Media release – Wednesday, 22 August 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Maroondah needs Fair Public Transport Fares

Councillor for Loughnan’s Hill Ward Alex Makin has called on the State Government to commit to lower cost public transport fares and a reform of public transport zones.

“While Maroondah the outer east definitely need more frequent and later running bus and rail services it is also necessary to look at the pricing of public transport to ensure it is competitive with car travel,” said Loughnan’s Hill Ward Councillor Alex Makin. “Unfortunately the existence of zone three seems to serve the sole purpose of taxing outer eastern public transport users.”

Cr. Makin highlighted the financial burden borne by Maroondah public transport users at the council meeting on the 21st of August where he used his delegates’ report to inform the community on the latest campaign planned by the Eastern Transport Coalition comprising of the seven outer eastern councils.

“The arbitrary nature of zones two and three means that Hurstbridge, which located in zone two, is located further away from the CBD than either Ringwood or Croydon but yet Maroondah residents are slugged with the cost of a zone three ticket,” said Cr. Makin.

“The baseless boundary that places Ringwood in zone three is inconsistent with aims to encourage public transport usage and results in costly traffic congestion through the centre of Ringwood since people choose to park at Heatherdale Station which is the boundary for zone two,” Cr. Makin said. “As a result we have an unnatural demand for parking at Heatherdale which adversely impacts local amenity.”

“A yearly zone one, two and three ticket costs $2000 and the existence of zone three places an additional burden on eastern Melbourne that is not shared by the western and northern suburbs. The Eastern Transport Coalition will be mounting a campaign on this issue to seek fairer public transport fares,” Cr. Makin concluded.

About Alex Makin:
Alex Makin, Maroondah’s youngest serving councillor, was elected onto Maroondah Council in November 2005 after conducting a campaign focused on community engagement, anti-graffiti measures, accessibility issues and greater public transport and environmental advocacy.

Transcript of the Delegates’ Report is available at www.alexmakin.com.au/journal

ALL MEDIA ENQUIRIES: ALEX MAKIN ON 0408 311 645

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