The Mail

BY CAMERON TAIT

18 Aug, 2010 12:00 AM

MORE Newport, Williamstown, Altona and Laverton commuters will be forced into their cars with the arrival of the $4.3billion Regional Rail Link, according to a public transport advocate.

Werribee resident Colin McIntyre says journey times to Geelong could almost double under the plans.

Train and car travel times between Newport and Geelong are at the moment almost the same, though train travel times are likely to increase from about 47 minutes to 90 minutes, under the project.

Mr McIntyre said it would further add to the pain already suffered by those commuting between the south western suburbs and the Geelong region.

"Unlike other regional train services, which stop almost all of the time as they leave or enter the suburban network, the majority of those between Geelong and the south western suburbs are on a two-hour frequency for a large part of the day," he said.

"The current service is totally inequitable; it keeps people poor."

Mr McIntyre said under the Regional Rail Link, due to be finished in 2014, regional trains would no longer travel through Newport or Werribee....

http://www.themail.com.au/news/local/news/general/regional-rail-link-journey-to-double/1915693.aspx