Chairperson of the Eastern Transport Coalition, Cr Mick Van De Vreede has said today that the ETC
will talk to voters at a number of railways stations and bus stops tomorrow to argue the case for
Federal Government funding of major public transport infrastructure.

“The following representatives of the ETC will be at four railway stations and one bus stop early
Friday morning;

• Cr Mick Van De Vreede (Knox)
• Cr Grace La Vella (Manningham)
• Cr Karin Orpen (Knox)
• Cr Alex Makin (Maroondah)
• Cr Samantha Dunn (Yarra Ranges)

“We will be talking to commuters and giving them a leaflet, encouraging them to think about public
transport when they vote, and specifically three projects;

• Rail to Doncaster
• Third track / duplication of the Belgrave / Lilydale line
• Rail to Rowville

“Each of these projects would increase the number of people using public transport and in doing so
help improve the environment, reduce congestion and save families money,” Cr Mick Van De Vreede
concluded.

For more information please contact;

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

When it comes to public transport the major parties have different policies but have failed to make any concrete commitments so far according to the Eastern Transport Coalition.

Cr Mick Van De Vreede said that over the past few months the ETC had been speaking to the major parties, advocating for federal funding of major public transport infrastructure.

“We have found that the ALP has a supportive platform, candidates will actually attend meetings and make supportive comments in the local press. Liberal Party candidates refuse to attend meetings and neither party has made any real commitments.

“We don’t need platitudes; we need action on public transport.

“Both parties need to listen to the needs of voters, in a recent survey of 1000 voters conducted by the Australian Research Group the key finding was that a majority of people believe that the Federal Government should consider funding major additions to urban public transport in the same manner it funds roads.

“In Sunday’s debate both Mr Howard and Mr Rudd raised issues about rising petrol prices, tightening family budgets and the environment. They need to now take action on these concerns by agreeing to fund public transport in urban areas.

“It is very frustrating that both Labor and Liberal have voted to support federal funding for public transport in parliamentary committees and they have actually funded it in the 1990’s.

“The ETC will continue its campaign in the hope that one of the major parties decides to make a real commitment to helping the 1,000,000 residents in the east cut the cost of transport and help the environment by once again federally funding public transport,” Cr Mick Van De Vreede concluded.

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In an historic step the Mayors of seven Council’s in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs have signed a joint letter to the Prime Minister John Howard and Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd asking them to contribute to the funding of major public transport infrastructure in urban areas.

The seven Councils, Greater Dandenong, Knox, Manningham, Maroondah, Monash, Whitehorse and Yarra Ranges represent one million people. This area will see some of the closest contests seats in the up coming Federal election.

The Eastern Transport Coalition (ETC) have been campaigning for better public transport over the last two years and more recently have turned their attention to the Federal election, strongly believing that the Federal Government must assist the states in developing better transport systems by helping to funding public transport infrastructure.

ETC Chairperson, Cr Mick Van De Vreede, said that over the past few months we have seen both political parties step in and fund or offer to fund areas that have not traditionally been their responsibility, now public transport should be looked at.

“Members of both parties have already indicated that they agree with the need, primarily for environmental reasons, to fund urban public transport. Now we want their leaders to agree as well.

“Fact is the voters agree, in a recent survey of 1000 voters conducted by the Australian Research Group the key finding was that a majority of people believe that the Federal Government should consider funding major additions to urban public transport in the same manner it funds roads.

“There is also precedent, the former Federal Labor Better Cities program cooperated with the Victorian Coalition Government to fund extensions to light rail and upgrades to heavy rail.

“The current blinkered policy makes no sense, why pour billions of dollars into urban road capacity projects without considering other transport options? Options such as public transport also deal with congestion, help families and the environment.

“Our survey also found that 83 per cent of respondents said that the issue of public transport infrastructure would be of importance when deciding who they would vote for in the next Federal election so both Mr Howard and Mr Rudd should listen,” Cr Mick Van De Vreede concluded.

For more information please contact;

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

Chairperson of the ETC, Cr Van De Vreede has welcomed the announcement of Federal Government funding for grade separation at Springvale Road as a sign that there is no barrier to Federal Government funding for major public transport projects.

The ETC represents seven Councils covering one million people in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs and is campaigning this year for Federal Government funding for public transport.

Cr Van De Vreede said the “grade separation will help reduce traffic congestion at one of Melbourne’s busiest intersections and likewise a rail to Rowville, a rail to Doncaster and increasing the capacity of the Belgrave/Lilydale lines would reduce congestion on many more roads.

