{"id":243103,"date":"2025-06-28T11:03:26","date_gmt":"2025-06-28T01:03:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/?p=243103"},"modified":"2025-06-28T11:03:30","modified_gmt":"2025-06-28T01:03:30","slug":"fast-growing-councils-seek-urgent-fix-to-unsustainable-transport-woes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/?p=243103","title":{"rendered":"Fast-growing councils seek urgent fix to unsustainable transport woes"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The mayor of one of Victoria\u2019s fastest growing councils is urging state and federal governments to rethink their transport priorities, saying the current situation for suburban residents is not sustainable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Age<\/em> on Thursday revealed<\/a> the Allan government had commissioned and created an ambitious blueprint that canvassed a range of measures to urgently prevent \u201ccrush\u201d conditions in the city\u2019s fastest growing suburbs.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Traffic jams are frequent in Beveridge, where just 1.2 per cent of the population catch public transport to work.CREDIT: JUSTIN MCMANUS<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

It included electrifying western rail lines and extending the Upfield line, but was also the origin of the state and federal governments\u2019 $4 billion revamp of Sunshine Station and surrounding rail network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Details of the report, known as the\u00a0North West Strategic Assessment<\/a><\/em>, were welcomed by councils across the northern and western suburbs, but sparked fresh calls for immediate work to take the pressure off areas serviced by V\/Line trains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mitchell Shire Mayor John Dougall said they had long called for electrifying the rail line to Wallan, one of the options canvassed in the report, and the construction of a station at Beveridge, where 1.2 per cent of residents travel to work by public transport and the population will double by 2030.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur residents deserve access to reliable, frequent public transport now \u2013 not in 10 or 15 years,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Commuters waiting to board a V\/Line service at Tarneit.CREDIT: JOE ARMAO<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cThe state and federal governments must act on the advice of their own experts and invest in infrastructure where growth is happening.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wyndham City Mayor Mia Shaw said the council already had 324,000 residents and by 2040 would have 500,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She said the state government should urgently re-open the rail line between Werribee and Geelong, electrify the Wyndham Vale line and invest in new stations at Tarneit, Wyndham Vale and Truganina.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhile billions of dollars are being spent in the east, there\u2019s not much happening here in Wyndham in terms of rail enhancements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Western Rail Plan was announced in 2018 \u2013 seven years ago, yet we\u2019re still waiting.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Helen Davidson, the Merri-bek mayor and chair of the Northern Council Alliance, said planning for the region was welcomed but not enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe need delivery of the duplication, extension and electrification of the Upfield rail line to Wallan, via the Craigieburn line, to ensure our fast-growing communities in the north can access jobs, education, essential services, family and friends,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Age<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The mayor of one of Victoria\u2019s fastest growing councils is urging state and federal governments to rethink their transport priorities.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":188884,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[35,47],"tags":[17244,993,17242,8,17243],"class_list":["post-243103","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-breaking-news","category-rail-news","tag-mayor-john-dougall","tag-melbourne","tag-upfield-railway-line","tag-victoria","tag-wallan"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t