ETC Chairperson, Cr Samantha Dunn said integrated and affordable public transport was crucial to the continued growth of the eastern region and required the support of all levels of government.

 Cr Dunn said education, particularly tertiary education, was a key industry in the region and good public transport options were crucial to its continued strength.

 Cr Dunn’s comments follow the release of the ACPET position paper, which found that more than 89 per cent of international students they had surveyed would not recommend studying in Victoria because of the lack of public transport assistance.

 The report estimated that paying full fare on public transport added about $30 per week to the living costs of overseas students.

 Cr Dunn said the benefits of an affordable and integrated public transport network would flow to the entire community, including students attending Swinburne University.

 “The ETC and communities in Melbourne’s east have lobbied for many years for integrated and affordable public transport to ease congestion and provide better links to activity hubs, tertiary institutions and other facilities,” Cr Dunn said.

 She said improved public transport would make existing businesses and schools, including tertiary institutions, more accessible and allow for further growth, while at the same time decreasing road congestion.

 Melbourne’s eastern region is home to many highly regarded secondary schools and tertiary institutions including Monash and Deakin Universities, Swinburne University of Technology and Box Hill Institute.

 According to Regional Development Australia, international education is Victoria’s highest export, valued at more than $5.5 billion in 2010. Modelling carried out by ACPET estimated that the cost of providing international student concessions would be $93 million per year.

 Regional Development Australia has also identified transport as the most significant challenge facing the region, with inadequate infrastructure to link activity centres, employment hubs, tertiary institutions, hospitals and other facilities.

 “Inadequate public transport is a major challenge for students in Melbourne’s east, particularly international students, and requires a significant investment in the coming years,’’ said Cr Dunn.

 In his report to Parliament, Auditor-General Des Pearson estimated that public transport patronage would jump by around 70 per cent in the next decade.

 He also estimated that capital expenditure on public transport would need to triple over the next decade to cope with this expected growth.

 ETC Chairperson, Cr Samantha Dunn said communities in Melbourne’s east have been crying out for better public transport for decades, particularly rail services, to provide affordable transport alternatives and to ease road congestion.

 “The economic and environmental benefits of an extended rail network in the east of Melbourne are enormous,” Cr Dunn said.

 “Feasibility studies are currently being carried out for the Rowville and Doncaster Railway links, which is a great first step. However, it is crucial that government follows through on these projects.

 “The cost of failing to deliver an integrated public transport system will be felt by the entire community through overcrowding on existing public transport, worse congestion on our roads and lost productivity.”

 Cr Dunn said addressing inadequate public transport was one of the major challenges for the local area.

 “An integrated public transport system, which includes the Rowville and Doncaster rail links, will provide a real transport alternative for our area, which is heavily car-dependant,” Cr Dunn said.

 Cr Dunn also urged the government to maintain a focus on grade separations.

 “Traffic congestion around rail crossings has a real impact on the road system and also impacts on the ability for train services to run more frequently,” she said.

 Cr Dunn said the ETC was keen to work with both the State and Federal Governments to achieve an integrated transport plan that provided better links between rail, trams and buses, optimised the services currently provided and provided new links where needed.

 The ETC is made up of seven eastern suburban councils, and represents the public transport needs of more than one million residents.

ETC Chairperson Cr Samantha Dunn said constructing the Doncaster Rail link was vital to the region and the Government could not afford to wait.

“We appreciate that there are some complex construction and land use issues to consider, however putting it off decade after decade is not the answer,” Cr Dunn said.

Cr Dunn said the City of Manningham, which has more than 110,000 residents, is the only municipality within Melbourne without any form of rail or tram access.

“The existing bus services to Doncaster along the freeway have shown the high demand that exists for better public transport. However, the carrying capacity of the bus services is insufficient, resulting in severe overcrowding,” Cr Dunn said.

“The cost of congestion, through delays in delivery schedules and opportunity costs, has been estimated at $20.4 billion annually, of which $2.44 billion directly impacts eastern and south eastern Melbourne,” she said.

 “The heavy congestion on the Eastern Freeway could also be reduced with a rail line to Doncaster.”

 Cr Dunn said delaying the Doncaster Rail Link would only exacerbate costs, road congestion and land use issues and called on the government to take the lead, work through the issues and get the rail line built.

 “An expanded and integrated public transport network that includes a train line to Doncaster is the only public transport option that will adequately service this part of Melbourne now and in the future,” Cr Dunn said.

  “Only last week, Auditor-General Des Pearson told Parliament that public transport patronage is expected to jump by around 70 per cent in the next decade.

 “He also estimated that capital expenditure on public transport would need to triple over the next decade to cope with this expected growth.

 “Further delay to this project will only exacerbate an already unsatisfactory situation.”

 The ETC is made up of seven eastern suburban councils, and represents the public transport needs of more than one million residents.

