Tag: transit cities

Maroondah Journal: No funding pledged for Ringwood Station

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As part of its public transport election coverage the Maroondah Journal has focused on the lack of political commitment from the State political parties towards the redevelopment of Ringwood Station:

Maroondah councillor and Public Transport Users Association spokesman Alex Makin said he saw the station as a “cornerstone commitment” needed for Maroondah.

The redevelopment of Ringwood Station is a crucial project to encourage a vision of public transport usage and urban amenity as envisaged as part of the part of the Ringwood Transit City concept.

“Neither party has committed to funding the project,” he said. “Labor just seems to be dragging its feet in Ringwood in preference to Dandenong. In Ringwood it seems as if every year it is just us standing there with our cap in hand waiting.”

Unfortunately, with the exception of Dandenong, the Government has failed to provide a long-term funding stream for the designated Transit Cities (such as Box Hill, Ringwood or Footscray) meaning that there is little, other than rhetoric, to the State Government’s Transit City program.

“It is difficult to utilise for people with a disability,” Cr Makin said. “We aren’t asking for a redevelopment for the sake of a redevelopment; we need it just to meet essential public transport requirements.”

Ringwood Station currently fails to met federal accessibility requirements as prescribed in the Federal government’s Disability Discrimination Act of 1992 meaning that Ringwood Station is largely inaccessible for people with a disability.

In addition Ringwood Station is also perceived to be largely unsafe and its dilapidated appearance hampers the potential of the surrounding area.

It is time that the Bracks Government showed respect for the Ringwood Transit City program and pledged to deliver both the redevelopment of Ringwood Station and a multiyear investment program for Ringwood. Plans for the redevelopment of Ringwood Station have existed since 1999 and it is now time for the Government to commit to the project rather than deliver nothing but rhetoric.

MAV: Workshop on Community Engagement

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The Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) is the peak representative and lobbying body for Victoria’s 79 councils and is the official voice of local government within Victoria.

The MAV has been particularly focused on community engagement and governance to ensure that the community is actively engaged in council decisions.  To provide a glimpse of similar projects internationally the MAV organised a workshop convened by Joe Goldman from AmericaSpeaks, an eleven year old non-profit US based organisation that seeks to engage citizens in local democracy.

The workshop covered the usage of technology to improve access to governments and councils as well as the types of workshops and forums that are available to engage the community.  It is imperative that the community is engaged from the onset to ensure that decisions can truly be influenced by public opinion rather than merely asking for comment once decisions have been made.

Given the changes that are expected to occur within the Ringwood as part of the Transit Cities program it is impetrative that the community is provided with the opportunity for ongoing discussion and participation regarding the future of Ringwood.

Direct and meaningful community engagement and not just consultation is required to ensure that the community and council alike share a cohesive and strong vision for the future.

Eastern Transport Coalition (ETC) Launch

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The Eastern Transport Coalition (ETC), formerly the Eastern Region Integrated Transport Group, is a coalition of seven outer eastern councils including the Cities of Maroondah, Whitehorse, Manningham, Knox, Monash, Greater Dandenong and the Shire of Yarra Ranges.

Collectively the Eastern Transport Coalition represents almost one million residents and contains a number of major commercial precincts. Despite represents a population the size of Adelaide the eastern region has been the site of continued public transport neglect.

The Mission Statement is as follows: The Eastern Transport Coalition will advocate for sustainable and integrated transport services in the Eastern region of Melbourne which focus on the travel needs of the community and reduce the level of car dependencyThe Eastern Transport Coalition, of which I am the Maroondah representative, announced its launch at the Box Hill Tram Terminus amid its public call to secure the improvements to public transport that are required to ensure the environmental, social and economic success of Melbourne’s eastern suburbs.

Cr. Mick Van de Vreede from Knox City Council, who has a strong background of public transport advocacy, is the current chair of the Eastern Transport Coalition.

The State Government’s recently announced Transport and Liveability Statements falls far short of what is required for Melbourne’s eastern suburbs. The Eastern Transport Coalition will ensure that improvements are realised as it holds the government accountable in the implementation of the statement.

Maroondah Leader: $2.7m to kickstart project

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The Maroondah Leader has reported on the recent State Budget announcement regarding the continuation of design options for the redevelopment of Ringwood Station.

RINGWOOD’S long-awaited railway station redevelopment moved a step closer with $2.7 million funding for preliminary work announced in the State Budget.

