Tag: outer suburbs

Final Eastern Transport Coalition meeting for 2007

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The Eastern Transport Coalition has had a number of successes over the course of this year, including the removal of zone three in March, further bus upgrades and train timetable improvements along the Dandenong line.

Tonight’s meeting provided an opportunity to reflect on 2007 and to begin discussions around the priorities for 2008. The Eastern Transport Coalition will be issuing a submission in regard to the recently announced Liveability Inquiry from the Victorian Competition and Efficiency Commission (VCEC) and will be seeking discussions with the incoming Rudd Government to ensure that there is federal leadership to enhance the sustainability of our cities.

Next year will be crucial in the campaign for sustainable transport in the outer suburbs, with the results of the Eddington Inquiry due in March. The outcome of this study will determine whether the State Government, now led under John Brumby, is serious about the need to enhance public transport in our suburbs.

Rising petrol prices and the need to reduce greenhouse emissions demonstrate the need for public transport improvements. It is time for both Federal and State Governments to stop the blame game to deliver the infrastructure necessary to ensure the economic, social and environmental sustainability of Melbourne and its outer suburbs.

Eastern FM: Discussing the Eastern Transport Coalition

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Eastern FM (98.1 FM) is a local community radio station based at the Wyreena Community Arts Centre in Croydon.

I was invited to be interviewed on Eastern FM to discuss the Eastern Transport Coalition and the need for public transport improvements in the outer suburbs. The Eastern Transport Coalition represents approximately a million residents and includes the Box Hill, Ringwood and Dandenong Transit Cities.

Improved public transport, including better coordination for bus services and rail improvements such as extensions and duplications, is required to provide an alternative to car dependence and to mitigate rising traffic congestion.

Traffic congestion has been estimated to cost $2.44 billion in Melbourne’s eastern and southeastern suburbs causing a substantial loss of productivity. Furthermore, car dependence is responsible for 3,230 thousand tonnes of greenhouse emissions in Melbourne’s east and southeast.

I also discussed the need for the redevelopment of Ringwood Station, particularly given Ringwood’s status as a transit city. The current station is dark, perceived to be unsafe and fails to comply with accessibility standards.

Public transport improvements are crucial to the economic, social and environmental wellbeing of Melbourne’s eastern suburbs and it is essential that all levels of government commit to the delivery of these much needed projects.

For further information on Eastern FM please visit www.easternfm.com.au.

Launch of Communities for Public Transport

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This evening I facilitated a second meeting in regard to public transport in Melbourne’s outer suburbs with the aim of establishing an ongoing community focused public transport advocacy group.

As such I am pleased to announce the launch of Communities for Public Transport. This newly formed organisation, consisting of local residents and businesses, will advocate for much needed public transport in Melbourne’s outer suburbs. Priorities will include:

  • Bringing forward the construction of new rail stations in Melbourne’s growing outer suburbs;
  • New rail lines to improve the reach of public transport services;
  • Service improvements to the train and bus network to provide a level of service that is comparable to the inner and middle suburbs of Melbourne;
  • Overall coordination and safety improvements.

As local residents, the people involved in Communities for Public Transport, have first hand experience of the public transport problems within Melbourne. It is hoped that Local and State politicians will work with the group to ensure that much needed improvements are delivered.

Communities for Public Transport marks a new era for public transport advocacy with local residents leading the calls for improvements. No longer will we have a situation where a centralised inner city focused organisation dictates the transport needs of the suburbs, instead we will have the local community, the people who are best placed to know their own needs, advocating and lobbying for public transport improvements.

Alex Makin with Cr. Steve Beardon of Casey at the launch of Communities for Public Transport

Councillor Steve Beardon from the City of Casey has been particularly supportive of the group and this example needs to be followed by politicians in all levels of government.

The State Government’s transport blueprint, Meeting Our Transport Challenges, is woefully inadequate for Melbourne’s southeast and local advocacy is needed to ensure that this is rectified.  It is time for the State Government to realise it is a mistake neglecting the southeastern suburbs and to bring forward crucial projects, such as Lyndhurst and Lakeside Stations.

Maroondah Journal: Key lobbyist quits: lack of focus claim

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The Maroondah Journal and a number of eastern suburban papers have covered my recent resignation from the Public Transport Users Association.

A vocal member of Melbourne’s key public transport lobby group has resigned amid concerns the organisation is failing as an effective lobbyist for the eastern suburbs.