Cr Dunn was responding to comments made by Transport Minister Terry Mulder following the release of the Rowville Rail Study, that a Rowville train line `could not be provided for at least a decade’.

 Cr Dunn said delaying the Rowville Rail Link for another 10 years would only exacerbate costs, road congestion and land use issues and called on the government to take the lead, work through the issues and get the rail line built.

 “This project has been shoved into the too-hard-basket for four decades by successive state governments who claim that it is either too hard or too expensive and now the Baillieu Government is talking about delaying for yet another decade,” Cr Dunn said.

 “The cost of congestion, through delays in delivery schedules and opportunity costs, has been estimated at $20.4 billion annually, of which $2.44 billion directly impacts eastern and south eastern Melbourne,” she said.

 “With its capacity to carry over 2,350 passengers per hour, the Rowville rail line would remove the equivalent of one lane of traffic from the Monash Freeway. This would provide substantial benefits to the delivery of freight through reducing overall traffic congestion.

“Monash is one of Melbourne’s major universities and it is growing year by year. Students and staff need a fast, reliable, integrated public transport system – a sentiment that has been clearly stated at recent community forums held at Monash University.

“For those living at the Rowville end, buses simply cannot adequately meet the community’s public transport needs, nor is it a viable option for many commuters as buses use the increasingly congested road network.”

The ETC believes that heavy rail is the only public transport option that will adequately service this part of Melbourne now and in the future

 “Only last week, Auditor-General Des Pearson told Parliament that public transport patronage is expected to jump by around 70 per cent in the next decade,” Cr Dunns said.

 “He also estimated that capital expenditure on public transport would need to triple over the next decade to cope with this expected growth.

 “Further delay will only exacerbate an already unsatisfactory situation.”

 The ETC is made up of seven eastern suburban councils, and represents the public transport needs of more than one million residents.

However ETC Chairperson, Yarra Ranges Councillor Samantha Dunn said there were several projects absent from the Premier’s list that were crucial to delivering an integrated and sustainable public transport network to residents in Melbourne’s east.

“The Eastern Transport Coalition represents approximately one million residents in eastern Melbourne, yet there was little mention of the projects that these communities have told us are important to them,” said Cr Dunn.

“We are concerned that the Premier did not mention either the Rowville or Doncaster Rail construction projects – studies for both are currently in progress. Both projects have been sought by residents and been in various stages of planning for at least four decades.

“While we support plans to increasing capacity on the Dandenong line, including nine-carriage trains, it will require significant infrastructure upgrades and therefore is not a short term solution. We are also concerned that there was no mention of other rail lines.

“In terms of grade separations, it is good to see Blackburn on the list, but there needs to be serious consideration about how we deal with this issue across the entire rail network.

“We would also like to see better interchanges at Ringwood, Dandenong and Box Hill, linking rail and bus services and providing a viable alternative to travelling by car.

Cr Dunn said the ETC was keen to work with both the State and Federal Governments to achieve an integrated transport plan that provided better links between rail, trams and buses, optimised the services currently provided and provided new links where needed.

“Integrated transport and land-use planning is crucial to fixing the deficiencies of the past and to ensure we have a viable, efficient and well-patronised public transport network into the future,” Cr Dunn said.

The Eastern Transport Coalition has welcomed the announcement of feasibility studies for Rowville and Doncaster rail networks as part of the State Budget 2011.

The feasibility studies will examine a range of issues related to the projects, including construction, operation, land use and potential environmental impacts.

ETC Chairperson Councillor Samantha Dunn said the funding announcement was a great win for public transport and commuters in the east and outer east.

 “The community has been crying out for these missing links in our rail network, so it’s good to see that these well overdue projects are back on the table,” Cr Dunn said.

“It is important that the government consults broadly and extensively to capture the needs of commuters and the business community and the ETC looks forward to assisting the government in their consultative process,” she said.

“The economic and environmental benefits of an extended rail network in the east of Melbourne are enormous. “As coalition of seven municipalities in the east of Melbourne, the ETC has an extensive knowledge of our local communities and can provide important local knowledge to the consultation on the feasibility studies.”

 Cr Dunn said the ETC also welcomed the attention and focus on grade separations.

“Traffic congestion around rail crossings has a real impact on the road system and also impacts on the ability for train services to run more frequently,” she said.

 “We’re glad that the government has recognised that Rooks Road in Mitcham and Springvale Road in Springvale need priority attention.”

Cr Dunn said while the feasibility studies were a welcome budget announcement, it was disappointing that the Upwey station hadn’t been included for a premium upgrade.

“An upgrade to a fully staffed station would have been of great benefit to local commuters,” she said.

“It seems the only improvement we can expect in Yarra Ranges is the focus on grade separations on the Belgrave and Lilydale lines, and although welcome, this falls well short of community expectations.”

