08 June 2010
Mr MORRIS (Mornington) — An efficient and frequent public transport system is something that should be available to all Victorians. In the last 10 years extensions to the services that have been provided have nowhere near met population growth, particularly on the metropolitan fringe. In most areas of the fringe we have almost no trains and no trams full stop. We are forced to rely on a bus service that is not always the best.
I raise this evening for the Minister for Public Transport the lack of convenient bus services for residents in the Mornington electorate.
The action I seek from the minister is that he review the coverage and frequency of bus services in the electorate with the objective of developing a bus service plan that adequately meets the needs of the communities of Mount Eliza, Mornington and Mount Martha.
We have had 10 years of substantial growth, particularly in the area that is routinely referred to as the area inland of the highway — in other words, the area to the east or south east of the Nepean Highway and the established towns. While there has been some adjustment to the services — I am certainly not complaining about that — in large part the under-serviced areas remain as poorly served as they have always been, particularly in the Mount Eliza and Mornington North areas.
Discussions with Grenda, which is the provider of the service, have suggested that a trial would be the best way to determine demand. In the Mount Eliza area there is no service at all east of the Nepean Highway, which leaves large developed areas and a large number of properties up to perhaps 2 kilometres from the nearest bus stop.
One option might be to extend the service along Wooralla Drive and Tower Road, which is a route currently used by some school services. Similarly demand in the East Mornington area is particularly high in the area north of Mornington Tyabb Road, and it is expected that there will be rapid growth in that area in the immediate future. There is currently no bus service in that area at all.
Another matter is overcrowding. Improved rail patronage has led to increased demand for bus services. The current timetable provides a service on the hour, with one additional service in the morning running north and one additional service in the evening running south. Consequently there is overcrowding and that acts as a disincentive to use of public transport.
I urge the minister to give serious consideration to developing a service plan that matches the needs of the community.
Legislative Assembly 8 June 2010
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