Geelong Regional Rail will be full the day it opens - Report
V/Line warned the Baillieu government in November 2011 that Regional Rail Link will be full the day it opens, according to a secret V/Line strategic plan obtained by the Greens.
V/Line warns government on Regional Rail Link overcrowding
The Regional Rail Link will be full the day it opens because the Baillieu government has not ordered enough trains to meet demand, according to a secret V/Line strategy report obtained by the Greens.
"People are crying out for much more frequent V/line services. But we can see in black and white that it can’t happen without a bigger government investment,” said Victorian Greens Leader Greg Barber.
“We will see in the May Budget if the Baillieu government will listen to V/Line’s advice or fail Victorians.”
Put bus stops at Melbourne Airport terminal
Suburban buses that serve Tullamarine Airport should be given the same access to the terminal as Skybus, says Victorian Greens Leader Greg Barber.
"There are four pretty good suburban buses that go to the airport, but when they arrive they dump you a long way out in the carpark, whereas all other transport takes you to the door of the terminal," said Greg Barber.
Petrol price spike could lead to train overcrowding
The surging price of petrol could see critical overcrowding on our trains, the Greens warn.
Report reveals truck noise level triggers construction of freeway barriers
Greens MP Colleen Hartland has called on the government to act immediately to address excessive truck noise as report made public this week reveals noise levels greater than that which trigger the construction of freeway noise barriers.
"It's impractical and undesirable to build freeway sound barriers along inner West residential streets, so the alternative is to get the trucks off our streets" said Colleen Hartland, Greens MP for the Western Suburbs.
A noise study by SLR Global Environmental Solutions and commissioned by the Maribyrnong City council has looked at road and rail noise in Footscray. It found that: existing traffic noise levels exceed the highest acceptable level by between 1dBA and 5dBA. Were these properties to be situated beside a VicRoads controlled freeway, then the barrier retrofitting program would be initiated*.
V/Line WiFi report shows reception failure
Victorian Greens Leader Greg Barber has released the results of a preliminary V/Line investigation into improving mobile reception on trains, which he obtained under Freedom of Information.
Click here for a copy of the report, which shows that mobile reception is poor and a solution will not be easy.
Why is mobile phone reception so poor on our regional train lines?
"I blame them all; the Federal Government for not making this a basic standard, Telstra and the other companies for not servicing customers properly, and V/Line for not pushing harder and faster for a solution," Greg Barber told the Herald Sun today.
200,000 new cars or 20 new trains?
Victorian Greens Leader Greg Barber says the Baillieu government has a choice - 200,000 new cars or 20 new trains servicing inner Melbourne, following the release today of the government's proposed CBD expansion - the Metropolitan Strategy for Melbourne.
"Mr Baillieu has basically set out an argument for the Doncaster fast rail, because it has underground stations at Parkville and Fitzroy, linking to North Melbourne and the CBD. The Metro train proposal has a station near the Arden Maculay development. It's an east-west link, but for people instead of cars."
City Loop passenger safety left behind
Victorian Greens Leader Greg Barber says private operators can not be trusted to run the rail system safely, after the Ombudsman today found dire warnings about passenger safety had been ignored in Melbourne's City Loop.
"Quite simply, no one knows who is responsible for safety on the rail system" said Greg Barber
"The governance arrangements are complex, there are destructive tensions between the agencies that share responsibility for safety and protracted disputes over who will pay for essential maintenance and upgrades."
Hartland calls on government to Fix the Links
Ms HARTLAND (Western Metropolitan)—On Saturday, 20 October, the Fix the Links residents group held a successful community rally attracting more than 100 people. Members of the Sunshine Residents and Ratepayers Association, the Ardeer and Albion Community Club and Friends of H. V.McKay Memorial Gardens were in attendance. The rally served to highlight key concerns of noise, diesel pollution and access, and it called on the government for solutions.
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Tollway or Train?
The Greens will today call for the secret Baillieu Government funding submission for the East-West tollway to be tabled in Parliament, so it can be compared with the directly competing rail proposal.
"The Baillieu government says the East West tollway is its number one proposal and Labor agrees. But all they've released is a connect-the-dots line on a map," said Victorian Greens Leader Greg Barber.
"Basically, they want to plan it in secret, tell you it's good for you then make you pay for it forever."
"Meanwhile, we're about to get the results of an independent study* on the competing proposal, which is fast rail along the freeway from Doncaster Hill to Parkville, linking to the city and the western suburbs."