The ETC is made up of seven eastern suburban councils, and represents the needs of more than one million residents.

ENDS

Media enquiries: Samantha Dunn: 0407 364 509

Council is committed to making sure the local community, and those who travel through the municipality, have access to transport options that are sustainable, convenient, accessible, safe and enhance the liveability of the city.

The final strategy will guide the delivery of Council programs and highlight the priorities for advocating to state and federal governments for improved transport infrastructure and services. 

Submissions must be received by Council by 5pm on 21 April 2011 and will be considered in finalising the strategy. 

For more information please click on the link below to visit the Whithorse website

 http://www.whitehorse.vic.gov.au/Transport-Strategy.html

The Eastern Transport Coalition (ETC) has welcomed the State Government’s announcement of a $2 million feasibility study into the construction of the Rowville Rail Link.

The study will examine a range of issues related to the proposed project, including its construction, operation, land use and potential environmental impacts.

ETC Chairperson Councillor Samantha Dunn said the funding announcement was a great win for public transport in the outer east.

 “For years the ETC has been advocating for more rail links in the outer east to provide residents with increased and improved public transport options,” Cr Dunn said.

 “It’s great to see the government listening to our concerns on the need for more rail extensions in the outer east, which would help ease congestion while providing more affordable transport alternatives,” she said.

“The ETC believes provision of extra rail links is essential to help solve Melbourne’s public transport issues. We look forward to participating in the feasibility study, and hope to see a similar study undertaken on a rail extension to Doncaster in the very near future.”

The ETC is made up of seven eastern suburban councils, and represents the public transport needs of more than one million residents.

“Around 60 residents and public transport users braved horrible weather to ask questions directly of the major political parties on Wednesday night,” Cr Van de Vreede said.

“It’s fair to say most were very disappointed by the answers they received,” he said.

Cr Van de Vreede said that the most pressing local issue at the forum was the badly needed upgrade to Ringwood station, to increase accessibility, amenity, safety and capacity.

“While the Greens party committed to the ask put forward by Maroondah City Council and the ETC should they win the balance of power, the ALP and the Liberal Party were reluctant to commit to the project in any specific or meaningful way,” he said.

The forum coincided with the launch of Maroondah City Council’s ‘Missing Piece’ campaign, which focuses on the Ringwood station upgrade.

“Council has created a Ringwood Central Activities District jigsaw which highlights the residential, commercial, commercial development in Ringwood and how they are all linked in with the station,” Maroondah Mayor Cr Alex Makin said.

“The jigsaw highlights the substantial residential developments, the commercial investment and the significant community facilities, which are available within the Ringwood Central Activities District,” he said.

“The community clearly sees Ringwood Station as a priority with over 2000 signatures calling for the upgrade and over 500 visitations on Council’s social media campaign.  It is time for each state political party to commit to delivering the missing piece and to fund an accessible, safe and integrated transport interchange for,” Cr Makin concluded.

Cr Van de Vreede said that the ETC Public Transport Forums were intended to inform residents of the east about how their candidates proposed to address critical needs for public transport in Melbourne’s east.

“Eastern residents have been neglected in public transport planning, and these forums provide an opportunity for those residents to ask the hard questions of those who would seek to represent them,” Cr Van de Vreede said.

“The current Victorian Transport Plan is based on the Eddington report, which ignores anything east of Warrigal Road. That’s why there’s not much in there for eastern residents.”

“Unfortunately the major parties don’t appear to appreciate the desperate need for a proper study into eastern public transport – instead we get a piecemeal approach that lacks any real strategy,” Cr Van de Vreede said.

“Public transport is a key state election issue, and we want all of our residents to be fully informed about the transport plans of the major parties before they go to the ballot box,” he said.

Cr Van de Vreede expressed his appreciation that Mr Brian Tee, Parliamentary Secretary for Public Transport, Richard Dalla-Riva MLA, and Greens party candidates Chris Padgham (Warrandyte) and Justin-Paul Sammons (Kilsyth) were able to attend the forum.

“We appreciate the time our political representatives and candidates gave to us, and we also note that several other local candidates from major parties were in attendance,” Cr Van de Vreede said.

“Unfortunately while the major parties continue to ignore sustainable public transport in the east, their constituents will remain disillusioned and, worse, remain in their cars, adding to congestion,” he said.

Cr Van de Vreede said upcoming forums at Yarra Ranges Council (Mooroolbark Community Centre, October 20), Knox and Monash City Councils (Knox Civic Centre, October 27), and Manningham City Council (October 27) would provide further opportunities for residents to ask public transport questions directly to the major parties.

To register to attend the forums, residents can visit www.etc.org.au or call their participating Council.  Residents can also submit questions to be asked at the forums online, or ask their candidates on the night.

Further Information
Simon Tolstrup, CPR
0408 331 356