The laughable Regional Rail Link Ballarat services became even more ridiculous on Tuesday morning.
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The latest setback saw Ballarat station commuters sent in the polar opposite direction to their destination – Melbourne.
Bemused passengers boarding the 7.39am service from Wendouree to Southern Cross were told they would be heading to Wendouree to pick up more passengers, then back to Ballarat station before starting the journey proper.
By the time the train left Ballarat station for a second time it was 14 minutes behind schedule.
This is the latest in a set of long delays and ridiculous overcrowding for the service.
Commuter Sara McMillan, who was one of the passengers boarding the service from Ballarat, described the experience as farcical.
“We were told to board the train, but we were told that we were going back to Wendouree,” Ms McMillan said.
“When I heard the heard the announcement, it thought it was a joke – I wasn’t alone in thinking that it was a joke.
“Given that there has been a heap of excuses as to why the train was late... this is a new one for the line.”
“From my perspective, and from other commuters’ perspectives, Regional Rail Link is a joke.”
V/Line spokesperson Ebony Jordan said the strange delay was caused by a conductor out of position.
“The 7:39am Wendouree to Southern Cross service departed about 14 minutes late due to a conductor being out of position,” Ms Jordan said.
“The train made up time during its journey and arrived into Southern Cross eight minutes behind schedule. V/Line apologises to customers for the inconvenience.”
Commuters told The Courier the repeat journey between Ballarat and Wendouree left the service crowded by the time it left Ballarat station for the second time.
Public Transport Minister Jacinta Allan is adamant the Ballarat line continues to improve, despite V/Line’s July performance review suggesting otherwise.
"We have made improving services to Ballarat a priority, adding seven extra carriages in the past two months creating space for nearly 500 extra passengers every day,” she said.
Ms Allan said more carriages were added to the 6.13am service from Wendouree to Southern Cross and the 5.13pm Southern Cross to Wendouree service on Monday.
A statement from Ms Allan’s office said the Ballarat line’s punctuality is improving with the new timetables, despite V/Line’s performance charts from July recording an 82.8 per cent punctuality rate in July – down from 85.3 per cent in June and the lowest since January, 2014.