By Parker McKenzie
The route-75 tram could very well extend into Knox in the near future, with Knox City Council welcoming the Liberal Victorian opposition’s announcement of a feasibility study into the concept if elected in November.
On Wednesday 6 July, Ferntree Gully MP Nick Wakeling and Opposition Leader Matthew Guy announced an election promise of $2 million for the feasibility study.
Mr Wakeling said local transport across Knox has been ignored for too long.
“Traffic congestion and public transport accessibility are critical issues in our area that have been overlooked by the Andrews Labor Government,” he said.
“Extending the tram line to Knox would mean cheaper, easier, better public transport for local residents.”
The seat of Ferntree Gully was abolished during redistricting for the November election and Mr Wakeling will be the Liberal candidate for Bayswater, currently held by Labor’s Jackson Taylor.
Mr Taylor said the current Labor State Government is always looking for ways to “improve transport connections in the community, whether it be trams, trains or buses, including extending the current 75-tram line to Knox.”
“It was Labor that extended the 75-tram line from Burwood East to Vermont South, the Liberals have never committed to delivering or delivered any extension to the 75-tram and they still haven’t,” he said.
“The Liberals promised to provide rail to Rowville in their last term of Government but didn’t lay a single meter of track. If they don’t deliver projects they promised, there is no chance they will deliver projects they haven’t promised.”
The current Route 75 tramline only runs to Vermont South Shopping Centre on Burwood Highway.
On Thursday 7 July, Knox City Council welcomed the commitment of funding in a statement after asking successive governments to improve public transport in the area by extending the tramline.
Knox City Mayor Susan Laukens said residents face heavy traffic commuting to work, study and other activities, and more accessible transport would help the council achieve zero greenhouse emissions by 2040.
“Extending the tram would connect key education and employment precincts including the Burwood Highway employment cluster, Knox Westfield Shopping Centre, Swinburne University, Deakin University, Bayswater shopping and business precincts, Wantirna health precinct and Knox Private Hospital,” she said.
“In addition to advocating for the extension of the Route 75 tram to connect with the rail line at Upper Ferntree Gully and Bayswater, Council is pushing for other public transport projects such as improving and increasing local bus services and a trackless tram to Rowville.”
