The Maroondah Leader has reported on the recent State Budget announcement regarding the continuation of design options for the redevelopment of Ringwood Station.

RINGWOOD’S long-awaited railway station redevelopment moved a step closer with $2.7 million funding for preliminary work announced in the State Budget.

The $2.7 million includes funding for the following:

• $1.5 million for detailed design work for the station redevelopment;
• $300,000 for a traffic and transport study;
• $200,000 for VicUrban (the designated project managers);
• $600,000 for improvements to Maroondah Highway which will include the implementation of a new signage strategy.

Progress towards the redevelopment of Ringwood Station is most definitely welcome, it is imperative however that bus service levels are also improved to ensure an integrated approach to enhancing public transport within Maroondah.

Public Transport Users Association spokesman Alex Makin said the Ringwood station funding was welcome but Transport Minister Peter Batchelor appeared to have “cherry-picked a very limited number of bus routes mostly in marginal seats for service upgrades while neglecting most of Melbourne”.

Unfortunately most of the designated 25 bus routes to receive service level upgrades appear to been chosen to benefit marginal ALP seats while mos of Melbourne including Maroondah continues to remains neglected.