The $2.7 million includes funding for the following:

  • $1.5 million for detailed design work for the station redevelopment;
  • $300,000 for a traffic and transport study;
  • $200,000 for VicUrban (the designated project managers);
  • $600,000 for improvements to Maroondah Highway which will include the implementation of a new signage strategy.

Progress towards the redevelopment of Ringwood Station is most definitely welcome, it is imperative however that bus service levels are also improved to ensure an integrated approach to enhancing public transport within Maroondah.

Public Transport Users Association spokesman Alex Makin said the Ringwood station funding was welcome but Transport Minister Peter Batchelor appeared to have “cherry-picked a very limited number of bus routes mostly in marginal seats for service upgrades while neglecting most of Melbourne”.

Unfortunately most of the designated 25 bus routes to receive service level upgrades appear to been chosen to benefit marginal ALP seats while mos of Melbourne including Maroondah continues to remains neglected.

Dandenong Community Cabinet

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As the branch convener of the outer east branch of the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) I, alongside Cr. Roz Blades from the City of Greater Dandenong and June Whitton, the co-convener of the PTUA south east branch attended the Dandenong Community Cabinet to seek a delegate with Transport Minister Peter Batchelor.

In a complete contrast the Maroondah Community Cabinet in 2005, Minister Batchelor was rather courteous and seemed appreciative to hear the PTUA’s input and requests to improve public transport within the outer suburbs.

Minister Batchelor offered a glimmer of hope through the Transport and Liveability Statement stating that it would provide a framework and funding towards new bus contracts resulting in streamlined bus routes and improved services.

There is growing speculation regarding the Transport and Liveability Statement and it must be hoped that the State Government finally delivers on the promises it has made towards public transport.

Maroondah Leader: Ashley on wrong track

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The following letter was written and published in the Maroondah Leader on the 25th of April in response Bayswater State Candidate Gordon Ashley’s proposal to relocate Ringwood Station from the heart and Ringwood and into a poorly located position near the EastLink freeway:

While it is encouraging to see independent candidate for Bayswater, Gordon Ashley’s, continued focus on the Ringwood bus and train interchange it is unfortunate that Mr. Ashley appears intent to remove public transport from the heart of Ringwood.

As Mr. Ashley should be aware passengers utilise a service to travel in the most efficient manner to their destination. The extremely well patronised bus service along Wantirna/Stud Roads connects Ringwood with Knox and Dandenong in a more direct route that any future bus services along EastLink. This is why the Public Transport Users Association and a number of local councils successfully campaigned to secure a future SmartBus along Stud and Wantirna Roads.

Ringwood Station is a prominent and extremely well patronised transport hub and while integration and accessibility require urgent improvements the basic principles are solid.

The success of Ringwood will depend on strengthening the town centre as a prominent destination in eastern Melbourne. Since Ringwood Station is prominent transport hub any moves to diminish or remove public transport from the town centre will literally drive people and therefore business from the heart of Ringwood.

Cr. Alex Makin

Outer East Branch Convenver
Public Transport Users Association

It is unfortunate that Gordon Ashley seems intent to cause grave inconvenience to public transport users and pedestrians by removing public transport and a convenient walking environment from the heart of Ringwood.

Maroondah Leader: Push for progress at station

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The Maroondah Leader has this week reported on the continued calls for the State Government to commit the funding necessary to redevelop Ringwood Station into a safe and accessible transport interchange.

The much anticipated Transport and Liveability Statement will include a number of election commitments from the State Government has been silent on the need to redevelop Ringwood Station.

The calls follow reports Ringwood station may not be on the Government’s priority list in its yet-to-be-released transport and liveability statement.

Loughnan’s Hill Ward councillor and Public Transport Users Association branch convener Alex Makin said Ringwood needed a significant boost in public transport services and infrastructure for its Transit City vision to be achieved.

“The design and concept for a new Ringwood station is well advanced; it is now time for the Government to provide a firm funding and timeframe commitment,” he said.

Ringwood Station in its current state fails to comply with accessibility laws (due to the steepness of the existing ramps) and is perceived the be the most unsafe area within Maroondah.

It is imperative that the redevelopment of Ringwood Station is seen as a priority with funding allocated in the upcoming State Budget and the Transport and Liveability Statement.

Community Calls for Station Redevelopment

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Media release – Monday, 13 March 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Community Calls for Station Redevelopment

Councillor for Loughnan’s Hill Ward and PTUA Branch Convener Alex Makin has called for a firm commitment towards the redevelopment of Ringwood Station and further public transport improvements in Maroondah.