“I felt there was a lack of support from people on the committee. We really need to start making inroads into effective and efficient public transport in Melbourne’s outer suburbs this is where the focus is lacking.”

The outer east and southeastern branches have achieved a number of successes over the past few years including:

  • Knox commissioned pre-feasibility study into the Rowville rail line;
  • Manningham commissioned study into the Doncaster Road (tram 48) extension;
  • Advocacy from Maroondah City Council over upgrades to Ringwood Station;
  • Introduction of the Stud Road SmartBus, due in 2008. This will provide frequent services through to midnight between Ringwood, Knox Dandenong and Frankston;
  • Introduction of SmartBus services along Warrigal Road;
  • Improved cleanliness and repair response times at Dandenong Station;
  • A consistent level of service for bus routes across metropolitan Melbourne. These standards will provide a basis for further improvements, if continued advocacy occurs.

Even though the State Government has failed to deliver the necessary infrastructure required for Melbourne’s eastern and southeastern suburbs, a strong community voice has emerged with public transport being seen as an issue critical to the wellbeing of Melbourne’s suburbs.

“While I have resigned from the PTUA, I certainly plan on remaining active in transport advocacy and in particular focusing on the needs of middle and outer suburban residents. We really need an organisation that encompasses an emphasis on these suburbs and looks at planning and community issues.”

Local communities are best placed to advocate for the public transport improvements that affect them. Public transport advocates need to work with local communities, since Melbourne’s outer suburbs should be the frontline in public transport campaigning. If the planning for new developments and growth areas does not include the simultaneous introduction of public transport then we will always be facing a losing battle.

“Communities need to find their voice and directly advocate for much needed service improvements. Sustainable transport and public transport advocacy has been and will remain a passsion of mine.”

I intend to work with local community groups to ensure that they find their voice and are able to undertake a grassroots campaign focused on public transport improvements. An organisation that is managed from a centralised committee and limits the input of local residents will unfortunately always have a limited impact.

Media Release: Transport advocacy will continue

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In announcing his resignation from the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA), Alex Makin has urged local communities to find their voice and directly advocate for much needed service improvements.

“Sustainable transport and public transport advocacy has been and will remain a passion of mine,” Mr. Makin said. “While I have resigned from the PTUA, I certainly plan on remaining active in transport advocacy and in particular focusing on the needs of middle and outer suburban residents.”

Alex Makin joined in the PTUA in 2004 when he formed the Outer East branch to represent the transport needs of outer suburban residents. Alex subsequently formed the southeast branch and undertook direct lobbying of politicians and government departments to seek public transport improvements. Alex was also a principal spokesperson for the organisation until his resignation.

“I would like to thank the many current and past Members of Parliaments and local councillors who made themselves available to myself and the PTUA. While we may not have always agreed, it was certainly encouraging to have open dialogue with a number of politicians,” Mr. Makin said. “I would also like to thank the many dedicated community members both within the PTUA and external to the organisation.”

“Lastly, I would like to thank the media for their ongoing coverage of the PTUA and transport issues in general. It is critical that our middle and outer suburbs find their voice in calling for public transport improvements. I certainly will remain active in transport advocacy and as such am more than happy to continue speaking to the media as a public transport advocate,” Mr. Makin concluded.

ALL MEDIA ENQUIRIES: Alex Makin on 0409 136 213 or email alex@alexmakin.com.au.

Presentation on urban sustainability and transport

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This afternoon I was invited to deliver a presentation exploring the linkages between urban sustainability and public transport to the 41st Annual Geography Conference organised by the Geography Teachers Association of Victoria (GTAV).

The hour-long presentation provided a synopsis on the economic, social and environmental benefits of public transport, investigated current urban policies and examined Ringwood as a case study to demonstrate the interdependence between urban sustainability and public transport.

While the State Government appears to have neglected its goal of increasing public transport modal share to 20% by the year 2020, this target is required to mitigate rising congestion. With an annual cost of $4 billion annually, congestion is currently outpacing Melbourne’s population growth. Likewise the provision of public transport will provide transport choice to the many outer suburban households that are struggling due to rising petrol prices and the fact that private transport consumes up to 20% of budgets within these households.

The lack of public transport in Melbourne’s outer suburbs can also place non-car households at a significant disadvantage and limit the ability to participate in employment, educational, community and recreational opportunities. Similarly, obesity and health issues such as diabetes, can be symptomatic of car dependent suburbs where the potential to exercise is diminished.

