Tonight’s Eastern Transport Coalition meeting continued to discuss the need for Federal involvement in urban public transport, as well as measures to continue holding the state government accountable for public transport outcomes in the outer east.

The current focus includes direct lobbying of MPs to ensure that public transport remains high on the state political agenda. With the recently released congestion inquiry demonstrating the ever increasing economic cost of congestion and the growing need to abate rising greenhouse emissions, the impetus for expanding and improving Melbourne’s public transport system has never been greater.

Federal involvement in urban public transport would help ensure that the State Governments deliver upon their commitments for sustainable transport and would ensure a holistic approach to the national problems of congestion, social isolation and greenhouse emissions.