Manningham Council has welcomed commencement of works on the Suburban Rail Loop (SRL) but is disappointed that the first phase will not include a station at Doncaster.

Manningham Mayor, Cr Andrew Conlon said Manningham is the only municipality in metropolitan Melbourne not serviced by a train or tram link.

“Manningham residents have waited 126 years for a rail connection. They deserve access to a decent public transport system that includes a rail line.

“In lieu of the rail line not reaching Doncaster, a dedicated bus link should be implemented now connecting Doncaster to the education, employment and health precincts proposed along the stage 2 SRL route.

"An expres bus link should be created to link Doncaster to the four education and employment precincts of Monash, La Trobe, Deakin and Box Hill TAFE.

"This bus link is crucial in providing access for our residents between these major knowledge and employment precincts and will help maintain Victoria's status as the 'Education State'. 

“The demand for access to Melbourne’s south-east from Manningham and the northern suburbs is a key reason for the Government’s North East Link project. At the same time the Government must cater for this demand for people who do not drive or want a sustainable transport option,” Cr Conlon said.

“We want to ensure a station is included in the planning of SRL stage 2. With Doncaster Hill continuing to grow, we recommend a site for the Doncaster Station is secured now, while the land is still available.

“A rail connection to Doncaster via the SRL will ease traffic gridlock and provide a sustainable transport option to the area.

“Our 125,500 Manningham residents rely solely on the bus network for public transport. We’re calling on the Andrews Government to do the right thing by our community and ensure Manningham is included in Victoria’s Big Build.”

With no access to trains or trams car ownership per household in Manningham is considerably high.Residents have a lower rate of public transport use for daily tracel for employment purposes than the metropolitan average.

A rail connection between Doncaster and Box Hill would provide an alternative for residents of the growing Doncaster Hill area to travel around metropolitan Melbourne and to the CBD.

“We are tired of our residents not being considered in these big decisions. Manningham needs better public transport options and we need it now,” Cr Conlon said.

Supporters of Doncaster Rail are invited to bring their friends and family to the MC2 Civic Plaza to take a “selfie” at the virtual entrance to the Doncaster Hill train station.

More than 10,000 residents are proposed to be living on Doncaster Hill by 2031 and our city needs a rail connection to the CBD to ease traffic gridlock and provide a sustainable transport option in the area.

The State Government has not committed to delivering Phase 2 of the Doncaster Rail Feasibility Study, so the Doncaster Rail Advocacy Steering Committee is encouraging everyone to use the power of the “selfie” to continue to lobby for a commitment to deliver a heavy rail line to Doncaster Hill by 2029.

Show your support for the Doncaster Rail campaign by grabbing your smart phone and heading to MC2 Civic Plaza at 687 Doncaster Road, Doncaster. Stand on the big X and smile.

The 3D image of the Doncaster Hill station entrance will be accompanied by instructions nearby of how to take the best selfie and where to upload your image. 

Take a “selfie” or ten and then hit social media to share the message on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag : #yestodoncasterrail

Get creative and start snapping.

Like and join the campaign on Facebook.

Members of the Doncaster Rail Advocacy Steering Committee are taking their advocacy campaign for rail to Doncaster to the steps of Victorian Parliament in a bid to highlight 134 years of broken promises.

Doncaster Rail Advocacy Steering Committee Member James Adams said that as community demand for public transport continues to grow, there is an ever increasing pressure on both the road network and bus system and the City of Manningham remains the only municipality in Melbourne without either train or tram services.

“The provision of rail between Doncaster and the inner city would provide a quick, efficient and very viable alternative mode of public transport that would remove thousands of cars from the Eastern Freeway and local roads during the morning and afternoon peaks, and relieve pressure on the bus network that competes for road space with private commuter vehicles.”

“The Doncaster Rail project has been ignored by successive governments. Manningham residents still rely on buses as the sole form of public transport and there is a heavy dependence on private vehicles.”

“The time is right for both sides of Parliament to acknowledge the need for rail to Doncaster and fast track its delivery. We are calling for bipartisan support for the project to be delivered within the next fifteen years.”

“Parliament won’t come to us, so we decided to bring the Doncaster Rail issue directly to them and we are presenting a petition signed by more than 4,000* residents who want change and believe it is time to deliver a rail line to Doncaster. Now is the time for the community’s voice to be heard,” Mr Adams said.

WHERE:        Front steps of Parliament House

                        Spring St, Melbourne

WHEN:          12 noon, Wednesday 15 October, 2014

*Note to editors:

3418 signatures on the hard copy petition

817 online petition signatures at change.org as at 9.00 am on 14/10/14

Manningham Council has welcomed the long awaited release of the Doncaster Rail Study Phase One Final Recommendations Report but has expressed reservations regarding some of the report’s findings.

