NEWS DESK
Labor vs Libs on station revamp Eight more rail line Neil Walker neil@baysidenews.com.au
crossings to go
THERE are renewed calls for the redevelopment of the Frankston train station precinct to be handed over by the Labor state government to the independent Metropolitan Planning Authority. Federal Dunkley Liberal MP Bruce Billson has written to Labor Planning Minister Richard Wynne to ask the state planning minister to allow the MPA to oversee the $63 million project “to ensure this opportunity to revitalise Frankston as a key Metropolitan Activity Centre is not lost”. Frankston Labor MP Paul Edbrooke also received the letter and has challenged the federal Coalition government to match the state government’s $63 million commitment to improving Frankston. Mr Billson criticised shortcomings in the master plan to redevelop the train station and its surrounds, saying in his letter that it “fails to embrace a broader vision and potential ‘catalyst’ the station investment could play in a broader revitalisation and boost for the Frankston MAC”. The former small business minister’s call to use the station redevelopment project as leverage to entice private investment to expand the project to include business offices – including the possibility of relocating Peninsula Health admin offices - and “a learning plaza with the working title ‘Caroline Chisholm University College’ as an open post-secondary educational campus open to all providers” follows Frankston Council concerns about the
EIGHT more level crossings will be removed along the Frankston line as part of the Labor state government’s promise to separate 50 road and rail intersections across Victoria’s rail network. Premier Daniel Andrews visited Carrum last Sunday (8 November) to announce that the crossings to be separated from rail lines are likely to be removed as a single package of works “reducing disruption to residents, motorists and train passengers”. Work has already begun on the removal of the Centre, North and McKinnon Rd level crossings, which will be gone by 2017. “We’re getting rid of 50 of Victoria’s worst crossings because they clog our roads, cripple our train system and put lives at risk, and not a moment is being wasted in getting started on the eight crossings on the Frankston line,” Mr Andrews said. Geotechnical investigations to better understand ground conditions have begun and detailed planning will begin this month, as well as community consultation along the corridor. Pop up information stands will be installed at stations along the Frankston line and community information sessions will be held in the coming weeks. Detailed planning and community consultation will continue through 2016, in preparation for a contract award in 2017 and start of construction in 2018. Carrum Labor MP Sonya Kilken-
Differing views: Frankston Labor MP Paul Edbrooke, left, and Dunkley Liberal MP Bruce Billson, right, are at odds over the Frankston train station redevelopment.
narrow scope of the station revamp (‘‘Lip service’ on station revamp’, The Times 12/10/15). Council has also urged the state government to see the train station redevelopment as a chance to revitalise Frankston’s amenity and economy. Some councillors have complained “the bureaucrats from Melbourne” are not listening to council’s concerns about the train station redevelopment. Frankston Labor MP Paul Edbrooke was copied in on Mr Billson’s correspondence to the Planning Minister. He wrote back to Mr Billson and advised the MPA “is already an active contributor to this project”. “It is disappointing that the federal government has chosen not to contribute to this process. Criticism of progress – particularly given the years of political inaction – is no substitution for contributing to and investing in Frankston’s development,” Mr Edbrooke said in the letter seen by The Times. “I observe that the new Prime Min-
ister [Malcolm Turnbull] has recently expressed a personal interest in public transport and urban development. Given this apparent change of heart, and your letter, I will now formally write to the federal Minister for Cities and Built Environment, Hon. Jamie Briggs, inviting the federal government to match the state government’s contribution of $63 million towards Frankston’s major projects.” Mr Billson said he hoped the Frankston train station redevelopment could follow the examples of Ringwood and Dandenong station construction projects where other major developments around the stations increased activity and jobs creation. The Australian Taxation Office is relocating about 850 staff to a new $75 million office in central Dandenong as a spin-off from the city’s train station redevelopment. The Planning Minister did not respond to requests for comment before publication.
ny said: “Carrum and communities along the Frankston line have been living with these dangerous, congested crossings for too long.” Frankston Labor MP Paul Edbrooke said crossing boom gates at the Skye Rd/Overton Rd level crossing are down “for up to 34 minutes” during the weekday 7am-9am peak. “I have worked hard to ensure that this level crossing, which may be the most hated level crossing in the south east, is one of the first twenty to be worked on in the state government’s first term,” Mr Edbrooke said. The eight level crossings to be removed between Cheltenham and Frankston crossings are: n Charman Rd, Cheltenham n Balcombe Rd, Mentone n Edithvale Rd, Edithvale n Station St (at Bondi Rd), Bonbeach n Station St, Carrum n Eel Race Rd, Carrum n Seaford Rd, Seaford n Skye Rd, Frankston Labor has costed the removal of the eight level crossings at $1 billion and still aims to use money from the privatisation of the Port of Melbourne to fund the removal of 50 level crossings across the state despite opposition from the Liberal Party and the Greens over the sale of the port. “By 2018, work will have started or finished on more than half of the 50 dangerous and congested crossings we promised to get rid of,” Transport Minister Jacinta Allan said.
‘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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16 November 2015
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