As already deteriorated and dilapidated roads continue to crumble, the vital networks to the city for south-west residents and businesses are diminishing, instead of growing.

When The Standard interviewed Transport Infrastructure Minister Jacinta Allan this week she would not be drawn on the government's plans for upgrades to the Princes Highway West, nor would she confirm if VLocity trains would run on an upgraded Warrnambool train line.

The train service continued to fail to meet its punctuality targets throughout 2019 and on two occasions passengers were forced to sit in the aisles and stand on the beleaguered service.

Last year it did not meet time standards 10 out of 11 months and it has only exceeded its punctuality target 12 times in the past decade.

On other occasions air conditioning units were not working in some carriages on sweltering days above 40 degrees, leaving passengers sitting in sweaty hot boxes.

There needs to be some serious questions asked about the capability of the 30-year-old rolling stock being used on the service.

With more than 145,000 trips taken on the Warrnambool train line, upgrades cannot come quick enough.

Last year Ms Allan said infrastructure works were supposed to commence at the end of December, with a targeted completion date of late 2020.

On Friday she confirmed works were now expected to be completed by late 2021.

But will they cater for the faster VLocity trains?

The state government is skirting the issue, and won't say if or when passengers will travel on trains made this century.

South-west travellers have suffered enough. With the highway to Melbourne crumbling and the train line unreliable, it's time our leaders in Spring Street took a trip out of the city and into the region - via the train line or the highway, of course.