Zoe Moffatt
Students from the Macedon Ranges are continuing to be affected by V/Line train strikes and works, with call outs requesting help for the stranded teens often popping up on community Facebook pages.
When Gisborne student Paige Sleidhtholm and her mother made the difficult decision to move her from her local school to TAFE in Bendigo it was a decision born out of grief.
Paige’s father had died in a freak accident and together they decided the move would be a fresh start for the then 15-year old.
Mother Marnie Smith said the school move as a whole had been a positive experience but struggles with public transport had been extremely frustrating.
“It’s almost like we’re stuck in a bubble here, and you can’t get through it,” Marnie said.
“It’s fantastic that we have the V/Line service here, I just think they need to offer more services, especially with the growth in the area.
“Kids going further out for school- away from Melbourne- aren’t looked after like the kids going towards Melbourne.”
While community Facebook pages are frequently awash with stories of frustration at public transport, there has been one noticeable trend and that is the call for community members to help pick up or drop off teenagers at train stations, often going to places like school or work.
For Paige, this call out helped her to get home after she said a fatality on the Swan Hill line caused the service to cease in late March.
She said one train was cancelled, which resulted in about 200 people needing the following train.
“At this point I spoke to Katrina and she said there was a lady who was able to give me a lift,” Paige said.
As Paige’s younger brother goes to a different school in Gisborne, her mother Marnie wasn’t able to travel the 200 kilometre round trip to pick her up.
While this was not an ordinary situation, V/Line disruptions due to strikes have also impacted Paige getting to school this year and further highlights the effect of disruptions.
“For about three weeks there were strikes on Monday and Friday so I couldn’t get to school, I studied [at home].
“Considering the trains have still been delayed I haven’t been going to school as much, I had my attendance checked and it was 63 per cent.
“It’s kind of annoying when teachers say ‘oh we talked about this last week’ but I wasn’t there.
“I find it hard especially when it’s a task I’m beginning but when it’s an assignment I’ve already started it’s not too bad.”
Transport Infrastructure Minister Danny Pearson was contacted for comment.
