Over the weekend, Channel Seven Melbourne was heavily promoting a “special report” to be screened on this evening’s nightly news bulletin, extolling the virtues of living in Geelong instead of Melbourne, and commuting into Melbourne for work. About how “easy” and “relaxed” this commute is.
I regularly do this commute, and I can warn the people of Melbourne thinking about it – don’t! What you might have seen in Channel Seven’s report tonight is far from true.
Sure, the house prices are much better down here, but an “easy” and “relaxed” commute? Spare us!
On the preview of the report over the weekend, one woman travelling by train was even heard to say – “oh, you always get a seat!”
Oh really? If I’ve had a seat 50 times in the last five years, I would be stunned. It just almost never happens.
The service is often lousy, and often runs 15-25% late, if it even runs at all. Cancellations and alteration to road coach are fairly common. Anyone who follows the #vline tag on Twitter can see how bad it gets, and how regularly.
But don’t just listen to me – just ask any regular V/Line commuter! This is what it often looks like (not the almost empty off-peak service shown in the story):
So, Channel Seven and City of Greater Geelong – if you’re going to do a promotional – (and probably paid for) – fluff piece, try being honest. It is hard enough for people already doing the commute to get a decent run into Melbourne without encouraging more people to do it.
Doing it by car is no doddle either, regularly taking even longer than a delayed V/Line train.
Do some actual journalism Seven instead of regurgitating crap like this!