In a submission to the State Government ETC Chairperson Cr Mick Van De Vreede has said that for Melbourne 2030 to deliver more needs to be invested in major public transport in Melbourne’s east.
Cr Van De Vreede said the central idea in Melbourne 2030 – to increase housing around transport hubs – was a good one, however the idea had not been backed up by expansion of rail options in the eastern suburbs.
“What Melbourne 2030 really needs is a plan that allows for the expansion of rail in the outer east. There are a number of major activity centres in Melbourne’s east which would significantly benefit from the expansion of heavy rail.
“Rail to Doncaster would significantly improve the functioning of this growing population centre. Similarly, connecting Monash University, the new infill suburb at Waverly Park and Stud Park Shopping Centre with rail to Rowville would make the area much more liveable and attractive to people in that it would provide transport choice, reduce traffic congestion and ease the burden of rising fuel costs.
“Recent announcements that off peak use of rail will be encouraged to reduce overcrowding of peak services shows that our current system will not cope with more increases in patronage. This needs to be considered in light of the current expansion of Ringwood as a transit city.
“If Ringwood continues to expand without a matching increase in the capacity of the Belgrave/Lilydale rail line it will not be as liveable as it could otherwise be, in fact it will become a car dominated suburb.
“The fact is that if Melbourne is to be a truly liveable city while encouraging higher density living, we need to invest now in dedicated public transport infrastructure such as heavy and light rail.
“We need to finish the suburbs we already have before building new ones,” Cr Van De Vreede concluded.
For more information please contact;
ETC Chairperson Cr Mick Van De Vreede 0438 029 932
CPR Communications, Robert Larocca 0409 198 350