Posts related to 'infrastructure'

Victorian Transport Infrastructure Summit 2008

Published by Alex Makin on Thursday 13th of November, 2008

This afternoon I was invited to participate within a panel discussion for the 2008 Victorian Transport Infrastructure Summit. This year’s summit had an emphasis on sustainable transport and the need for a coordinated approach from all levels of government.

As the Deputy Chair of the Eastern Transport Coalition, I discussed our recent survey results which demonstrated that residents within the eastern suburbs overwhelmingly support the call for better public transport.

In addition over two-thirds of respondents believed that governments were not giving sufficient priority to the provision of public transport. In support of this view, the majority of people stated they would use public transport if it were adequately provided.

The message from Eastern Melbourne is clear - the one million residents of Melbourne’s outer eastern suburbs want governments of all levels to work cooperatively to provide better public transport.

• View the slides I presented at the Victorian Transport Infrastructure Summit.

Eastern Transport Coalition - submission to Infrastructure Australia

Published by Alex Makin on Thursday 16th of October, 2008

Tonight I attended the last Eastern Transport Coalition for this current council term. The meeting discussed the ETC’s terms of reference and processes to assist in guiding the member councils and to reaffirm the ETC’s aims of advocating for sustainable transport improvements.

The meeting also discussed the ETC’s recent submission to Infrastructure Australia, which aims to encourage the Federal Government to invest in urban public transport, particularly within Melbourne’s outer eastern suburbs.

As we enter times of economic uncertainty, coupled with rising petrol prices, it is imperative that the Federal Government invest significantly within urban public transport to ensure to provide transport choice and to enhance people’s mobility. Public transport infrastructure, such as rail duplications, the Rowville and Doncaster rail lines, would mitigate traffic congestion and reduce greenhouse emissions while also boosting the economic capacity of the eastern region.

The Federal Government has announced that it will fast-track its infrastructure commitments and it is clear that public transport projects must be part of this program to ensure a sustainable and accessible future for Melbourne’s eastern suburbs.

Eastern Transport Coalition - presenting the short-term priorities of the region

Published by Alex Makin on Thursday 18th of September, 2008

Tonight’s Eastern Transport Coalition finalised a report into the short-term priorities of the eastern region. This report, which was requested by Premier John Brumby, presents the projects required by the eastern region to assist in mitigating rising petrol prices and worsening traffic congestion.

These priorities, such as a new bus route for Canterbury Road, which would travel between Ringwood and Box Hill, and further improvements to bus service frequencies and operating spans, as well as pedestrian priority measures across Maroondah Highway, can be implemented in the short term and assist in providing transport choice across the eastern region. These projects need to be reinforced by longer term investment in the region, such as the redevelopment of Ringwood Station and new rail lines for Doncaster and Rowville, which would drastically reduce car dependency across Melbourne’s eastern suburbs.

The State Government’s transport strategy, which will be released in November this year, must deliver public transport improvements across Melbourne and deliver the necessary infrastructure to our outer suburbs. After several attempts at a long term transport strategy, including the clearly insufficient Meeting Our Transport Challenges, which was released in 2006, the State Government must finally deliver real public transport improvements and provide immediate relief to rising petrol prices and improve the accessibility and sustainability of our outer suburbs.

The Eastern Transport Coalition’s short-term priorities for the eastern region will be delivered to the Premier’s office on Friday.

Eastern Transport Coalition Public Transport Summit

Published by Alex Makin on Friday 4th of July, 2008

The Eastern Transport Coalition represents one million residents across the seven eastern metropolitan councils within Melbourne’s eastern suburbs.

Today’s summit highlighted the need for public transport improvements within the eastern suburbs to become sustainable and accessible through providing transport choice for residents facing worsening traffic congestion and rising petrol prices. The theme includes the infrastructure needs of the region and included presentations on the need for new rail lines serving Rowville and Doncaster, as well as required improvements to the Belgrave and Lilydale rail lines.

The keynote speakers, Professors Peter Newman and Graham Currie, spoke about the importance of public transport in reducing greenhouse emissions and mitigating the effects of rising petrol prices. Both speakers reiterated the trend of rising petrol prices and demonstrated quite clearly that such increases were only going to continue.

While the Premier was unable to attend, Rob Hudson, the Parliamentary Secretary for Public Transport, stated that the Government would release a new transport plan by the end of the year. While the State Government released Meeting Our Transport Challenges in 2006, the plan was widely condemned as being inadequate and failed to plan for any infrastructure improvements in the eastern suburbs. It is hoped that the government’s next plan will rectify these shortcomings.

The Opposition Leader, Ted Baillieu, spoke about the government’s litany of public transport plans and the increasing cost of inaction. While the opposition leader did not make any commitments, he did highlight the need for rail lines to Doncaster and Rowville.

The summit was extremely well attended by community members, as well as local councillors, State MPs and members of local environment and transport groups. Time was provided to allow attendees to discuss the needs of the eastern region and during this time the need for accessibility improvements on public transport was mentioned.

I spoke on the needs of the Belgrave/Lilydale lines and Ringwood with Cr. Samantha Dunn from the Shire of Yarra Ranges, who spoke about the need for rail duplications to improve the reliability of the line.

My presentation focused on the need for rail improvements between Box Hill and Ringwood and the importance of Ringwood as a regional centre within the eastern region. The expectations of eastern Melbourne and its 1 million residents were conveyed at this summit. The State Government must act and deliver the much needed public transport infrastructure, including the redevelopment of Ringwood Station, that is urgently required for the region

Please continue reading to view a copy of the speech I delivered at the summit.

(Read more…)

Eastern Transport Coalition: Planning for the public transport summit

Published by Alex Makin on Thursday 19th of June, 2008

This evening’s Eastern Transport Coalition meeting focused on the public transport summit planned for the 4th of July. This public transport summit will focus on the infrastructure needs of Melbourne’s outer eastern suburbs and will include presentations on Doncaster rail, Rowville rail as well as Ringwood Station and the Belgrave/Lilydale lines.

While rising petrol prices have led to a reduction in vehicle usage within inner Melbourne, families in Melbourne’s outer suburbs are left struggling under the strain of rising prices due to the lack of readily available public transport.

The State Government must realise that it is time to move on from transport neglect and towards an era of major public transport expansion to provide transport choice for Melbourne’s outer suburbs. Only a significant boost to public transport will provide an alternative to rising petrol prices and reduce greenhouse emissions that are continuing to spiral out of control.

The summit includes a number of prominent transport and planning experts, including Peter Newman, Professor of Sustainability, Curtin University and Professor Graham Currie, Monash University Chair of Public Transport.

Ringwood Station and the importance of Ringwood as a regional centre will feature as one of the topics to be discussed at the summit. I will presenting information on the Ringwood Transit City and the importance of public transport in providing a safe, accessible and vibrant environment at 10:45 am.

The summit entitled ‘It’s Time to Move On’ will be held on Friday the 4th of July from 8:30 am at the Maninngham Function Centre, 699 Doncaster Road in Doncaster.

For further details please visit www.etc.org.au.