“If the Federal Government is happy to provide funding to reduce congestion on roads which are traditionally the responsibility of the State Government why shouldn’t they provide funding for high capacity public transport projects which will do the same?” It’s a ‘no brainer’.

“Such Public Transport projects will also serve to protect our families from the impacts of rising oil prices by giving them transport choices.”

The community in the eastern suburbs wants the Federal Government to help with funding. In a major survey of 1000 voters in the east 62% of respondents said it was not acceptable that the ederal Government provided funding for major roads but not for public transport infrastructure.

“This supports the Federal parliamentary Committee on Environment and Heritage decision 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.’

“Phil Baressi was a member of the Committee for part of this inquiry so he understands the importance of public transport in improving the sustainability of our cities.

“I look forward to more decisions by the Federal Government to provide funding in areas where they have not traditionally done so, first it was a hospital, now its grade separations, hopefully tomorrow its public transport,” Cr Van De Vreede concluded.

For more information please contact;

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

In a submission to the State Government ETC Chairperson Cr Mick Van De Vreede has said that for Melbourne 2030 to deliver more needs to be invested in major public transport in Melbourne’s east.

Cr Van De Vreede said the central idea in Melbourne 2030 – to increase housing around transport hubs – was a good one, however the idea had not been backed up by expansion of rail options in the eastern suburbs.

“What Melbourne 2030 really needs is a plan that allows for the expansion of rail in the outer east. There are a number of major activity centres in Melbourne’s east which would significantly benefit from the expansion of heavy rail.

“Rail to Doncaster would significantly improve the functioning of this growing population centre. Similarly, connecting Monash University, the new infill suburb at Waverly Park and Stud Park Shopping Centre with rail to Rowville would make the area much more liveable and attractive to people in that it would provide transport choice, reduce traffic congestion and ease the burden of rising fuel costs.

“Recent announcements that off peak use of rail will be encouraged to reduce overcrowding of peak services shows that our current system will not cope with more increases in patronage. This needs to be considered in light of the current expansion of Ringwood as a transit city.

“If Ringwood continues to expand without a matching increase in the capacity of the Belgrave/Lilydale rail line it will not be as liveable as it could otherwise be, in fact it will become a car dominated suburb.

“The fact is that if Melbourne is to be a truly liveable city while encouraging higher density living, we need to invest now in dedicated public transport infrastructure such as heavy and light rail.

“We need to finish the suburbs we already have before building new ones,” Cr Van De Vreede concluded.

For more information please contact;

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

• Read: ETC Submission to the Melbourne 2030 Audit

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

Read further to view polling data:

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The Eastern Transport Coalition has recently commissioned a survey by the Australian Research Group into the views of residents about the problems with transport in their area.

Cr Mick Van de Vreede said that cars are overwhelmingly the most used form of transport in the outer east and residents have very poor knowledge of what other transport options there may be.

“It’s quite clear from the results of the survey that more needs to be done to give people transport options other than the private vehicle.

“It would be better for the environment and the family budget if they didn’t have to rely on cars to get around all of the time.

“Not surprisingly, road congestion is a big problem in our area, 40 per cent of respondents reported encountering a very high level of congestion on major roads with another 47 per cent reporting a high level.

“The link between people having public transport options and their understanding of congestion as an issue was clear. A comparatively low 29 per cent of respondents living in Chisholm (Box Hill, Burwood, Mount Waverly and Oakleigh) thought there was a very high level of congestion on major roads.

By contrast, Aston has high levels of congestion and low levels of public transport use.

“This shows that if people have decent public transport options they won’t be as concerned or affected by on road congestion.

“The survey also showed that when people have public transport as a real option they would be more likely to use it. Residents in Chisholm reported the most frequent use of public transport with 12 per cent saying they used it every day and 21 per cent using it several times a week.

“This was in contrast to respondents in the Federal electorate of LaTrobe (Belgrave, Berwick, Boronia Upper Ferntree Gully and Mount Dandenong) which were less likely to use public transport. In their cases only 16 per cent saying they used it at least once a week. One third said they never use public transport.

The survey also showed that we have a long way to go to meet goals to increase public transport use.

“Currently only 15 per cent of people use public transport as the primary means of travel to work and only 10 per cent for use it when it comes to not work trips.

“The State Government has a target of 20 per cent of trips by public transport by 2020 which is a goal we support, but a much greater level of investment in new public transport is needed.

