Many platforms in regional Victoria are too short to accommodate V/Line's six-carriage VLocity trains, affecting over one-third of the stations. V/Line operates passenger trains to more than 90 stations across the state, with 36 of those having at least one platform that cannot accommodate the latest train services.

According to the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA), the issue extends beyond just the six-carriage trains. "Some [of those] platforms can't even accommodate three-carriage trains, so there's a problem there," said PTUA spokesperson Paul Westcott. In fact, there are at least 13 stations in regional Victoria where trains overhang the platforms, raising safety concerns for commuters. "It's obviously a big safety problem," Westcott added.

V/Line operates a variety of trains, with the six-carriage VLocity services primarily running between major cities within a few hours of Melbourne. Westcott noted that while patronage decreases with distance from Melbourne, the main issue remains the inadequacy of platform lengths. To safely accommodate a six-carriage VLocity service, platforms must be at least 159 meters long.

The dangers of short platforms were underscored by an incident involving Daniel Kelly, who broke his leg after stepping off a V/Line train at Pyramid Hill, where the train was longer than the platform. Following this incident, V/Line implemented new safety measures on the Swan Hill line, including the use of "pull-up banners" to block carriage doors at shorter platforms.

The PTUA highlighted that four of Victoria's shortest platforms—Dingee (72m), Elmore (73m), Pyramid (77m), and Heathcote Junction (45m)—cannot safely accommodate even a three-carriage service. V/Line acknowledged that many of its platforms were built decades ago and were designed for the rail system and rolling stock of that time.

In response to the situation, the Victorian government stated that announcements and assistance are available for passengers boarding and exiting trains at stations with shorter platforms. The PTUA is advocating for the extension of these platforms, arguing that it would future-proof the network and alleviate overcrowding on three-carriage services.

However, some regional advocates believe that increasing the number of carriages should take precedence. John Dunstan, spokesperson for the Border Rail Action Group, noted that north-east Victoria is experiencing overcrowding and a shortage of rolling stock. He mentioned that many services are overbooked, forcing passengers to either take buses or stand for the entire journey to Melbourne.

"Given the lack of money and interest [from the] Victorian government in spending money on regional rail, we're not going to be asking for these platforms to be extended because whatever millions are spent on that would not be going to new carriages," Dunstan said. He suggested that V/Line should explore modifying its control systems to lock certain doors when trains arrive at shorter stations as an additional safety measure.

The ABC has learned that station upgrades are prioritized based on factors such as patronage, demand, regional growth, safety, and accessibility.