Manningham Council’s Acting Chief Executive, Leigh Harrison said it is unfortunate that it has taken more than 12 months to release this final report and that most of Council’s comments contained in our submission were not considered in the final findings.

“We agree that the rapid transit option is the most viable solution, and look forward to Doncaster rail being delivered within 15 years (by 2029), in accordance with PTV’s statement but Council is most disappointed with the recommendation to terminate the line at Doncaster Park and Ride, and not Doncaster Hill.”

“By 2030, we expect that Doncaster Hill will accommodate more than 10,000 residents and 5,400 apartments, along with several commercial offices in the area, and a possible expansion of Westfield Doncaster – all of which will generate significant traffic congestion without mode shift to public transport, which a rail station on the Hill would accommodate,” he said.

Mr Harrison said Council welcomes the announcement to commence works on Stage 1 of the Victoria Parade and Hoddle Street Bus Upgrade Project and is hopeful that there is bipartisan support for this project. We also look forward to further improvements and more capacity for buses to Manningham.

“We also welcome PTV’s announcement to undertake further investigations in 2015/16 into likely patronage figures and further engineering work on alignment and station footprints, which we assume will form Phase Two of the study as first promised by the Premier in 2010.”

“Council acknowledges the report’s findings that the East West Link (EWL) will not preclude a future Doncaster Rail line, however, irrespective of this, it appears that the proposed rail alignment is being altered to accommodate the EWL, potentially adding additional cost to build rail.”

Mr Harrison said Council will be keen to see how the two stated, precedent projects – the Melbourne Rail Link and the South Morang decoupling – will be programmed in conjunction with Doncaster Rail, in order to ensure the delivery of Doncaster Rail within 15 years.

“If the Melbourne Rail Link proposed completion year is 2026, then there will need to be overlap between these three projects to deliver Doncaster Rail by 2029,” he said.

The completion of Doncaster Rail will not make the 2029 deadline set by the Public Transport Victoria (PTV) ‘Network Development Plan – Metropolitan Rail, 2012’ unless the Doncaster Rail Phase Two Study is completed by 2016.

This is one of the major findings of the ‘Doncaster Rail Prospective Implementation Program’ report prepared by consultancy group URS that was approved by Manningham Council this week.

Manningham Council commissioned the URS Report to identify the necessary advocacy steps and actions required to ensure that the delivery of Doncaster Rail can be achieved by 2029, and is now calling on the State Government to:

1. Fund and commence Phase Two of the original Doncaster Rail Study (to determine engineering requirements, land tenure needs, route protection needs, refined cost and funding opportunities of the preferred alignment)
2. Update and review census, population and public transport patronage projection data to support the rail solution (including a station at Doncaster Hill);
3. Engage with VicRoads and other stakeholders to ensure that both the Chandler Highway Bridge Duplication project and the Streamlining Hoddle Street project consider the future land use and operational needs to facilitate the Doncaster Rail proposal.

Manningham Mayor Cr Paul McLeish said it is very disappointing to see comments from both the Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan, and Opposition Leader and Member for Bulleen, Matthew Guy, that dismiss and simply brush aside the need for the Phase Two of the Doncaster Rail Feasibility Study.

“The URS report is very clear that the 2016 deadline is not negotiable if we are to see rail to Doncaster by 2029. But for some reason both major political parties lack an understanding of the importance the Phase Two Study plays in the early planning of Doncaster Rail.”

Cr McLeish said Phase Two of the Feasibility Study is about concept development, and the refinement of detail and it is a critical step on the path towards delivering the already, long awaited rail extension.

“Heavy rail projects do not happen overnight. They require long term outlay in terms of their planning and delivery.”

“I would urge both Minister Allan and Mr Guy to take a close look at the ‘Doncaster Rail Prospective Implementation Program’ to understand that Phase Two  is not just another study but a vital milestone in the future development of heavy rail to Doncaster.”

Cr McLeish said Council acknowledges that Doncaster Rail is presently not one the current Labor Government’s transport priorities, but would encourage the Government to continue further investigation and assessment of the project within their current term of government, in line with the URS timelines.

“The URS report concludes that Phase Two of the Feasibility Study needs to be completed by October 2016, as the first of many milestones that will require to be progressively achieved.”

“Every year that goes by, is another year’s slippage on the promised delivery date. From experience, the Manningham community has learned that years can quickly turn into many decades of inaction,” he said. 

Manningham residents are being encouraged to show their support for Doncaster rail during the upcoming school holidays.

An information stand will be set up at Doncaster Westfield to share information and encourage community support for the rail line from Tuesday 22 September to Friday 26 September on Level 1, outside of Woolworths.

