Posts related to 'Eastern Transport Coalition (ETC)'

Maroondah Leader: Premier push for station

Published by Alex Makin on Tuesday 15th of July, 2008

The Maroondah Leader has reported on the recently held Eastern Transport Coalition Summit and the renewed advocacy campaign for the upgrade of Ringwood Station, amid the arrival of the Premier and Cabinet for a community cabinet at Maroondah’s Karralyka Centre.

Councillor Alex Makin told an Eastern Transport Coalition summit earlier this month that a firm commitment to the station redevelopment was urgent.

The redevelopment of Ringwood Station is critical to ensure the revitalisation of Ringwood into an accessible and sustainable urban centre that is well served through public transport.

Cr Makin said a lack of State Government funding for the project threatened the revitalisation of Ringwood.

“The Government claims it is ‘committed’ to Ringwood but its words are meaningless without a financial commitment,” Cr Makin said.

The State Government cannot expect the community to believe its promises when it constantly fails to deliver funds to redevelop the station. While the State Government provided minor funding in previous budgets to undertake feasibility and design works it failed to deliver a single cent to deliver the necessary works to redevelop the station into a safe and accessible transport interchange.

“Ringwood Station is consistently rated as one of the most unsafe locations within Maroondah it fails Commonwealth accessibility standards.”

The Eastern Transport Coalition stands united in its call for the upgrade of Ringwood Station. It is imperative that Maroondah City Council holds the State Government to account so that the station redevelopment is delivered as part of the overall revitalisation of Ringwood.

Maroondah Leader: Railing for change

Published by Alex Makin on Tuesday 11th of March, 2008

The Maroondah Leader has reported on the Eastern Transport Coalition’s request for Federal and State cooperation in funding urban public transport infrastructure so as to mitigate worsening traffic congestion and greenhouse emissions.

The Eastern Transport Coalition (ETC) has called for changes to funding rules under the national Auslink program to allow spending on urban public transport infrastructure.

Auslink is a federally funded program provides funding largely for roads and freight. While urban roads are included within the Auslink program, it currently excludes urban public transport.

Coalition member and Maroondah Councillor, Alex Makin said the federally funded Auslink program only provided for roads and some rural rail freight.

Auslink is about moving people, but it excludes public transport,” Cr Makin said. “Traffic congestion is growing faster than the population and the best way to ease that is by getting on to public transport”.

Given the national focus on combating inflation and greenhouse emissions, it is imperative that the federal government provides funding for public transport to restore and maintain Australia’s international competitiveness. Much of Melbourne’s outer east lacks essential rail infrastructure, resulting in traffic congestion and rising greenhouse emissions, since residents have no alternative but to drive.

The ETC is seeking federal and state cooperation for the following projects:

• Heavy rail connections to Doncaster and Rowville;
• Duplication of the Belgrave and Lilydale lines to ensure reliable and frequent services;
• Completion and implementation of the bus service reviews currently being undertaken by the State Government; and
• Improvements to major public transport interchanges, such as Ringwood and Box Hill.

It is essential that the State and Federal Governments cooperate in providing Melbourne with essential public transport infrastructure. Federal funding should be provided in return for efficiency gains from the State Government, to ensure a reliable and frequent public transport system that provides a ready alternative to car usage.

First Eastern Transport Coalition meeting for 2008

Published by Alex Makin on Thursday 24th of January, 2008

Like other committees, the Eastern Transport Coalition (ETC) has returned in january to hold its first meeting for 2008. Today’s meeting discussed the Eastern Transport Coalition’s submission to the Victorian Competition and Efficiency Commission (VCEC) Inquiry into Liveability. This Inquiry was requested by the Victorian Treasurer, John Lenders, amid growing concern over Melbourne’s decline in liveability rankings.

The Eastern Transport Coalition submission will focus heavily on the need for an integrated transport and planning approach, which would curtail the excessive dominance of VicRoads in planning and transport policies. Furthermore the submission will also highlight the need for sustainable transport to assist in the liveability of my communities. For example, public transport improvements would provide an alternative to car dependence meaning that less income would be spent battling rising petrol prices and that less time would be wasted waiting in traffic congestion.

The VCEC Inquiry into traffic congestion clearly stated that the Government must do more to improve public transport. It is imperative that the State Government finally acts on the numerous inquiries it has called and realises that train, tram and bus improvements are urgently required.

Tonight’s meeting also discussed the strategic direction of the Eastern Transport Coalition. This year the ETC will continue to hold the State Government into account, while also pursuing the need for Federal Government investment in public transport infrastructure. Given that Australia is now a signatory to the Kyoto Treaty it is imperative that Federal leadership is provided to curb the rising greenhouse emissions associated with the transport sector. Public transport has the potential to assist in housing affordability by reducing car dependence and in reducing greenhouse emissions.

An action plan is currently being devised and is expected to be adopted at the next meeting.

Media Release: Rudd Government can end blame game in public transport

Published by Alex Makin on Sunday 16th of December, 2007

The Metropolitan Transport Forum (MTF) and Eastern Transport Coalition (ETC), jointly representing 26 Melbourne Councils, have asked the Rudd Federal Government, to contribute to funding major urban public transport infrastructure projects.

Both organisations also called on the Victorian Government to seek changes to Auslink to allow funding of public transport.

Cr Jackie Fristacky, MTF Deputy Chair and Cr Alex Makin, Acting Chairperson of the ETC, said there is broad agreement on the need for the Commonwealth to resume funding public transport, in the same manner as it does roads.

“The Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) recently resolved that it will continue to campaign forfederal funding of urban transport systems, a position supported by both the MTF and ETC.

“The new Rudd government has a policy supporting Commonwealth funding; the Federal ALP platform states:

“ensure that Australians have access to adequate transport services by providing appropriate financial assistance to State governments to improve and extend public transport systems in urban areas.”

“The Victorian Government advocated in 2006, for Auslink to include urban public transport.

“With a consensus that we need to take strong action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, we are urging the new government to implement this policy and do what the last Federal ALP Government did, fund urban public transport.

“There are many projects in Victoria that require substantial capital investment and which would deliver large benefits in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, congestion and prohibitive costs of transport for struggling families.

“The Victorian Government could seek Commonwealth contribution to any one of a number of projects; examples being,

• Rail to Doncaster
• Rail to South Morang
• Rail to Rowville
• Rail to Torquay

“We look forward to the end of the blame game in public transport,” Cr Fristacky and Cr Makin concluded.

For more information or comment:

Cr. Alex Makin (ETC) Mobile: 0408 311 645
Cr Jackie M Fristacky (MTF) Mobile: 0412 597 794

Media Release: Eastern Transport Coalition welcomes Federal Government funding

Published by Alex Makin on Wednesday 10th of October, 2007

The Eastern Transport Coalition welcomes the announcement of Federal Government funding for grade separation at the Springvale Road, Nunawading railway crossing.

Councillor Alex Makin represents Maroondah City Council on the Eastern Transport Coalition.

“The funding from the Federal Government for this important public transport infrastructure improvement, while assisting road traffic congestion, also paves the way for future funding to assist with high capacity public transport projects,” said Cr Makin.

ETC Chairperson 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 Federal 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.

The Eastern Transport Coalition is made up of seven Councils in Melbourne’s east, representing over 940,000 residents, with a primary focus on advocating for improved transport choices in the east.