Timetable off the rails

JULIE Tivendale says peakhour trains are a lifeline for city commuters living in rural areas.

The Nar Nar Goon mother said many people relied on the trains to get home from work in Melbourne.

Mrs Tivendale, a law clerk, said the new VLine timetable meant commuters who caught the 4.59 pm train from Flinders Street would no longer get home until up to an hour later.

Having two primary schoolaged children this will now mean they will have to be home by themselves for a further 45 minutes each day as a result of the new timetable, she said.

Afterschoolcare or familydaycare hours generally finish most evenings between 6pm and 6.30 pm. With the new timetable in place, this would make it impossible for me to use these services.