My Internet Journal is designed to provide details on my role as a Councillor for the City of Maroondah and my involvement within a variety of community organizations.
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This evening the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA), in conjunction with Manningham City Council, held a screening of the End of Suburbia to supplement the Destination Doncaster Launch.
Chris Trikilis, the PTUA’s Doncaster Coordinator, accompanied myself as Vice-President and Manningham City Councillor Grace La Vella in providing an overview of the film and highlighting the ramifications of continued public transport neglect within Doncaster and Manningham.
Manningham is the only municipality in Melbourne that lacks any form of rail access. The extension of tram 48 with a restructuring of the bus network would not only provide greater transport choice but would also spur much needed investment within Doncaster Hill. As demonstrated in Box Hill, the extension of tram route 109 to Box Hill rejuvenated the town centre, extending tram 48 for Doncaster would provide a similar effect for Manningham.
In the longer term heavy-rail via the Eastern Freeway is the only viable alternative to ensuring quick and efficient journeys into the CBD and inner suburbs. Manningham has a similar population density and size to Glen Waverley and yet its needs are constantly being overlooked.
It is time for all political parties to deliver urgent public transport improvements to Manningham.
This afternoon the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) launched its Destination Doncaster campaign, calling on all political parties to commit to the delivery of a plan to provide transport choice to Manningham, the only municipality in metropolitan Melbourne that lacks any form of rail or tram access.
The Age reported exclusively on the Destination Doncaster campaign:
The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) is calling on all political parties to commit to a future rail line before next month’s election and invest in sustainable transport.
Due to continued transport neglect, public transport patronage in Manningham is just 7.3 per cent, below the Melbourne average of 8 per cent and less than the neighbouring municipalities of Banyule (10.6 per cent) and Whitehorse (11.6 per cent), which have fixed rail.
PTUA vice-president Alex Makin said Doncaster, the hub of the City of Manningham, was the only municipality in Melbourne without any rail or tram access.
“As a result, public transport patronage in Manningham is depressingly abysmal and will forever be minimal unless fixed rail infrastructure is provided immediately,” Mr Makin said.
The PTUA is calling on all political parties to support the immediate extension of tram 48 through to Doncaster Shoppingtown and the construction of heavy-rail along the Eastern Freeway by 2010.
Alex Makin is a councillor for the Mullum Ward in the City of Maroondah. Alex has been a councillor since 2005, representing ratepayers, businesses, community groups and residents.
I aim to continue making a difference and welcome any thoughts you may have in regard to life, community and business in Maroondah.
Phone: (03) 9870 8202 or 0408 311 645
Email: alex@alexmakin.com.au
