V/Line defends compo claims
V/LINE has come under fire for failing to pay compensation for loss of income to two agents who operate the Ballan Railway Station.
Merilyn Lanigan and Richard Robinson have said V/Line owes them compensation for a loss of 30 to 50 per cent income while the line was shut down twice last year, across 15 weeks, as part of the Regional Fast Rail works.
Ms Lanigan said V/Line compensated them when the line was first shut down in 2004 but had not paid them for last year's loss of income and now failed to return her calls.
"It's just so frustrating," she said.
"We have a fantastic little station and I really like the people but it's really frustrating when you can't get paid."
Ms Lanigan said that during the line shutdowns, first in February and March and then spanning October, November and December, many customers chose to drive to work in Melbourne rather than catch the replacement coaches.
She said patronage also dropped the weeks before and after the closures, as people made alternative travel plans.
Ms Lanigan said they were satisfied with the first payment but were now dismayed at V/Line's lack of action.
She said that after the shutdown early last year they were told there would be no more compensation.
"No one had ever said that before. That was a complete shock," she said.
"We were under the impression that there would be compensation for every closure."
Ms Lanigan said that as the next closure loomed, they were told there would be compensation and that they would be reimbursed for lost income for both line shutdowns.
A V/Line spokeswoman said the agents were only entitled to the one payment to cover all the shutdowns as part of the upgrade works.
"Our understanding of the arrangement is that we have arranged compensation for them, for all of our Regional Fast Rail closures," she said.
"We are very happy to go back and discuss it further with the agents."
Opposition transport spokesman Terry Mulder called on Transport Minister Peter Batchelor to explain why V/Line was treating the agents "like dirt".
"V/Line has refused to compensate its Ballan agents for the drop in income, even though the agents had no control over the length of time coaches were substituted for trains," he said.
"Ballan's station agents provide a great service."
A spokeswoman for Mr Batchelor said V/Line would discuss the issue with the agents.
"It is unfortunate that the opposition seeks to, as usual, play politics with the issue," she said.