Manningham public transport projects left stranded in State Budget

The only council in Melbourne that has neither trains or trams, and relies on an inadequate bus service, gets nothing for public transport in State Budget

Users of the Doncaster Park and Ride are finding it harder and harder to get a car park.

MANNINGHAM has again been left stranded on State Government funding for public transport initiatives, while also not feeling the love in other portfolios after the Victorian budget was handed down last Tuesday.

Several projects received the green light from Spring St but none of them were around the growing eastern suburbs of Doncaster, Templestowe and Bulleen.

Elsewhere around Melbourne roads and public transport featured heavily and while the North East Link is expected to help ease local traffic congestion, vital public transport projects have again been forgotten.

The best the Doncaster Park and Ride has so far received is a promise from state opposition leader and Liberal Bulleen MP Matthew Guy that his party “would push” for two levels of parking at the Hender St facility.

The state government promised $100,000 to investigate transport options in Manningham in last year’s budget — this time around nothing was mentioned.

Other options, including Manningham Council Integrated Transport Advisory Committee member James Adams’ suggestion of a second park and ride site on the corner of Bulleen and Thompsons roads, is not currently on the table.

Manningham isn’t feeling much love from Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews and Treasurer Tim Pallas across other portfolios either.

Vital emergency services funding will see a record boost in Victoria Police’s coffers but none of the first 300 frontline cops to hit the ground will be walking the beat in Manningham, which will have to wait on the allocation of a further 2800 police members.

Money for health and grassroots sporting facilities has gone elsewhere, too.

The only sweetener Manningham got was a $1.3m upgrade for Donburn Primary School in Doncaster East.

Planning for the project is now ready to start with classrooms and other facilities expected to get a much-needed spruce up.

Donburn principal Julie Hoskin said the school community was thrilled.