The City of Manningham remains the only municipality in Melbourne without either train or tram services.

As a result, residents and visitors rely on buses as the sole form of public transport and have a heavy dependence on private vehicles, despite being promised rail to Doncaster for decades.

Manningham Mayor Cr Jim Grivokostopoulos is inviting residents and visitors to add their voice to the Doncaster rail campaign and visit the information stand at Westfield.

“We need as many people as possible to stop by the stand and sign a petition asking the State Government to commit to a rail line to Doncaster without any more delays.”

“People who visit the stand will also receive a free giveaway, so be quick,” Cr Grivokostopoulos said.

People can also find links to the petition on Facebook

The Victorian Government must cater for future growth by delivering a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system and Doncaster Rail.

Manningham Mayor, Cr Paula Piccinini said demand for bus services between Manningham and the CBD had grown significantly and patronage was expected to rise.

“Overcrowding and delays are a daily occurrence when travelling on the busy bus corridor from Doncaster Road to the CBD and it’s only getting worse,” she said.

The reliability and frequency of public transport from Manningham to the CBD is compromised by increased traffic congestion on local roads and the freeway network.

“While we welcome the Doncaster Busway as part of the North East Link (NEL), a Bus Rapid Transit system with dedicated bus priority lanes from Manningham to the CBD must be incorporated.”

The NEL Environment Effects Statement (EES) does not provide any improvements to the western end of the Eastern Freeway and Hoddle Street interchange.

“Any time savings from the new Busway would be lost once a bus enters congestion at Hoddle Street. The Busway must be part of an improved end-to-end public transport system for the region and not considered an independent public transport feature.

“In addition, the Busway must be designed so it can transition to heavy rail, for the delivery of Doncaster Rail in the future.

“Our city needs a rail connection to the CBD to ease traffic gridlock and provide a sustainable transport option in the area.

“The NEL EES claims the Busway will not prevent the future provision of Doncaster Rail. We need a guarantee that the provision for Doncaster Rail will be maintained.

“We will continue to advocate for this provision, to ensure the best possible outcome for our community.”

To find out more about what Manningham Council is doing around the North East Link project visit: manningham.vic.gov.au/NEL.

Manningham Council has welcomed the proposed Doncaster Rail Station as part of the Victorian Government’s Suburban Rail Loop.

The Suburban Rail Loop is a proposed underground orbital rail link that will connect Melbourne’s middle suburbs from Cheltenham all the way through to Werribee. 

Manningham Mayor, Cr Paula Piccinini said a Doncaster Station would deliver a crucial public transport link to the municipality that is currently only serviced by buses.

“We hope the Andrews Government will reconsider the proposed staging to ensure Doncaster Station is included in the first phase of construction of the Suburban Rail Loop.”

“The Doncaster Station will provide a critical rail connection to surrounding suburbs and the CBD, reducing traffic gridlock and delivering a sustainable transport option for Manningham.

“We recognise 125,000 people in Manningham will benefit from a Doncaster Railway Station. Currently their only public transport option is the over-crowded bus network that is often delayed by traffic congestion.  

“A heavy rail public transport connection to Doncaster will provide important links to employment, health and universities in Melbourne’s south-east, where many of our residents work and study.

“With Doncaster Hill continuing to grow, we recommend a site for the Doncaster Station is snapped up now, while the land it is still available.

“We have been working with stakeholders to determine suitable locations for the underground Doncaster Hill train station.

“We’re keen to continue to work with the Victorian Government to secure a site for a future Doncaster Station” Cr Piccinini said.

Car ownership per household in Manningham is considerably high. Residents have a lower rate of public transport use for daily travel for employment purposes than the metropolitan average. This is a result of Manningham being the only municipality in Metropolitan Melbourne without a tram or heavy rain line.  

“We have long supported the need for a heavy rail line to Manningham. We want less roads and more public transport solutions for Manningham,” Cr Piccinini said.

The Doncaster Rail Advocacy Steering Committee (DRASC) has been recognised for its efforts in public transport advocacy in support of Doncaster Rail, by winning the 2015 Paul Mees award.

The Paul Mees Award was inaugurated in 2013 by the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) to commemorate the outstanding work of the late Paul Mees as an advocate for public transport and a world-renowned transport academic.

Manningham Council Mayor, Cr Jennifer Yang thanked the PTUA on behalf of Manningham Council and the Doncaster Rail Advocacy Steering Committee.

“The award recognises the efforts and contribution of the committee regarding their advocacy in support of rail to Doncaster. We are honoured to receive this award from the PTUA in recognition of the efforts and achievements that DRASC have accomplished over the past three years.”

“Our community members represented on the committee have all been very enthusiastic and instrumental in their advocacy efforts to encourage support from both the community and State Government for a heavy rail line to Doncaster.”