In regard to environmental sustainability, transport accounts for 17% of Australia’s national greenhouse emissions and is the fastest growing sector of emissions. The figures are even more stark for individual households, where due to car dependence, transport is responsible for up to 49% of greenhouse emissions and is the largest contributing source of emissions within households.

These and other costs mean that car dependence is not sustainable and that urban sustainability cannot be achieved under current practices. While it may be claimed that excessive car usage contributes to the economy, when equating the economic, social and environmental impacts of car dependence there is an annual deficit of $16.3 billion.

Melbourne 2030, the State Government’s urban planning strategy was supposed to achieve a more sustainable future for Melbourne. While the plan identified numerous activity centres, each of which are earmarked for urban development, the public transport network that was supposed to cater to these urban centres remains underdeveloped.

This is even more apparent in the purpose-built activity centres that were initially designed to showcase the integration that was to result between transport and planning. Activity centres such as South Morang, Cranbourne East and Wyndham Vale have been denied much needed rail extensions despite their location within the rapidly developing growth corridors.

The problems experienced with Melbourne’s public transport system, such as unreliable train services, infrequent and poorly connected bus services and trams that terminate short of logical destinations can be resolved, but it requires Government will. Within Australia, Perth has proven to be an example of the improvements that can result from an integration between transport and planning and a commitment to urban sustainability. As an example, Perth recently doubled the size of its rail network, including the construction of a new 70km rail line (twice the distance of the CBD to Dandenong) and new stations are built simultaneously with urban development.

The integration that has borne results in Perth needs to be implemented in Melbourne, particularly for designated transit cities such as Ringwood. The suburb of Ringwood, located 27km east of Melbourne’s CBD, has been designated an area of higher density development but the State Government has been lacklustre in its commitment to improving public transport.

Ringwood currently suffers due to a disjointed retail precinct and transport hub which requires pedestrians to cross a six lane highway. Despite the goals of creating a sustainable community, the State Government and VicRoads have currently refused requests to make it easier to cross Maroondah Highway. Coupled with poor public transport, which includes making public transport users wait up to half an hour to travel between Ringwood and Croydon, the current culture of car dependence is exacerbated and potentially jeopardises the ability to create green open space and a new heart for Ringwood. Furthermore the lack of commitment over the redevelopment of Ringwood Station has created uncertainty for major developers resulting in unnecessary delays.

Each of these issues are interrelated, since due to poor public transport there is less open space which creates a pedestrian hostile environment and investment delays as developers wait for these issues to be rectified. While 40% of land in Melbourne used for roads and carparks, a staggering 62% of land within Ringwood is used for these purposes, leaving less land available for residential, commercial and community purposes.

While new developments, such as three storey residential buildings, are occurring the investment in public transport and hence the investor confidence in larger commercial developments is not. In particular, while residents within these new developments are encouraged to use public transport, walking and cycling as a form of travel this will not be sustainable if public transport is not improved.

Poor public transport connectivity and a lack of frequent bus services along main roads, such as Maroondah Highway, Canterbury and Wonga Roads, means that public transport usage will remain limited due to the fact that these poor levels of service fail to provide a real transport choice. The State Government must deliver significant public transport improvements to demonstrate that it is committed to creating a sustainable community within Ringwood.

The provision of sustainable transport is a key component of creating a sustainable community and increasing economic, social and environmental pressures means that action is required.

2007 Rail Infrastructure Summit

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I was invited to the 2007 Infrastructure Summit as part of a panel to discuss public transport infrastructure and the improvements required to maintain patronage growth and mitigate rising traffic congestion.

Each panellist was provided with the opportunity to deliver a five minute presentation and during this time I covered the economic, social and environmental factors that necessitate the delivery of much needed public transport improvements. While the State Government may claim that it has been overwhelmed by recent patronage increases, the reality is that this should have been expected and encouraged, if the Government was sincere about achieving the goal of 20% public transport modal share by the year 2020.

Modal share data, which is available as Appendix B of the recent State Budget papers, shows very little growth in the proportion of people that use public transport versus the proportion of people that are driving, thereby demonstrating a lack of government commitment to this modal share target.

It is interesting to note that the corresponding VicRoads data for the 2005-06 period highlighted a slight reduction in road use with the total vehicle kilometres travelled decreasing by 1.9% within inner Melbourne but by just 0.3 in the outer suburbs. Given the high price of petrol over that period, this data clearly demonstrates the deficiencies that exist in Melbourne’s public transport system, since outer suburban residents are not provided with the same public transport options that are available to inner Melbourne.

