruptions for customers," a PTV statement said.

Ms Allan said a safety report in 2013 recommended upgrades the previous government ignored, but opposition public transport spokesman David Hodgett said the coalition government increased train maintenance budgets above $900 million.

The Rail, Tram and Bus Union said Metro Trains was responsible for maintaining the suburban tracks, which now need the axle counters.

"A serious investigation needs to happen into Metro and into Public Transport Victoria," secretary Luba Grigorovitch told reporters.

Metro spokeswoman Sammie Black said all allocated government funds went to maintaining and improving suburban train lines, at an average spend of $2 million a day.

She said the problems were with V/Line's Vlocity trains - all Metro, freight and V/Line classic models are using the network without concern.

TRAIN PAIN

* Hundreds of services replaced with buses

* Eight days' free travel from Jan 23-31 on V/Line

* $23 million to install axle counters on 29 level crossings

* Axle counters on Sunbury/Bendigo, Craigieburn/Seymour and Pakenham/Traralgon lines

* Worn down wheels being replaced on Vlocity trains

Source: Victorian government