“The committee regularly attended local markets and festivals to promote the importance of public transport, and have since collected more than  5,000 petition signatures supporting Doncaster Rail.”

“Furthermore, DRASC have managed to establish a successful online media and community presence through the successful ‘Yes to Doncaster Rail’ campaign, and most recently, supported the Manningham Leader’s ‘Get Manningham Moving’ campaign.”

Cr Yang said that although Council has decided to merge the activities of DRASC with our new Integrated Transport Advocacy Committee (ITAC) from 2016, Council will not be abandoning its advocacy on Doncaster Rail.

“We will continue to strongly advocate for the State Government to deliver rail to Doncaster by 2029, in line with Public Transport Victoria’s objective.

“In the short term, we will continue to advocate for Phase Two of the feasibility study to be completed and ensure that the Eastern Freeway corridor is preserved for the purpose of rail and perhaps a Bus Rapid Transit system in the interim.”

“Council look forward to continuing the legacy of DRASC through the new Integrated Transport Advisory Committee, which will be established in early 2016,” she said.

Council will advertise in the local media from February 2016 seeking community representatives to form this new committee.

Manningham Council Mayor, Cr Paul McLeish said Public Transport Victoria’s (PTV) proposal to build heavy rail to Doncaster by 2029 cannot be achieved unless the State Government reassesses its position regarding the completion of Phase Two of the Doncaster Rail Study.

Cr McLeish said recent comments from the Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan and Acting Public Transport Minister, Martin Pakula regarding Doncaster Rail are of real concern to Council.

“In Public Transport Victoria’s Network Development Plan it is clearly stated that completing ‘detailed planning work’ is a matter of priority, in order to ensure the delivery of the Doncaster Rail Line by 2029.  We are concerned that the State Government is not being properly informed about its importance.”

 “Comments from the Minister Allan that the State Government has “no plans to proceed with the second stage of the study at this point” and additional remarks from Acting Public Transport Minister Pakula that “Manningham doesn’t need more studies and false promises – they need action...”, show a distinct lack of understanding of how important the completion of Phase Two of the study is to ensure the heavy rail proposal for Doncaster stays on track.”

“The completion of the Doncaster Rail Feasibility Study is not in conflict with the State Government delivering its election promises, as the cost to complete the study would be negligible in the scale of things, and it would be complimentary to those other promised projects.”

“The Acting Minister says we need action but both he and the Minister fail to recognise that completing the Doncaster Rail Feasibility Study is precisely the action that is necessary,” he said.

Cr McLeish said Phase Two of the Feasibility Study is about concept development, and the refinement of detail and it is a critical step on the path towards delivering the already, long awaited rail extension.

“Council recently engaged consultants, URS, to produce a report on the key actions that will need to be achieved each year until Doncaster Rail is completed by 2029 in line with the PTV’s Network Development Plan.”

“The URS report concludes that Phase Two of the Feasibility Study needs to be completed by October 2016, as the first of many milestones that will require to be progressively achieved.”

“To do this the project brief needs to be developed immediately, and the study awarded in late 2015 because every year that goes by, is another year’s slippage on the promised delivery date,” Cr McLeish said. 

(The URS report will be publically available following its anticipated adoption at the 28 July Council Meeting.)

Commuters are invited to speak up and share their ideas about Melbourne’s public transport network and how it could be improved by joining in the Eastern Transport Coalition’s Commuters Count video challenge.

The competition, which will run until September 24, invites commuters to make a short video, up to two minutes long, and post it on the Commuters Count Facebook page.

The best film will receive a year’s worth of public transport valued at $2,200, plus the winner of the people’s choice award (the video with the most likes) will receive a $500 JB HI-FI voucher.

ETC Chairperson, Cr Peter Lockwood said the group wanted the hear people’s ideas, delivered with some creativity, about those parts of the network that were good, bad and the improvements that people wanted to see.

"Commuters who use trams, trains and buses have a pretty good idea of what is needed to improve the system," Cr Lockwood said.
"In the lead up to the November State Election, the ETC wants to ensure that our politicians get to hear the issues first hand from the people that live with the system every day.
That’s why we are running a video challenge.
"Maybe you want a new train line, or you want your bus to meet the train. Maybe there are issues with accessing the bus stop near you, which could range from lack of footpaths to crossing several busy traffic lanes to get to the other side of the road. Whatever it is we want to know."

Voters can also be winners, as every time someone 'likes' a video submission on the Commuters Count Facebook page, they go into the draw to win a $250 JB HI-FI voucher.

For more information, visit the ETC website, the Commuters Count Facebook page, or the hash tag #commuterscount on Twitter.

Winners will be announced on October 7, 2014.