Whittlesea residents have ramped up a campaign to improve public transport and road infrastructure for the city’s rapidly growing population.
At the end of last month, more than 70 residents attended the launch of the video Congestion Costs in Wollert.
The eight-minute film features residents from the Aurora Estate in Epping North urging the state government to commit funding to improve dwindling public transport service and road infrastructure.
The film is by the Aurora Community Association, which recently established an ‘Access Denied’ campaign in a bid to lobby the state government for greater access to public transport services and improved road infrastructure.
The group’s secretary, Cara Honer, said the film had been submitted to Premier Denis Napthine, Transport Minister Terry Mulder and Planning Minister Matthew Guy.
Ms Honer said the group had been disappointed by a lack of investment in roads and public transport infrastructure in last week’s state budget.
The campaign focuses on the municipality’s lack of access to basic transport services and cites the delivery of the O’Herns Road interchange and the need for more train services to Mernda as its two key projects.
Other issues raised in the short film include ‘phantom’ bus stops where buses do not stop and dangerously congested roads.
Last August, the Aurora Estate was highlighted as a case study in a report by the Auditor-General which focused on transport infrastructure and services for population growth areas.
The report found that in Whittlesea there was a $764 million backlog in transport infrastructure.
To view the video, visit youtube/AFbrPBjDWqA.
