NEWS DESK
Lane way to new business way DECADES working at the corporate coalface have had a lasting impact on management consultant Georges McKail. The businessman has decided to look at working life beyond the daily grind, although coffee is still on the menu. The Mentone based consultant is launching a new space to foster creative community and artistic works and support entrepreneurial start-up ventures. The Beach Lane project is based at 642 Nepean Hwy, Carrum and features an artisan boutique shopfront, cafe and four upstairs studio spaces for yoga, meditation, private consultations and meetings for holistic businesses. “I’ve been wanting to do something like this for about 15 years,” Mr McKail said. “I figured I may as well try and do it before I get much older. I think the time is right.” Working in change management at big businesses since the mid-1990s has opened his eyes to how people are seeking a better work-life balance. “That kind of work has led me to realise a lot of corporate culture is pretty much toxic and work isn’t what it used to be. A lot of people are leaving the corporates or being asked to leave,” he said. “A lot of microbusinesses are looking to do their own thing and so this is a bit of a canvas to enable them to do that.” The building at 642 Nepean Hwy fitted the bill for Mr McKail. He said it is ideal since it is near the beach
premises will be an “open house” 9am-9pm Saturday and Sunday 22 November and 10 per cent of all cafe weekend revenue will be donated to charity Pantry 5000, providing food relief for people in need. See beachlane.co or call 0418 355 994 for further information.
and near public transport. “It has a bit of a unique flavour to it. The building is 110 years old and a laneway alongside running to the beach.” n The Beach Lane project will be officially launched Saturday 21 November, 2pm by guest speaker Carrum Labor MP Sonya Kilkenny. The
Nothing ventured, nothing gained: Georges McKail at one of the studios at Beach Lane in Carrum. The management consultant is launching a creative space for entrepreneurial startups. Picture: Gary Sissons
Mum dies after head on crash A WOMAN from Carrum Downs involved in a vehicle collision last Monday (9 November) died in hospital last Friday morning. Amanda Matheson, a 47-year-old mother-of-two, died after her car was hit by a stolen BMW driven by a 15-year-old boy at about 7.40am on the Monday morning on Governor Rd, Mordialloc. She died at The Alfred hospital. The Ford sedan Mrs Matheson was driving was struck at the intersection of Spray Ave by a BMW four-wheeldrive allegedly stolen from Doncaster the previous Wednesday. The BMW was on the wrong side of the road and was being driven at high speed. A 15-year-old Patterson Lakes boy who was allegedly driving the BMW was arrested at the Chelsea Heights McDonald’s after the crash. The boy was charged last Tuesday with reckless conduct placing a person in danger of death, reckless conduct placing a person in danger of serious injury and other traffic offences. He was also charged with aggravated burglary and a number of thefts of motor car charges. He will face a children’s court at a later date.
Faith fest
PEACE and understanding between people of all faiths will be promoted at the 2015 Victorian Interfaith Networks Conference hosted by the Kingston Interfaith Network and Kingston Council at Kingston City Hall on Sunday 22 November, 12pm4.30pm. See faithvictoria.org.au
‘Overcrowded’ trains a morning pain AN AUDIT of passenger numbers on Frankston line trains during the month of May has found too many passengers were squeezed onto Frankston line trains on six occasions during morning 7-9am peak time services. Public Transport Victoria conducts a passenger load survey each May and October to assess overcrowding on trains across the state’s rail network. The latest survey, released this month, “recorded a total of six services in the AM Peak period where passenger loads did not meet PTV standards”. The overcrowding comes despite Metro Trains introducing two new train services during the AM peak travel period in the 12 months since the May 2014 survey.
Greens South-Eastern Metropolitan Upper House MP Nina Springle said the PTV data shows Frankston line trains “are amongst the most overloaded on the network”. “One third of passengers travelling along the Frankston line in the morning peak are on overloaded trains,” Ms Springle said. “This isn’t just uncomfortable, it’s dangerous. It’s no wonder that the roads are gridlocked when the trains are overflowing and unreliable.” Public Transport Victoria said it is working with public transport operators “to constantly improve and refine timetables, to reduce overcrowding on trains at peak times”. “Since 2012, we have introduced
more than 200 extra peak period trains per week to help ease train crowding, and have added more than 650 extra weekly train trips to timetables,” PTV spokesman Nicholas White said. “Several major projects are currently underway to help reduce overcrowding on the metropolitan rail network including the Melbourne Metro Rail Project, the removal of 50 level crossings and the introduction of high capacity Metro trains on the Cranbourne/ Pakenham corridor.” Mr White said a further five X’Trapolis trains due to be on the tracks next year will “provide more services across the network and meet the challenges, increasing use of the train network presents”.
Ms Springle said rail line infrastructure upgrades are also needed to ease congestion. We need to start planning the rollout of modern train signals, as the ancient system in place now is unreliable and can’t fit enough services into the morning and afternoon peak periods,” she said. Frankston line commuters were frustrated last Thursday morning (12 November) after several train services between 7.25am and 8.50am. Metro Trains spokeswoman Pauline O’Connor said three citybound and three outbound services were cancelled due to an incident on the rail line near Sandown Park station delaying rostered drivers, two because of train
faults and one due to an ill passenger. “We always try to inform our customers as soon as we are aware of any service alterations, including through station announcements, our website and MetroNotify app,” Ms O’Connor said. “Only one of these six cancellations was advised through our website and MetroNotify app, and we apologise to customers for this inconvenience.” The PTV passenger load survey found no services were overcrowded in the afternoon peak period in May on the Frankston line. One extra service was added in the afternoon peak time since the survey conducted in May the previous year. Neil Walker
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BLAIRGOWRIE • DROMANA • MORNINGTON • ROSEBUD • SEAFORD • TOORAK Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News 18 November 2015
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