“Ringwood as a transit city requires a significant boost in both public transport services and infrastructure for the vision to be achieved,” PTUA spokesman Alex Makin said. “The design and concept for a new Ringwood Station is well advanced, it is now time for the government to provide a firm funding and timeframe commitment to provide certainty for the community.”

The call to redevelop Ringwood Station comes amid rising speculation that the upcoming Transport and Liveability Statement will include funds for the redevelopment of several stations. Design work on options for Ringwood Station is significantly advanced with plans first being touted in 1999.

“As a councillor for Maroondah and a public transport advocate I personally support the calls by the community to ensure that the redevelopment of Ringwood Station occurs by 2008,” Cr. Makin said. “The Ringwood and Maroondah community has been waiting far too long for a reliable, safe and convenient public transport system. The upcoming Transport and Liveability Statement is the last opportunity for the Government to finally get it right and deliver real improvements.”

The need to redevelop Ringwood Station is viewed as urgent due to the steepness of the station’s ramps which fail to comply with disability access laws. Ringwood Station is perceived as being unsafe and inaccessible with surveys consistency ranking Ringwood Station as the most unsafe location within Maroondah.

“Many residents have mentioned that they would rather spend up to an hour catching a bus from Ringwood to Box Hill to avoid the ramps at Ringwood Station. The Maroondah community includes a significant number of people with disabilities and it therefore clear that our current infrastructure is failing to meet the needs of the community,” Cr. Makin said.

About the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA):
Founded in 1976, the Public Transport Users Association is the recognised consumer organisation representing passengers of public transport. The PTUA is a non-profit, voluntary organisation with no political affiliation, which lobbies governments and public transport authorities in the interest of all users of public transport.

DSE Workshop: Our Environment Our Future

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Today I attended a workshop conducted by the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) which focused on discussing Victoria’s Environmental Sustainability Framework, Our Environment Our Future.This framework was completed in 2005 with the intent of reaffirming and establishing targets for the State Government’s sustainability initiatives. Among these initiatives is the goal to increase public transport modal share to 20% by the year 2020 and to increase the percentage of new development within activity centres.

There was general consensus that targets established by the State Government must be measurable and identify incremental progress, meaning that goals such as 20% modal share for public transport by 2020 must be provided with incremental targets (such as targeting 14% modal share by 2011) measured against actual results. The use of incremental targets would ensure that longer term targets are not purely seen as unachievable.

The lack of a whole of government approach and the dominance of the department of Treasury and Finance was also cited as a key concern. In particular the Department of Treasury and Finance has long been viewed as a barrier to funding public transport improvements despite the fact that improved public transport would provide a $6 billion economic boost for the state’s economy by 2030. For example the lack of full Treasury support for the Transit Cities program has meant that State Government investment has not been readily forthcoming to stimulate further development.

Likewise the lack of clear leadership from the State Government was also seen as a major barrier to improving Melbourne’s sustainability. For example the lack of State Government investment in fixed rail to activity centres sends a message to developers that the State Government is not genuinely serious about Melbourne 2030. Likewise the failure to provide a number of environmental initiatives within the Spencer Station redevelopment (particularly in regard to water management of runoff) provides the perception that the State Government is not too concerned about water management and conservation in new developments.

The Department of Sustainability of Environment (DSE) is to be commended for organising productive and proactive workshops in strengthening the sustainable framework guiding Victoria’s policies. The State Government must now ensure that this sustainable framework is incorporated into other portfolio areas, particularly to ensure an integration between land use and transport provision.

Maroondah Leader: Call for new Ringwood station

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The Maroondah Leader on the 10th of January reported on the need for the government to commit to an upgrade of Ringwood Station:

MAROONDAH residents want a new Ringwood railway station, not a cosmetic overhaul of the existing “unsafe, dark and antiquated facility”, says a Maroondah transport group.

It is imperative that Ringwood Station is redesigned and rebuilt to ensure the construction of a world-class facility that delivers upon the needs of the community and becomes the centrepiece of a revitalised Ringwood.

The current Ringwood Station is poorly lit, perceived to be unsafe and does not have proper conveniences on the two main platforms.

Furthermore Ringwood Station is not accessibility compliant this means that the station currently violates the Federal Government Disability Discrimination Act of 1992. There are approximately 13,500 people with a disability within Maroondah; this translates to roughly 14% of Maroondah’s population.

I am committed as a councillor to lobbying the State Government and the Opposition to ensure that the much needed redevelopment of Ringwood Station becomes a reality. We must have a station that is safe and accessible to all people.

The people of Maroondah have waited long enough for a world-class station; Ringwood cannot afford to wait much longer.