Letters to the Editor: June 17, 2025

Problems onboard the Seymour Line

Dear Editor,

Much has been said about the challenges of travelling on the Seymour Line. I had the misfortune to be a passenger on the 16:36 VLine Service from Southern Cross Station to Seymour on Sunday 8 June.

Two aging Sprinter carriages were available for this service – woefully inadequate for the numbers of passengers packed onto the platform, many with luggage and children in strollers. As I looked around the station, other VLine Services were boarding, all with plenty of newer carriages and no queues whatsoever to board. By the time those who could board my service had done so, there were at least 20 people in each carriage forced to either stand or sit on the filthy floor in carriages never designed for this purpose. This was a third world service that was dangerous and unhealthy. If the train had been forced to stop suddenly at any time, or any kind of emergency had occurred, the result would have been catastrophic.

As this service stops at Broadmeadows, we were greeted there by a further platform of prospective travellers, mostly families, that simply could not fit. I have no idea how or at what time those poor people got home. As the airport bus stops at Broadmeadows, this is a major pick-up point for passengers and they were left stranded in the cold and rain as night set in.

To any other passengers who were on this “service”, and indeed the dozens of other services on the Seymour Line in any given week that offer totally inadequate travelling conditions, I admire your tenacity.

Passengers on the Seymour Line do not need upgraded waiting rooms, extra car parking spots, or level crossing removals. We are tired of photos of politicians in the local media congratulating themselves on how well they have done with all these “improvements”.What we would like is enough carriages for passengers to sit safely onevery service. We have received lip-service with the promise of more peak hour services. What we need is more carriages on those services that desperately need them.

We have a State Government who is basking in the glory of tunnels here there and everywhere, a city loop and numerous freeway links to other freeways. Let’s get real here and get the Seymour Line passengers up off the floor and onto a seat. How about some recognition that those who live North of Epping travel long distances and are people who deserve respect and dignity.

Someone, somewhere is lacking the brainpower to do basic Seymour Line mathematics. It’s not hard – many people catch late afternoon services on the weekend especially: after the footy, after the theatre, after weekend get togethers with family and simply enjoying what Melbourne has to offer, only to be faced with the nightmare of returning home.

This situation is deplorable. The Seymour Line is failing woefully in it’s ability to keep pace with the population explosion in Melbourne’s North. What may have been good enough ten years ago is simply not good enough now. 

Safe journey the next time you board a Seymour Line train.

S.B.

Wallan