[Greens-Media] Media Release: The Victorian Transport Statement just fiddles at the edges say the Greens

[Media]

Thursday May 17, 2005
Media Release: for immediate use
Contact: Bill Pemberton (mob) 0428 636 316

The Victorian Transport Statement just fiddles at the edges say the Greens

A ten year plan with a 25 year vision might sound impressive, but the 
Bracks Government "Meeting Our Transport Challenges" statement fails to 
deliver say the Greens.

"For public transport, this statement offers little more than a 
maintenance program and a few tweaks in the short term,” said Bill 
Pemberton, Greens Transport spokesperson and Eastern Metropolitan Upper 
House candidate. "It just fiddles at the edges and doesn't come to grips 
with the scale or urgency of Melbourne's transport crisis."

“Mr Bracks has had more than six years in government to fix the system," 
said Mr Pemberton. "However, the government's transport track record is 
littered with undelivered promises. And this new ten year plan will 
still leave two-thirds of Melbourne without reliable, frequent and well 
connected public transport," said Mr Pemberton.

"A Coordinator General of Infrastructure will make little progress and 
be just window dressing while VicRoads still calls the shots," said Mr 
Pemberton.

For comment please contact
Bill Pemberton (mob) 0428 636 316

A more detailed response to the statement and Greens solutions follows.

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The Greens Response to The Victorian Transport Statement's Main Features

New Train Lines and Rail Extensions
The Greens in parliament will push to build the Rowville and Doncaster 
train line extensions. These were identified as far back as 1969 in the 
Melbourne Transportation Plan. The Greens will also work to extend and 
electrify existing lines to East Cranbourne, Mernda, Aurora North, 
Wyndham Vale and Melton.

"We need to invest in new train lines and this is something the Greens 
will work for in parliament," Mr Pemberton. "We will complete 
Melbourne’s radial train network and extend lines into the fast growing 
outer suburbs. A third line to Dandenong, the Clifton Hill duplication 
and another lane on the Monash will really do nothing for the people of 
Rowville and Doncaster. They have been waiting for new train lines for 
nearly 40 years."

“This Government lacks the vision and courage to Victoria's transport 
schemozzle," said Mr Pemberton. "It's just fiddling at the edges and has 
missed the opportunity to make a significant difference to Melbourne's 
transport woes."

more follows...

A Public Transport Agency and an end to VicRoads
"Victoria needs a public agency to run public transport system not 
separate privatised corporations, said Mr Pemberton. "VicRoads has 
dictated Victoria's transport direction for too long and needs be 
replaced by a transport body that gets a better result for all 
Victorians.  This is what the Greens will be working for in parliament 
after the state election in November."

"With road gridlock and uncoordinated, badly-timetabled public 
transport, Victorians desperately need action from the Bracks 
Government. It must  stop using the private train, tram and bus 
operators as an excuse to do nothing serious and really get on with the 
business of operating a system that focuses on passengers."  said Mr 
Pemberton.

Buses
"More buses and extended timetables are all well and good, but until 
frequency is increased and buses meet up with trains, this is just 
fiddling at the edges," said Mr Pembertion.

"The minimum service standards outlined in the transport statement are 
not only inadequate, but leave large gaps. They will still only apply to 
70% of Melbourne's bus network," said Mr Pemberton. "They won't really 
enable people to leave their cars at home when commuting to work, 
shopping or going out after hours."

Freeways
Greens Councillors across Melbourne's municipalities are also concerned 
about the Government's transport plan.

Greens Melbourne City Councillor Fraser Brindley, speaking for eleven 
Greens councillors from eight municipalities, said "The Government's 
plan to add more lanes to freeways does not add up. The proposal to 
widen the Monash Freeway demonstrates the Government has still not 
learnt that freeways add to congestion, not reduce it."

"In the western suburbs, electrification of the Melton line and a train 
station at Caroline Springs are the long term solution to congestion. 
Fiddling with the lanes on the Westgate Bridge will not fix the west's 
long term transport problems or inner Melbourne's road gridlock" said Mr 
Brindley.

"We need a moratorium on all freeway construction until all Melbournians 
can access reliable, frequent and well connected  public transport.  To 
continue to invest billions of dollars in freeways is not only short 
sighted but irresponsible."

Yet Another Transport Study
"The 2003 Northern Central City Corridor Study and the thre peer reviews 
commissioned by Melbourne City Council in 2005 all dismissed the inner 
East-West tunnel idea as unnecessary and ridiculously expensive. The 
Doncaster rail line should be built before another cent is spent on the 
pipe dreams of road engineers," said Fraser Brindley.

The Greens Transport policy will be released soon.

For further details contact
Bill Pemberton (mob) 0428 636 316
Cr Fraser Brindley, City of Melbourne (mob) 0417 557 477

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