Jennifer Pittorino
Hobsons Bay residents are being forced to triple their morning and night commute times to and from work due to the train line shutdowns.
As a result of West Gate Tunnel works which require the partial closure of the Werribee, Williamstown and Sunbury train lines to enable a bridge over rail lines at Dynon Road to be widened and strengthened to join a new exit ramp from the tunnel, buses are replacing trains from Newport and Williamstown stations until the last train on July 9.
Anastasia from Newport took the replacement bus for the first time on Monday morning. Her experience was exacerbated by an early morning crash which closed two inbound lanes on the West Gate Freeway.
“It was very slow, there was a lot of traffic and the accident on the western side [of the bridge] made it worse,” she said.
“It took me two hours to get to work yesterday and normally it takes me 18 minutes.
“ … I can’t complain, I have been in the area for 12 years and this is the first time I have ever had to take buses to get to work so it is what it is.”
For the next two weeks more than 30,000 passengers will need to catch the replacement buses.
Alana from Newport said her new route has added an extra hour commute time to get to her government job in the CBD.
“I normally just catch the train from Newport to Parliament but now I have to catch the bus to Flagstaff and walk an extra 20 minutes on top of that,” she said.
“All up it’s taking me an extra hour on top of my normal trip.”
Priscilla from Laverton said her 30-minute commute by train has been extended to one and a half hours.
“It’s tough getting to work but we have to do it, we have no choice,” she said.
