Tonight I presented to the Eastern Region Integrated Transport Group (ERITG) with the dual aims of identifying potential avenues of cooperation and demonstrating specific action that the group could utilise.

ERITG is a group of eight outer eastern councils that provide a regional approach for council initiated advocacy for greater public transport. The councils involved include:

• The Shire of Yarra Ranges
• The City of Manningham
• The City of Maroondah
• The City of Knox
• The City of Whitehorse
• The City of Monash
• The City of Greater Dandenong
• The City of Casey

While the group has had a slow start it does appear that there is a genuine commitment by a to ensure a coordinated lobbying effort.

Potential action for resident based and council supported advocacy was discussed, including the possibility of establishing public meetings in Manningham (Doncaster) and Greater Dandenong and Casey (Dandenong or Narre Warren).

It is clear that the state government is reneging on its promise to deliver a comprehensive public transport network in the outer east. It is up to residents, local councils and the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) to keep the state government ‘on track’.

The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) Outer East Branch will help achieve this objective and I look forward to further cooperation with the ERITG in 2005.