Tag: train
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Maroondah Leader: Battle for survival in train revival
The Maroondah Leader has reported on the worsening overcrowding experienced on the Belgrave and Lilydale lines caused due to the State Government failing to improve service levels to cater to the large influx of patronage on Melbourne’s rail network. Mr Makin, who lobbied the State Government to scrap Zone 3, said the move had placed…
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2007 Rail Infrastructure Conference
Today I participated in a panel discussion for the Rail Infrastructure Australia conference in Sydney. The topic of discussion was passenger rail and included issues such as level of services, network integration and ticketing. The session was moderated by Jim Wolfe from the Department of Transport and Regional Services (DOTARS) and panellists included Bill Watson…
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2007/08 State Budget interview with ABC 774
This morning I was discussing the State Budget with Red Symons on ABC 774. From a public transport perspective the state budget was an improvement over previous budgets. The purchase of ten additional six carriage trains was a measure the PTUA was calling for and it is pleasing that this will proceed. The additional trains,…
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The Age: Labor's train plan 'on the wrong track'
One of the key tenets of Meeting Our Transport Challenges (MOTC), the State Government’s plan for Melbourne’s public transport system, was the construction of a third track between Caulfield and Dandenong. This project alone is expected to cost up to one billion dollars and will take a decade to complete delaying many other public transport…
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MX: Kosky defends buyback
According the MX, the State Government has been forced to repurchase the old Hitachi trains due to dire shortage of train rollingstock. Buying back second-hand “sweatbox” carriages at more than seven times their sale price was good value for Victorian taxpayers, Transport Minister Lynne Kosky said today. Defending the State Government’s purchase of two Hitachi…
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Delegates' report: Water conservation and community advocacy
A pressing theme that has emerged over the events I attended in the previous month has been that of the environment and in particular the need for water conservation. On the 23rd of March I attended the SaveWater Awards, convened by the SaveWater alliance, a non-profit association which includes membership from our water authorities and…
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Media Release: Working towards cleaner waterways in Maroondah
With dam levels reaching historic lows, people everywhere are looking at ways to cut water use, or to substitute. One solution is a rain garden. Councillor Alex Makin said over the last decade there has been a quiet revolution going on in the world of drainage and stormwater. “There has been a realisation that traditional…
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Improving stormwater quality and usage
This morning I opened a training session on the use of rain gardens to improve stormwater quality. The training session was hosted at Maroondah City Council and was led by instructors from Clearwater, a not-for-profit program supported by Melbourne Water. Rain gardens are designed to absorb excess rainwater run-off from buildings and paved areas, such…
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Media Release: New netball program for juniors
The Maroondah Indoor Sports Centre is excited to be launching a brand new netball development program designed by Netball Australia. Councillor Alex Makin said the ‘Net Set Go’ junior development program is a national concept which replaces the former FunNet program and commences on Thursday 19 April. “For some time now parents have been asking…
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Opening of the new Eastern Volunteer Resource Centre offices
This evening I was invited to officially open the new offices of the Eastern Volunteer Resource Centre (EVRC), now located in 36 New Street Ringwood. The Eastern Volunteer Resource Centre provides information for people that wish to volunteer within our community. The EVRC acts as a referral body for volunteers through matching people with a…