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Tuesday 24 August 2021
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Music makers Bridget Allan (above), and Kaiyah Mercedes (left) are two of the talents featured on a new compilation album by young local musicians. See story page 4. Pictures: Supplied
Better buses suggested rather than rail extension Brodie Cowburn brodie@baysidenews.com.au A NEW report released by Infrastructure Victoria has recommended improving bus services in Frankston rather than moving forward with the long-touted rail extension to Baxter. Infrastructure Victoria released its updated 30-year strategy last week. The organisation is an independent body that advises the state government on its projects. Among the recommendations
included in the report was to investigate the rollout of more bus services in Frankston and the Mornington Peninsula in the next year “instead of progressing a rail extension to Baxter”. The report read that “a preliminary business case considered different rail and bus options for more extensive public transport improvements between Frankston and Baxter. The Victorian Government allocated funds to undertake network reform in the Mornington Peninsula. This network reform should consider the role of next generation bus services.
“Our modelling of selected rail extensions to other outer suburban growth areas found they can encourage more people to move further out. An extension of the Frankston line could create extra pressure for new housing developments in environmentally sensitive and agriculturally important places on the Mornington Peninsula. “The Frankston Station Precinct is a designated multi-modal transit interchange. This should be the hub for better bus connections to the Frankston metropolitan activity centre, railway station, Chisolm TAFE and Frankston
Hospital. As the station precinct develops, it will require an intermodal terminal upgrade and more bus services to help manage traffic flow and congestion. This would build upon the Victorian Government’s funded improved bus services to the Mornington Peninsula.” The proposed duplication and electrification of the Frankston line to Baxter has been at a standstill for years. A business case released last year quoted the full cost of the project at an eye-watering $1.3 to $1.5 billion (“Business case casts doubt on rail extension” The
Times 17/11/20). The federal government has committed $225 million to the extension, but the state government has not got on board. The release of the IV report shocked some groups who have long been advocating for the extension of the rail line. CEO of advocacy group Committee for Greater Frankston, Ginevra Hosking, said “Frankston’s residents have been thrown under a bus. Commonwealth money is on the table to build the Frankston extension today, yet the state recommends even more studies.” Continued page 7
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