Doncaster rail should be built after busway, Manningham Council says

It’s been on the cards for decades without construction ever starting, but the push for a train line to Doncaster is not over. Manningham Council wants a planned busway to eventually be replaced by heavy rail.

Manningham Council is still advocating for Doncaster Rail. Picture: David Crosling

Manningham Council will tell the State Government that it wants the North East Link busway project to be built with a view to “transitioning” to Doncaster Rail down the track.

The council, along with other organisations and individuals who made submissions to the freeway’s environmental effects statement, have the chance to voice their concerns at public hearings starting on July 25 in Bulleen.

The submission, worked on by officers and councillors in consultation with the community, touched on several key concerns including the impact on business and sporting communities across the municipality.

The council will also tell the State Government any time commuters save from using the North East Link’s busway project will be lost unless a solution is found to congestion in Hoddle St.

For that reason, they want to see the busway built with a view to eventually replacing it with heavy rail.

Manningham mayor Cr Paula Piccinini said demand for bus services between the municipality and the city was growing.

“Overcrowding and delays are a daily occurrence when travelling on the busy bus corridor from Doncaster Rd and it’s only getting worse,” she said.

Cr Piccinini said the standing position under the EES is that there will not be any improvements to the Eastern Freeway and Hoddle St interchange but the busway will not prevent building Doncaster Rail in the future.

“Any time savings from the new busway will be lost once a bus enters congestion at Hoddle St,” Cr Piccinin said.

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“The busway must be part of an improved end-to-end public transport system for the region and not considered an independent public transport feature.

“In addition, the busway must be designed so it can transition to heavy rail, for the delivery of Doncaster Rail in the future. We need a guarantee that the provision for heavy rail will be maintained.”

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