NEWS DESK
‘Overcrowded’ trains a morning pain
Ceremony for rotunda opening IT was a grand affair when Mornington’s Avenue of Honour was dedicated and the new rotunda opened in Mornington Park, Sunday 8 November. Musical accompaniment was provided by the Royal Australian Navy Band and Mornington Youth and Citizens’ Band and the service was well attended on the sunny day. The celebrations started when secondary students from Peninsula School, Toorak College, Padua College, Mornington Secondary College and Balcombe Grammar marched along the avenue bearing plaques with the names of the 120 WWI volunteers from the old Mornington Shire. The RSL’s Heritage Support Committee chair and MC Colin Fisher told the gathering that the avenue had been funded by the shire and planted by dignitaries, school children and members of the veterans’ community in October 2012 in preparation for the day. Dunkley MP Bruce Billson then unveiled bronze plaques giving information about avenues of honour funded by the federal government’s ANZAC Centenary Local Grants Program. He spoke of the area’s proud heritage and the community commitment displayed by local people, past and present. The plaques are dedicated in honour of men and women from Mornington, Mt Eliza, Moorooduc and Mt Martha, who served in all wars and peacekeeping operations since Federation in 1901. The dedication service, conducted by The Reverend Helen Phillips,
Now open: Cr Andrew Dixon, Australian Unity’s Marie Crossland, RSL Heritage Support Committee chair Colin Fisher, Mornington MP David Morris, former mayor Cr Bev Colomb, and MP for Dunkley Bruce Billson.
of St Peter’s, was followed by the formal opening of the rotunda and the adjacent sponsors’ paved area by the former mayor, Cr Bev Colomb. She and Crs Anne Shaw and Andrew Dixon have been strong advocates and supporters of this joint shire/RSL/Rotary project, Mr Fisher said. Cr Colomb congratulated the RSL’s Heritage Support Committee and the council staff involved. “The rotunda stands in the same place as an earlier one which would have been familiar to locals during WWI and it will no doubt be used as a place of reflection,” she said. “It will provide added amenity to the park, and will be used as a bandstand for the Mornington Youth and
Citizens’ Band.” A sponsor’s area displays pavers engraved with the names of individuals, families, organisations and businesses which made donations towards the cost. Australian Unity regional manager Marie Crossland said sponsors were “delighted to be associated with the project”. Mr Fisher said funding had been kicked started using a discretionary allowance by ward councillors, with additional funds from the shire and Rotary. He said an extra $45,000 was raised by selling the pavers in return for donations. The full cost of the rotunda was $51,000 – paid for equally by the shire and the community.
AN AUDIT of passenger numbers on Frankston line trains during May has found too many passengers were squeezed onto trains on six occasions during 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. 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.” Neil Walker
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Mornington News 24 November 2015
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