Public transport modal share (source: Appendix B - State Budget Papers 2007-2008)

It is clear that the State Government needs to go beyond the projects it listed in its policy document Meeting Our Transport Challenges and commit to the delivery of frequent train, tram and bus services across metropolitan Melbourne. This includes the need to bring forward much needed rail extensions, new tram extensions and further bus improvements. Reports such as the Government commissioned Victorian Competition and Efficiency Commission (VCEC) inquiry into traffic congestion and the Environmental Sustainability Commissioner’s recent report into Melbourne’s sustainability confirm this view.

Eastern Transport Coalition July 2007 meeting

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Tonight’s Eastern Transport Coalition provided further discussion on a series of factsheets that being produced to highlight the need for public transport improvements within the eastern region. These factsheets will highlight the priorities of the Eastern Transport Coalition, as well as the expected actions required by the Government.

Tomorrow, the Eastern Transport Coalition will be taking Meredith Sussex, the Coordinator General of Infrastructure, on a tour of eastern Melbourne, to highlight the transport priorities of the region. It is hoped that this tour will directly highlight the need for new rail lines and improved bus services. The need for public transport improvements was recently demonstrated in the Environmental Commissioner’s report into Melbourne’s sustainability and recommended urgent action to provide reliable public transport for Melbourne’s outer suburbs.

Peak Oil, Petrol Prices and Climate Change Conference

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Peak Oil and the impacts of climate change have risen in prominence this week with both the Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) and a coalition of community groups led by the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) organising conferences on these issues.

I attended the Peak Oil, Petrol Prices and Climate Change conference which was organised by the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA), Environment Victoria and the Victorian Council of Social Service (VCOSS) and held at the DOI Theatrette at Nauru House.

Peak Oil, whereby the supply of oil is unable to meet demand, was first theorised by Marion King Hubbert in 1956. Despite the constant crticisms throughout the reminder of Hubbert’s career, he successfully predicted the peaking of US domestic oil supplies. On a world-wide scale peak oil it is predicted that peak oil will occur somewhere between 2010 and 2020, the exact figure being difficult to determine due to the uncertainty surrounding the actual level of oil reserves within the Middle East.

The conference attracted prominent speakers such as Professor Peter Newman, one of Australia’s leading urban transport academics, Dr. Jago Dodson, who investigated the vulnerability of Australia’s cities in responding to rising petrol prices and Dr. Ian McPhail the Commissioner for Environmental Sustainability, who recently highlighted the State Government’s poor performance in regard to public transport and land use planning.

Areas of vulnerability to petrol prices within Melbourne

Areas of oil vulnerability within Melbourne (darker areas represent a higher vulnerability to rising petrol prices)

Regardless of the actual date of peak oil, it is clear that petrol prices are continuing to rise due to the demand for oil from countries such as India and China. Rising petrol prices place an increased financial burden on car dependent households, such as those located in Melbourne’s outer suburbs. These suburbs are dependent on car travel largely due to State Government neglect in providing fast, frequent and readily available public transport.

While Maroondah Council’s 2007/2008 Budget approved the hiring of a new full-time Transport and Sustainability Officer and the recently adopted Pedestrian Strategy will assist in focusing council on improving and increasing the level of walking within the municipality, we are still lacking any clear leadership from the State Government towards improving public transport.

Transport Information Workshop at Glen Park Community Centre

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Today I was invited to speak at a transport workshop organised by the Women’s Learning Centre at Glen Park Community Centre at Bayswater North. The transport workshop included representatives from Invicta Bus Company, David Hodgett State Member for Kilsyth. Katie Goodrope Maroondah’s MetroAccess worker and myself, as a Councillor for Maroondah and Vice-President of the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA).

The workshop was held as an open discussion to allow the participants to discuss the transport issues facing them. Concerns included safety, the poor condition of Ringwood Station and the lack of frequent and readily available bus and train services.

Invicta Bus Company has worked closely with the community to provide bus services but ultimately the capacity of Invicta to deliver improvements is limited until the State Government improves the minimum service standards of Melbourne’s bus network.

Local government, like advocacy groups such as the PTUA, have a key role in holding the State Government accountable in delivering much needed improved public transport services across Maroondah and the outer suburbs of Melbourne.

Local government, however does have responsibility for the construction and maintenance of footpaths and this an area council is currently is examining through its draft Pedestrian Strategy. All trips, whether taken by cars or public transport, involve some form of walking and it is crucial that Maroondah’s footpath network is accessible and safe.