The trouble on the line couldn't have come at a worse time for V/Line public relation's department with Friday's delays overshadowing a month of on-time and reliable services.

July's statistics which were released on Friday afternoon showed some stunning figures, with the Ballarat line enjoying a 98.1 per cent reliability and for the first time in almost three years, 93 per cent on time punctuality, the first time the line has exceeded the 92 per cent target since October 2016.

Department Head of Transport Services Jeroen Weimar said V/Line's two busiest lines, Geelong and Ballarat, recorded large improvements, increasing line punctuality from 90.9 to 91.6 per cent and 88.3 to 93 per cent respectively.

The regional operator also exceeded its 96 per cent reliability target by delivering 97.5 per cent of scheduled services.

"This fantastic result is a testament to V/Line's focus on maintenance and changes in how they manage platform passenger movements on platforms and respond to incidents," Mr Weimar said.

"Ultimately this means less delays and a more reliable service for passengers across regional Victoria," Mr Weimar said.

"V/Line is committed to delivering better services while also carrying more passengers across regional Victoria every day."

Friday's fault meant many of the late morning and early afternoon services saw passengers bused to destinations. The fault was quickly rectified but residual delays were experienced during the day.

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