Altona and Seaholme commuters will have off-peak direct city services for the first time since 2011 under timetable changes announced on Tuesday.
Altona Loop trains will stop at all stations between Laverton and Flinders Street from 9am-11am weekdays from January 30, Altona MP Jill Hennessy said.
She said work was continuing on “looking at how to return even more direct city services for the Altona Loop” in the second half of 2017.
“The return of 10 direct city services will mean passengers don’t have to change trains at Newport, making it quicker and easier to get to the city,” Ms Hennessy said.
“This is the first step in returning the direct city services the former Liberal government took away from local passengers.
“We’re looking at returning even more of these services through the broader timetable rebuild, and getting on with partial duplication of the Altona Loop, upgrades to local stations and building the Metro Tunnel.”
Changes to train timetables in 2011 reduced the Altona Loop service to every 22 minutes with a change required at Newport station during off-peak times (9am-4.30pm).
Labor failed to deliver on a promise to reintroduce all direct city-bound trains and improve frequency once the Regional Rail Link was completed in June 2015.
Altona Loop Group spokeswoman Jennifer Williams welcomed the improvement to the train service but said it was not a return to the promised service.
“It is unclear how the community will react to the change as it is only a partial return to the through service that was promised and it will be 18 months since Regional Rail Link commenced operating,” she said.
“Residents of Altona and Seaholme need a reliable and efficient public transport system in the near future.”
