SOUTH Morang’s position as Australia’s largest population growth area has renewed the push for a rail extension into the area and beyond.
Whittlesea council’s director of advocacy and communications, Griff Davis, said: “We pleaded with the state government back in 1989. We said if they are going to allow growth in this area they need to put in the infrastructure to accommodate it. There is still no rail service beyond the south end of South Morang.”
Mr Davis was responding to the latest Bureau of Statistics figures showing that five of Australia’s largest growth areas are in outer Melbourne, with the biggest expansion occurring in South Morang – 32,200 people moved into the area between June 2001 and June 2011.
“Mernda next to South Morang is the next fastest growing area and the pressure on it is immense,” Mr Davis said. “The Plenty Road corridor through to Mernda is congested from 6.30 in the morning to 8.30 at night. It is crazy. It is the only way in and out of Mernda.”
He said that for years the train stopped at Epping, and the line was extended to South Morang, technically to Mill Park, only in April.
He said it could take motorists three quarters of an hour to crawl the seven kilometres between the end of the line and Mernda.
– Andra Jackson
