Archive for April, 2005

Much Needed Ringwood to Frankston SmartBus Welcomed

Published by Alex Makin on Wednesday 27th of April, 2005

FOR IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION
Media Release - Wednesday, 27 April 2005

Much Needed Ringwood to Frankston SmartBus Welcomed

The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) has welcomed the announcement of SmartBus services connecting Ringwood, Knox, Dandenong and Frankston.

“The PTUA has long been advocating for more frequent and longer running bus services along Stud and Frankston-Dandenong Roads. Rectifying the dire state of these bus services was a clear priority for the Outer East Branch in 2005,” PTUA Outer East Branch Convener, Alex Makin said.

The future SmartBus to be implemented by 2008, will incorporate Melbourne’s seventh most patronised bus service (route 665) which connects Ringwood, Knox, Rowville and Dandenong via Stud Road. Despite its popularity this service does not currently operate during evenings or on public holidays.

“The enthusiasm of Peter Lockwood, Member for Bayswater towards this SmartBus cannot be underestimated. As Outer East Branch Convener I was immediately impressed by Mr. Lockwood’s dedication towards the goal of securing this service,” Mr. Makin said. “Likewise the support received from Knox and Greater Dandenong Council through their proactive vision for public transport was vital”.

The SmartBus program provides significant bus improvements including 15 minute weekday frequencies and half hourly frequencies on weekends. SmartBus services operate from 6am to midnight six days a week and include traffic priority measures to ensure faster travel times.

“There is an immediate need for later weeknight and weekend services prior to 2008. This will provide an immense benefit for residents and businesses along this key bus route allowing relief against rising petrol prices and ensuring greater mobility within our outer eastern suburbs”, Mr. Makin concluded.

About the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA):

Founded in 1976, the PTUA is the recognised consumer organisation representing passengers of public transport. The PTUA is a non-profit, voluntary organisation with no political affiliation, which lobbies governments and public transport authorities in the interest of all users of public transport.

ALL MEDIA ENQUIRIES: ALEXANDER MAKIN ON 0409 136 213

ENDS

Rail: Ringwood Line

Published by Alex Makin on Thursday 21st of April, 2005

As a public transport lobbyist and community advocate I regularly meet MPs in regard to issues that require urgent attention. During my last meeting with Phil Honeywood, the Deputy Opposition Leader and Member for Warrandyte, I left a copy of the February 2005 edition of the PTUA newsletter which included a list of unfulfilled promises pledged by the Bracks Government during both the 1999 and 2002 State Election campaigns.

Among the list of broken promises was the construction of the third rail line from Box Hill to Ringwood. The construction of this third track would provide faster train journey times and increase the frequency of services to Ringwood. Currently this pledge is yet to be honoured more than six years after the initial promise was made.

In response to our discussions Mr. Phil Honeywood raised the matter in State Parliament on the 21st of April 2005:

Mr HONEYWOOD (Warrandyte) — The matter I wish to raise is for the attention of and action by the Minister for Transport. I note that he is unwell but ask him to respond to me. The action I seek is for inclusion in the state budget, which will be handed down in the short period of a couple of weeks, to ensure that consideration is given for funding for the third railway line, which was promised by the ALP in its 1999 election policy entitled ‘Rebuilding the transport network’. Not only was it promised, it was actually costed and funded. The policy states:

Labor will provide the following funds for this initiative …

The chart provided indicates them to be $4.5 million in 2001-02 and $5 million in 2002-03. The policy goes on to state that the $9.5 million would be used:

… to construct a third track between Blackburn and Mitcham.

This will allow the introduction of Belgrave and Lilydale flier trains during morning and evening peak periods running express Ringwood-Box Hill-Richmond …

The flier trains will take more than 5 minutes off the present journey …

Then, of course, nothing happened in the two years in which the track was meant to be funded. Following the state budget in 2001 the Minister for Transport issued a media release. It states:

The Minister for Transport, Peter Batchelor, said work was progressing on train and tram extensions announced in the 2000-01 state budget as part of the Bracks government’s $1.5 billion Linking Victoria program.

These projects include:

Flier trains on the Dandenong, Frankston and Ringwood lines …

It states also that the government will be looking at providing an additional third track on the Ringwood line.

When nothing had happened after four years, despite the $9 million funding commitment in the 1999 election policy, at the same time last year — just before the budget came down — I raised the need for the funding commitment to be met and progressed. It is interesting to note that in the Maroondah Journal of 25 May 2004 a government spokesperson on behalf of Minister Batchelor was quoted as saying:

The issues raised with regard to train services on the Ringwood line will be addressed in the government’s metropolitan transport strategy, due to be released later this year.

That was later in 2004. Again here we are with absolutely no funding commitment for the third train line to ensure that my constituents and constituents in the outer east in a number of marginal Labor electorates have that 1999 election promise met. I am indebted to the Public Transport Users Association for highlighting that that is a broken promise. A third rail track to Ringwood was excluded from the metropolitan transport plan and therefore it is a broken promise.

Victoria, Parliamentary Debates, Legislative Assembly, 21/04/2005, p 699