By CASEY NEILL
Budget benefit boost for commuters means there’s…
DANDENONG rail corridor commuters should soon have a more comfortable trip with a $25 million line upgrade announced in the 2013-14 State Budget.
Also in Tuesday’s announcements was cash for business innovation, multicultural support and the mental health services.
Public Transport Minister Terry Mulder said cash would flow to the rail project over the next four years and would mean more services and better connections for train and bus passengers along the Cranbourne and Pakenham lines.
“Residents will receive additional peak period services and greatly improved off-peak frequencies,” he said.
“There will be an additional two morning peak period services and an additional two afternoon peak period services on the Dandenong corridor.
“In the off peak, trains between Dandenong and the city will run every 10 minutes.
“And for residents living beyond Dandenong on the Pakenham and Cranbourne lines, off peak frequencies will be improved to every 20 minutes – a huge improvement from the current 30 minutes off peak frequency.”
Mr Mulder said it wasn’t only train passengers who’d benefit.
“Bus passengers will also receive more frequent connections with train stations along the corridor between Caulfield and Dandenong,” he said.
He said the Dandenong corridor was one of the busiest on the network, with more than 65,000 passenger trips on a typical weekday.
“These additional peak services and increased frequency in the off peak will reduce waiting times for passengers and provide greater flexibility for those travelling on the line,” Mr Mulder said.
In addition to these improvements planned for 2014 timetable upgrades, Public Transport Victoria’s (PTV) rail plan also sets out to increase capacity on the Dandenong rail corridor with new high-capacity trains that can carry more than 1100 passengers, and eventually up to 1600 passengers.
The East West Link’s first stage, a six kilometre section from the Eastern Freeway to CityLink, also received budget funding.
The 18km link is set to reduce congestion and transform east-west travel across Melbourne.
There’s also $110 million for the Port of Hastings development and $97 million for projects to provide immediate and ongoing benefits for the freight and logistics sector.
A $50.4 million investment is to sustain business development and ensure more businesses are moving into international markets, and $16 million was allocated to Driving Business Innovation over the next four years to support projects to develop innovative products and services.
An extra $70 million is to better support Victorians with a mental illness or drug and alcohol addiction through more beds and support for workers.
The State Government said the cash would allow more people to be treated through Monash Health, which runs Dandenong Hospital.
There’s a $26 million investment in multicultural affairs and citizenship, including $1.5 million over two years to increase funding for peak multicultural organisations across Victoria to improve services for culturally and linguistically diverse Victorians.
There’ll be an extra $13.7 million over the next four years for Victoria Legal Aid and $16.5 million over the next four years to expand the Victims of Crime Helpline and Victims Assistance and Counselling Program.
Social housing and homelessness support initiatives will receive a $73.6 million boost.
Does the State Budget deliver for Greater Dandenong? Email casey.neill@starnewsgroup.com.au.
