Victorian Greens

 

A BETTER DEAL FOR MELBOURNE'S EAST
We can choose to invest in public transport, to make Melbourne’s east a better place. You can choose to vote for a public transport system that’s going to get you where you want to go, when you want to go.

Over 1 million people live in Melbourne’s middle to outer eastern suburbs. That’s 1 in 22 Australians, yet the level of investment for public transport by successive governments has been lacking in recent decades.

The Victorian Greens believe that Melbourne’s middle to outer eastern suburbs need a better deal on public transport. The projects outlined in this plan aim to make access to, and utilisation of, public transport as competitive an option as the private car.

THE GREENS PUBLIC TRANSPORT PLAN FOR MELBOURNE'S EAST:

* Building the long awaited train lines to Doncaster and Rowville;
* Duplicating some single track sections on the Lilydale/Belgrave and Hurstbridge train lines;
* Triplication of the line between Box Hill and Ringwood, to allow for more express services;
* New train station at Hull/Mooroolbark Roads on the Lilydale Line and Eltham North on the Hurstbridge line;
* Tram extensions: the number 75 from Vermont South to Knox, and the Number 48 from Balwyn North to Doncaster Hill;
* Implementation of all the recommendations from the Bus Service Reviews;
* Upgrading the Box Hill transport interchange and re-building Ringwood train station;
* Rail/road grade separations at Mitcham and Blackburn Roads.
* Ensuring our public transport system is easily accessible to all;
* Establishing a Public Transport Authority to plan, manage and integrate all public transport services across Victoria.

 

FUNDING THE PLAN
The current government’s ‘Victorian Transport Plan’ was released in 2008 and includes a project to build a North-East Freeway between Greensborough and Bulleen. The estimated cost of the project is stated as “More than $6 billion”, whilst providing only 5 kilometres of freeway.

The Victorian Greens believe the re-allocation of $6 billion of public money from the proposed North-East Freeway, to the public transport projects outlined in this plan (and elsewhere), is the most economically, socially and environmentally responsible action to take for Victorians.

 

Damian Magner
Greens Upper House candidate for Eastern Metropolitan Region
www.vic.greens.org.au/damianmagner
Email: damian.magner@vic.greens.org.au