By DANI ROTHWELL
TRAVELLING by train to Southern Cross from Ballarat takes less time than coming the much shorter distance from Pakenham.
Under the recent changes to V/Line services, commuters from Pakenham must use Metro Trains, increasing their travel time by nine minutes on average and delivering them the 63 kilometres to Southern Cross Station after 77 minutes.
In contrast, commuters from Ballarat can travel the 114km to Melbourne’s CBD in 63 minutes.
Pakenham commuters have few affordable alternatives.
For the drive from Pakenham to the CBD, it costs $7.20 of CityLink, approximately $11.7 in petrol (based on $1.33 per litre) and an average minimum of $5.50 parking per hour within the central city.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (2012), the average rate of fuel consumption for all motor vehicles was 13.7 litres per 100 kilometres.
Based on these averages, Pakenham commuters could expect to pay $390 a week to drive to and from their CBD jobs and park their car for eight hours, five days a week.
In comparison, the 10 weekly trips on public transport costs $75.20 at most, for full fare, daily passes.
However, commuters also have the option to opt for myki Pass, which gives unlimited travel to zones one and two as full fare for seven days for $37.60.
This certainly puts the case for living closer to the CBD if your work is there, however rental prices begin a steep incline closer to the CBD.
Pakenham commuters have to decide which of the two options are better: paying a similar amount to rent for driving and parking, or risk the delays the Pakenham line faces.
