A survey of 1000 people commissioned by the Melbourne based Eastern Transport Coalition and conducted by the Australian Research Group has shown that a majority of voters in key eastern Melbourne Federal electorates want the Federal Government to consider funding public transport as well as roads.

ETC Chairperson, Cr Mick Van de Vreede said that congestion was a major problem in the east of Melbourne and because of major holes in the public transport network meant people often had no option.

71% of people use cars to get to work and 61% would use public transport if the option was available.

“The Federal Government can help provide that option, 62% of respondents said it was not acceptable that the Federal Government provided funding for major roads but not for public transport infrastructure.

The Federal Government currently provides billions of dollars for major road infrastructure and they refuse to ee public transport as a viable alternative. The fact is however public transport can achieve the same ends, taking private cars off the roads, helping reduce greenhouse gas emission and leaving road space for freight.

Our local residents don’t want to see each level of Government blame each other, 76% believed the State and Federal Governments should share the cost for all necessary public transport infrastructure.

“In Melbourne’s east we have a number of key projects which would make Melbourne’s transport work better, we want the Federal Government to change its transport funding policies so they can be considered. The rojects which would make a difference for us are;

• Heavy Rail to Rowville,
• Increased capacity of Belgrave, Lilydale and Dandenong Lines,
• Heavy Rail to Doncaster,
• Upgrades to transport Interchanges such as Ringwood Station.

“The Rowville Rail is a point in case. If it were built, 2400 cars or a freeway lane of traffic would be removed from our roads every hour.

“While the Federal Government don’t currently fund public transport projects, this has been recommended by the Federal parliamentary Committee on Environment and Heritage that the provision of Australian Government transport infrastructure funds ‘include provision of funding specifically for sustainable public transport infrastructure for suburbs and developments on the outer fringes of our cities.’

“The residents of Melbourne’s east clearly want the Federal Government to help improve our public transport,” Cr Van de Vreede concluded.

The sample for the survey was 1000 people in the Federal electorates within the ETC member Councils area.

For more information please contact;

ETC Chairperson Cr Mick Van De Vreede 0438 029 932
CPR Communications, Robert Larocca 0409 198 350

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The Eastern Transport Coalition commissioned a report examining the feasibility of federal funding for urban public transport. The report has found that Federal involvement in urban public transport is feasibility and desirable due to the economic, social, environmental and governance benefits that it would provide.

Furthermore Federal funding for urban public transport infrastructure is consistent with global trends, with Australia remaining the only OECD nation where Federal involvement is not provided.

Urban public transport is important to the economy, the environment and serves as an important tool in moving people safely and efficiently to access employment, training and recreational opportunities.

National governments in all OECD countries fund urban public transport infrastructure in partnership with local and regional state governments – Australia is the only exception. For example, in the U.S, the national government is contributing to over 100 public transport projects in partnership with the states, and it provides approximately 50% of capital funding for public transport projects.

Whilst it is acknowledged that running public transport services is universally considered a state responsibility, most developed nations recognise that part of the costs required to establish infrastructure projects is met by national governments.
The Australian government is empowered by the Land Transport Act (Commonwealth) to fund public transport projects, and has done so in the past.

The Eastern Transport Coalition calls federal political parties to develop a policy framework that facilitates the assessment and funding of public transport infrastructure projects in partnership with the states. The development of such a process and then allocated funding to resource it, would demonstrate a strong national commitment to sustainability and international competitiveness of our major cities.

Read: Report on the Feasibility of Federal Funding for Urban Public Transport.