Archive for October 17th, 2006

Ringwood Precinct Plans on Display

Published by Alex Makin on Tuesday 17th of October, 2006

Tonight Queensland Investment Corporation (QIC - the owners of Eastland) and Maroondah City Council presented the precinct plans for the Ringwood Town Centre to the Ringwood Chamber of Commerce.

The precinct plans are intended to provide a strategic framework for the Ringwood town centre, which is the area north of Maroondah Highway and bound by Ringwood Street and Warrandyte Road. The precinct plans envisage the transformation of Ringwood into a pedestrian friendly and vibrant suburban centre lined with much needed hospitality and entertainment such as cafes and restaurants.

The revitalisation of Ringwood is long overdue and it was encouraging to see the members of the Ringwood Chamber of Commerce supportive of the concept. While most of the community appears eager for the revitalisation of Ringwood to begin it is unfortunate that the State Government is still dragging its feet by failing to provide a solid commitment to the redevelopment of Ringwood Station. The station forms a centrepiece the new urban centre and it is imperative that the existing facility, which fails disability compliance legislation and is perceived to unsafe, is redeveloped into a modal interchange fitting of the new image for Ringwood.

To view the precinct plans please visit the Maroondah City Council Website. Submissions commenting on the plans need to be received by the 10th of November.

Maroondah Leader: Transport lobby puts case for zoning zap

Published by Alex Makin on Tuesday 17th of October, 2006

The Maroondah Leader has reported on the Eastern Transport Coalition’s survey and continued campaign to seek the abolition of zone three public transport fares.

Commuters from as far as Lilydale are driving to Mitcham to avoid paying zone three prices.

As part of the Eastern Transport Coalition’s campaign for fair fares, I surveyed people at Heatherdale Station least Tuesday.

Maroondah coalition representative Cr Alex Makin reviewed consumer behaviour at Heatherdale railway station in Mitcham, which is the last zone two station on the Lilydale line.

Cr Makin said the results further strengthened calls for zone three to be abolished.

“People are driving to Heatherdale from as far as Chirnside Park and Lilydale, just to avoid the extra costs,” Cr Makin said.

Due to the abstract nature of the public transport zoning system many commuters are driving excessive distances to park at Heatherdale Station causing traffic congestion through the centre of Ringwood and chaos at car parks.

“Ringwood is 23km from the CBD but is closer to the city than other stations in zone two,” Cr Makin said. “The ETC will continue to lobby for a revamp of the system in the lead-up to the November state election.”

Cr Makin said the fact that Ringwood was in zone two under the previous system showed revamping the zones was viable.

Ringwood as well as suburbs such as Dandenong, Lilydale and Belgrave were in part of zone two in the first zoning system that was introduced between 1981 and 1983. The fact that Ringwood was previously within zone two demonstrates that the abolition of zone three is not only possible but also entirely feasible.

Rather than continue to excessively burden outer eastern residents with the cost of zone three fare, all political parties must pledge to reform the current inequitable zone structure.