By Mara Pattison-Sowden
A MONSTER transport petition that includes signatures from residents in the Yarra Ranges Shire is finally due to be tabled in Parliament.
More than 13,000 people signed the Eastern Transport Coalition’s (ETC) petition, which calls on the Government to address significant gaps in Victorian transport planning.
ETC chairwoman and Yarra Ranges councillor Samantha Dunn said the level of public transport dissatisfaction in the Yarra Ranges had been growing for some time.
“Yarra Ranges’ residents are sick of being ignored when it comes to public transport policy,” Cr Dunn said.
“They are crying out for a solution and that’s why the council signed up to the ETC in the first place.”
Ms Dunn said it was time the Government looked seriously at providing sustainable transport options right across Melbourne rather than focusing on a few key electorates.
“The Eastern Transport Coalition represents seven councils in the east whose residents are crying out for more public transport,” she said.
“The petition we’re presenting today (Tuesday) has more than 13,000 signatures, each one of them a demand of Government to end the neglect.”
The ETC petition calls on the Victorian Government to address the significant gaps in the provision of and planning for public transport in Greater Dandenong, Knox, Manningham, Maroondah, Monash, Whitehorse, and Yarra Ranges.
Cr Dunn said she was pleased the full petition was finally in Parliament’s hands, and she looked forward to the Government taking notice.
“This election year provides a perfect opportunity for this Government to show that it is listening to the million or so residents east of Warrigal Road who are forced to drive their cars to work because they have few viable alternatives,” she said.
“We’re calling on anybody who wants to govern in Victoria to realise that the east is crying out for better transport.”