“In our view Federal Government, in addition to the role played by the State Government, should play a role by increasing the availability of public transport. They currently provide funds for some major road capacity expansion projects and those funds should also be able to be used for major public transport projects which will reduce levels of congestion – for instance train and tram lines extensions,” Cr Van de Vreede concluded.

The sample for the survey was 1000 people in the Federal electorates within the ETC member Councils area.
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The Eastern Transport Coalition took the Victorian Co-ordinator General for Infrastructure, Meredith Sussex on a tour of the area on Friday 13th.

ETC Chair Mick Van De Vreede said that he was pleased to take the Co-ordinator General on a tour of the seven municipalities as it would help improve the area’s public transport infrastructure over the long term.

“One of the aims of the Eastern Transport Coalition is to campaign for improved co-ordination between trains, trams and buses.  With that in mind we thought it important to ensure of the key decision makers in the area understood our issues.

“The Victorian Co-ordinator General for Infrastructure’s role is to improve the coordination and integration of transport and land use planning and policy.

“It was a lively afternoon, with officers and Councillors from the cities of Greater Dandenong, Knox, Manningham, Maroondah, Monash, Whitehorse and Yarra Ranges Councils attending.

“The tour started in Dandenong and worked its way to Ringwood, looking at key bottlenecks and public transport issues.

“As well as explaining our point of view we also showed her the Dandenong Station, Stud Park Shopping Centre, Ringwood Station, Doncaster Park and Ride, Box Hill bus terminus and the Springvale Road/Whitehorse Road intersection

“Now that she has seen the key transport issues in our seven cities she will be able to better take into account our issues as she assists the Government implement their commitments to improve our transport,” Cr Mick Van De Vreede concluded.

For more information please contact:

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

The Eastern Transport Coalition will be taking its campaign for the Federal Government funding for key eastern suburbs public transport projects to Canberra in August.

ETC Chairperson, Cr Mick Van De Vreede said that the ETC would travel to Canberra to seek support from the Government and ALP to reduce road congestion in the outer eastern suburbs.

“We are approaching the Transport and Environment Ministers and Shadow Ministers to meet with us and discuss how the Federal Government can help the environment and reduce road congestion by funding key public transport projects.

“Both Labor and Liberal members of the Federal Governments Standing Committee on Environment and Heritage have recommended that the Australian Government fund public transport infrastructure for suburbs and developments on the outer fringes of our cities.

“We have projects in the outer east that would benefit from such funding, which are;

• the need to upgrade the Belgrave and Lilydale lines
• improve and create transport interchanges
• rail to Rowville
• rail to Doncaster
• improvements to facilitate road based public transport
• funding for upgrade of Dandenong line

“We hope that the trip helps to inform federal politicians about these much needed projects and I look forward to meeting Ministers and Shadow Ministers and hearing their views about funding for public transport infrastructure in the outer east of Melbourne,” Cr Mick Van De Vreede concluded.

For more information please contact;

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

The Eastern Transport Coalition has made a submission to the East-West needs Review calling on the State Government to fix Melbourne’s capacity and congestion issues by expanding the public transport network.

Chairperson, Cr Mick Van De Vreede said that by expanding the rail network cars would be removed from the roads and greenhouse gas emissions would be reduced.

“The State Government are rightly concerned about the capacity of our roads to handle freight into the future, however the answer is not more roads, the answer is more public transport.

“The million residents of the outer east that our seven member councils represent do not have the access to public transport that other Melbournian’s do and as a result they often have no option other than private vehicles.

“The large improvement in buses that is planned will make a difference but a bus doubles the key commute time to the CBD. Train is the only answer.

“Our submission points out that the big weakness in the current network is fivefold;

• No fixed rail to Rowville
• No fixed rail to Doncaster
• No plans for third rail on Belgrave/Lilydale line
• Lack of dedicated lanes for Smart Buses.
• Lack of up to date Public transport interchanges

“If implemented with improved facilities for commuters, these five projects would free up a lot of road space on the Eastern and Monash Freeways, space which could be utilised by freight.

“As a first step Rod Eddington should recommend the development of full business cases for each. Proper business cases would allow the State to budget funding and even seek funding from the Federal Government.

“Even the State Government’s own Sustainability Commissioner, Mr Rod Mc Phail, has pointed to the lack of extensions to hard rail as a shortcoming for Melbourne.

“I urge Sir Rod and the State Government to get serious about improving Melbourne’s liveability, now and into the future by extending rail,” Cr Mick Van De Vreede concluded.

For more information please contact;

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