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FROM THE MINISTER FOR TRANSPORT AND MAJOR PROJECTS
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Tuesday, May 7, 2002
$500M TRANSPORT PACKAGE FOR SCORESBY CORRIDOR
A $500 million funding package will deliver integrated transport solutions for the Scoresby Corridor, including construction of the Scoresby Freeway, a tram extension to Vermont South and new bus services.
The initiatives were announced today by the Minister for Transport as part of the Bracks Government’s $704 million Linking the Suburbs strategy.
“Under our 10-year Growing Victoria Together plan, we committed to building stronger communities linked to better infrastructure and high quality services,” Mr Batchelor said.
“Linking the Suburbs is all about extending and upgrading the public transport network to keep pace with the massive urban growth that’s happened over the past 25 years,” Mr Batchelor said.
“Our plan for the Scoresby corridor will create jobs and secure new investment opportunities for businesses and the one million people who live in Melbourne’s east and south-eastern suburbs.
Mr Batchelor said the Government would spend over $55 million on public transport in the Scoresby Corridor on top of its $445 million contribution to the Scoresby Freeway.
He said the $30.5m tramline extension from Burwood East to Vermont South would link schools, retail centres and businesses along the Burwood Highway corridor.
The 2.3 km project is the first stage in extending the No 75 tram to Knox City Shopping Centre.
Mr Batchelor said that as part of the extension of the Burwood East tram service, five new trams have already been ordered to deliver these additional services. The operating cost of the improved service is $12 million over 4 years.
“A new tram and bus interchange at Vermont South will be built in the Burwood Highway median strip, with a bus meeting every tram and travelling from Vermont South on to Knox City,” he said.
Mr Batchelor said new bus services in the Scoresby Corridor, at a cost of $12 million over four years, included the introduction of Smart Bus services on Springvale and Blackburn Roads, as well as new services to Rowville, Dandenong North and Mulgrave.
“This is part of the Government’s $36 million funding package for bus links in Melbourne’s outer suburbs – the biggest single addition to bus services in Victoria for 30 years.”
The new bus services in the Scoresby Corridor includes:
· $7.5 million in upgrades to the route along Springvale Road from Nunawading to Chelsea; and
· $2.3 million in service upgrades along Blackburn Road, offering increased frequencies, better connections with rail services, as well as additional night and weekend services.
Mr Batchelor said the new services would complement the new SmartBus technology installed on those routes, including real time tracking technology giving buses priority at traffic lights, special lanes at some intersections bypassing traffic queues, and synchronised timetables.
“Passengers will now have fully accessible, frequent and reliable bus services – arriving at 15 minute intervals during the day, and new services running until 11.30pm,” he said.
Mr Batchelor said residents of Mulgrave and Dandenong North would benefit from nearly $1.25 million of new bus services to new housing developments, providing access to schools, shopping and rail services.
A $950,000 investment in new services from Knox City via Stud Park and Rowville to Lysterfield will offer a significant upgrade of services, allowing better access to health, shopping and educational services.
Mr Batchelor said the major investment in bus services in the Scoresby Corridor built on last year’s upgrades to main-route services in Rowville/Glen Waverley/Ringwood providing better access to local railway stations, and a new, after-dark Nightrider bus service to Rowville.
He said a new bike and walking track would be also built alongside the new $1 billion Scoresby Freeway, which will span 34 kilometres from Ringwood to Frankston.
Mr Batchelor said a Budget allocation of $445 million for construction of the Scoresby freeway was in addition to $110 million in land purchases already made by the Victorian Government.
The Scoresby Freeway is being funded on a 50-50 basis under an agreement the Bracks Government negotiated last October with the Commonwealth Government.
Construction is expected to start later this year or early next year and be completed by 2008.
Mr Batchelor said the Commonwealth Government’s refusal to fund public transport in the Scoresby Corridor had forced the Bracks Government to re-prioritise its funding choices.
“Construction of the Dingley Arterial Road will be deferred, with $30 million re-allocated towards improved public transport in the Scoresby corridor, including new bus services and the extension of the Burwood East tram line.
Mr Batchelor said the construction of the Scoresby Freeway had significantly reduced the need for the Dingley Bypass.
“Building the Scoresby Freeway has support of all local councils and will produce a far better traffic management outcome than building the Dingley Bypass,” he said.
“Traffic modelling will now be undertaken by VicRoads to determine when, and if, the road is necessary.”