Fix traffic jams, build Rowville railway line say Knox campaigners

A KNOX advocacy group is pushing for extra road lanes and buses to improve public transport connections to the poorly serviced suburb.

The group "Pro Knox" are campaigning for a rail line to Rowville. Photo of the group on Wellington Rd near the intersection of Stud Rd in Rowville where the rail would go. The group is unhappy the government is not building the line. Picture: Lawrence Pinder

EXPANDING the Wellington Rd M1 flyover to three lanes is one of the proposals the community is putting forward to deal with traffic snarls in Knox.

Advocacy group PRO Knox wants Wellington Rd expanded from two lanes to three to slash travel times on the No. 900 Smart Bus service, which is caught in traffic jams during peak hour.

The group is also lobbying the government to add three extra buses to the early morning services to meet the last trains at Huntingdale Railway Station.

It comes after the State Government refused to make any commitments to the Rowville Rail Line at next month’s election.

PRO Knox’s Mick Van de Vreede said both sides of politics were neglecting Knox’s public transport needs because Rowville was a safe Liberal seat.

“We now know that improvements under way on the Pakenham and Cranbourne lines are all that is needed to provide capacity for the Rowville Rail and they will be completed in four to five years,” he said.

“Therefore it makes sense to start the design and pre-construction works now. To do that, whoever is in government after November 29, needs to budget for it.

“If the seat of Rowville was marginal I am sure we would see a budget commitment. A commitment to a project in a non-marginal seat requires guts and vision from a political party and we challenge all parties to step up and help Rowville prepare for a more livable future.”

Mr Van de Vreede said he had contacted Scoresby State Liberal MP Kim Wells and Rowville State Labor candidate Tamika Hicks (the new seat of Scoresby) asking them to make a commitment to Rowville Rail and improve the No. 900 bus service in the meantime.

“In particular we have requested that a third lane be constructed over the Wellington Rd M1 Flyover, which would remove a significant impediment to the 900 Smart Bus, which often adds 10 minutes to the trip in the peak,” he said.

“We have also asked that three extra buses be added to early morning services to meet the last trains at Huntingdale station. They cannot say they haven’t been informed or lobbied. There are no excuses.”

Ms Hicks urged people in the electorate to consider their vote carefully.

“I have lived in Rowville for 14 years and all I have seen is a $2 million piece of paper, the feasibility study, telling us what we already know, that we need better transport,” Ms Hicks said.

Mr Wells said he was lobbying his colleagues to increase the number of 900 Smart bus services to run every 10 minutes along the Rowville Rail corridor, as well as three additional services from Huntingdale Station to meet the last three trains.

“And I continue to work with Vic Roads on a possible solution to improving on-road priority for the 900 Smart Bus, at the interchange where Wellington Road crosses over the Monash Freeway,” he said.

“I am absolutely committed to enhancing public transport options in Rowville and continue to listen and work with the community and local council to ensure Rowville has better public transport. This includes building the Rowville Rail and improved bus services.”