On the 100th day of the Ballieu Government, Public Transport Minister Terry Mulder gives a brief overview of his plans for public transport for Melbourne.
Minister Mulder committed to supporting the Regional Rail Link stating this was an important project and he will do everything he can for this project to proceed. He also set out commitments to implementation of key electoral promises:
• Public Transport Development Authority
• Protective service officers at rail stations
• New timetable for the Frankston line to Werribee
• Rail station upgrades with full accessibility including DDA compliant ramps to enable access when lifts out of action
• 10 Grade separations of level crossings
• Studies for Doncaster and Rowville rail
A new commitment was setting up a Taxi Industry Commission (outside DOT) in lieu of the Taxi Directorate in DOT, given the very low customer satisfaction with existing arrangements. Full consultation with industry over structural reform to the taxi hire set up.
Minister for Planning, Mathew Guy, spoke about the integration of planning and transport. His comments include new growth areas and the role of loacl government.
Minister Guy spoke of his enthusiasm for the Planning portfolio in terms of city shaping, including:• Opportunities for development in inner Melbourne, like no other capital city in Australia
• lessons learned from the Southbank re urban development
• Urban Renewal Authority to work closely with Melbourne and Port Phillip Councils re Fishermen’s Bend 240 hectares
• Work on a new Metropolitan Planning Policy (building on M2030)
• Support for development of regional cities
• committed to working closely with and learning from local government.
We welcome your comments on the ministers' comments. Use the comments link below.
1 comments:
I hope everything Mr Mulder has talked about happens. My main concern however is that the PTDA should have enough power and in-house transport engineers to be able to implement network improvements, much like Vicroads. Bus transport to and around Monash University (especially Huntingdale-Monash) is currently far below the service levels needed.Bus services are especially inadequate in the western and outer south-eastern suburbs of Melbourne. Hopefully the PTDA will be able to bring the standard of Public Transport around Melbourne to an acceptable standard in good time, because most people are sick of the years and years of delays for PT projects (such as Smartbus, Grade Seperations).
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