Great South Coast Group chair Colin Ryan again called on premier Daniel Andrews for additional trains on the Warrnambool-Melbourne line as a matter of priority.

Cr Ryan’s call came ahead of a series of Public Transport Victoria (PTV) community forums to be held at Portland’s Civic Hall (on Monday), Warrnambool’s Lighthouse Theatre (September 8), and Colac Community Library and Learning Centre (September 9).

It also follows the launch of a campaign by South West Coast member Denis Napthine and state opposition leader Matthew Guy urging Mr Andrews to bring in the fourth service.

Mr Andrews said last week such a campaign was “a bit rich” when the Liberals had four years in power to introduce more trains on the Warrnambool-Melbourne line but didn’t.

However Cr Ryan said a fourth service with connecting coaches in the region was “an expectation”.

“The challenge for the Government is to work out how that happens,” Cr Ryan said.

“It’s our understanding that Public Transport Victoria is developing a longer-term plan to ensure our train, coach and bus services all work together to deliver a good service in regional Victoria. It’s our sincere hope and in fact our expectation that the plan includes four passenger rail services to Warrnambool.”

​The Great South Coast Group is also backing a bid from the region’s councils to look at the feasibility of re-introducing passenger train services to Hamilton and Portland via Ararat.