By Kirsty Ross
THEpublic outcry over recent V-Line timetable disruptions for Geelong-bound students, including a blind teenager, has resulted in a schedule back-flip.
A spokeswoman for V-Line said the change was due to public feedback.
“We always said we would monitor the introduction of the timetable operationally, and we are doing so and responding to issues as they emerge,” she said.
V-Line introduced a new schedule in early September, which meant Wyndham students going to schools in the Geelong region, would need to wait almost an hour-and-a half to catch a train home.
Corina De Weerd, 14, of Werribee goes to Lara Secondary College and told Star she had no idea what she would do to fill in the time having to wait almost an hour extra to make a journey that took 17 minutes.
Corina, besides being blind, is epileptic and can suffer major seizures if she becomes too tired.
Her mother, Orietta, said V-line called to tell the family it was calling off the revamped schedule after receiving a lot of letters in opposition to the change.
“It was great to see that the little person can achieve something,” Orietta said.
“It took a lot of pressure off us, and off a lot of others.”
Orietta said that changes in work schedules for family members, in order for them to pick up Corina, were sure to cause stress and pressure in the long term.
And although Corina liked the idea of being picked up from school, rather than wait for the train, Orietta said her daughter was “pretty rapt” about the change.
And, in a stroke of luck for the students, the new timetable will result in even earlier train times than the original schedule.
Which means Corina will get to Werribee 15 minutes earlier than previously.
