In a submission to the State Government ETC Chairperson Cr Mick Van De Vreede has said that for Melbourne 2030 to deliver more needs to be invested in major public transport in Melbourne’s east.

Cr Van De Vreede said the central idea in Melbourne 2030, to increase housing around transport hubs, was a good one, however the idea had not been backed up by expansion of rail options in the Eastern suburbs.

“What Melbourne 2030 really needs is a plan that allows for the expansion of rail in the outer east. There are a number of major activity centres in Melbourne’s east which would significantly benefit from the expansion of heavy rail”, Cr Van De Vreede said.

Councillor Alex Makin represents Maroondah City Council on the Eastern Transport Coalition.

“Ringwood has been nominated by the State Government as a Transit City, and with the projected expansion in population, it is essential that the capacity of the Belgrave/Lilydale rail line be increased to ensure the Transit City vision becomes reality,” said Cr Makin.

“If Melbourne is to be a truly liveable city while encouraging higher density living, we need to invest now in dedicated public transport infrastructure such as heavy and light rail. We need to finish the suburbs we already have before building new ones,” Cr Van De Vreede concluded.

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