Trains boost off track

By Tania Martin
HILLS commuters will continue to face an overcrowded train system despite the introduction of 200 new weekly services.
Shire of Yarra Ranges Lyster Ward councillor Samantha Dunn said this latest announcement had again bypassed hills commuters.
She said it was yet another a slap in the face.
“It shows the Government’s lack of acknowledgment for the outer-east,” she said.
“Those who suffer the cattle express on the Belgrave/Lilydale lines will not be pleased with this outcome.”
Cr Dunn said it was quite incredible that once again the outer-east has been bypassed.
These comments come as Premier John Brumby announced new services last week as part of a three step plan to improve reliability and ease the squeeze for passengers on the rail network.
However, the plan failed to outline any changes to the Belgrave or Lilydale lines, sparking concerns that the outer east has once again been bypassed.
Despite the rail system reaching record heights with more than 89.4 million trips a year, the region’s commuters will have to continue to wait for improved services.
The three stage project includes 105 new weekly services to be rolled out on 27 April for people travelling on the Dandenong, Frankston, Glen Waverley, Stony Point, Sydenham and Werribee lines.
Hills commuters will also miss out on any improvements under stage two of the project which will see a further 95 new weekly service to be delivered in November.
Under stage three, off-peak services are expected to be delivered by 2009, however it is unclear if the outer-east will benefit from these changes. Cr Dunn said the problems with the train services in the outer east were just as significant as those in Dandenong or Frankston.
“There is no reason why we shouldn’t be getting these improvements as well,” she said.
Cr Dunn said the Belgrave line carries a huge number of commuters who regularly have to put up with cancellations.
She said often commuters are forced to drive instead of catching the train because of the increasing cancellations.
This latest announcement comes on the back of the State Government’s report into future transport needs which was slammed for not considering the outer-east.
Evelyn Liberal MP Christine Fyffe said the lack of train services was one of the biggest issues facing Yarra Ranges residents.
“Of all the issues, none has generated as heated a response from residents as the lack of train services in the shire,” she said.
Ms Fyffe said this latest announcement had again demonstrated the Government’s lack of commitment for the outer east.
“Despite the growing need for more train services, we have missed out again,” she said.
However, Transport Minister Lynne Kosky said the areas with the highest level of commuters had been considered as the top priority in the first stage of the project.
“Patronage growth on these lines has increased to 31.9 per cent over the past two years,” she said.
“By mid 2009 we will add more off-peak services to cater for the growing number of people using our trains throughout the day.”
Eastern Transport Coalition chairman Mick Van de Vreede has now called for the Government to start looking at what it could do for the outer east.
“We now have to question what the Government can do for us,” he said.