MP pushes for extra 900 Smart bus services while Rowville Rail stalls

ROWVILLE Rail may be off politicians’ radars this election but Scoresby MP Kim Wells has moved on to the next best thing, improving buses.

n47dt500 e1 At left the older style buses and at right the new style bus at the changing of buses from old to new at Ventura Buslines in Doncaster

SCORESBY MP Kim Wells is lobbying his colleagues to increase the number of 900 Smart Bus services to every 10 minutes along the Rowville rail corridor.

Mr Wells said he was also urging the government to add three extra buses from Huntingdale Station to meet the last three trains, and was talking to VicRoads on speeding up the journey on the 900 Smart Bus service at the Wellington Rd interchange of Monash Freeway.

Residents have been calling for the interchange to be expanded from two lanes to three to slash travel times on the bus service, which is caught in traffic jams during peak hour.

RELATED: Fix traffic jams, build Rowville railway

It comes after Mr Wells and his government ruled out making a commitment to build Rowville Rail at this month’s election.

But Mr Wells said he was lobbying to amend the planning provisions that would ensure the Rowville rail corridor was rezoned for public transport purposes.

“In addition to Rowville Rail, I am lobbying strongly to increase the number of 900 Smart bus services to every 10 minutes along the Rowville Rail corridor, as well as three additional services from Huntingdale Station to meet the last three trains,” he said.

“And I continue to work with VicRoads on a possible solution to improving on-road priority for the 900 Smart Bus.”

Mr Wells said he maintained the Rowville Rail Line – first proposed in 1969 – wasn’t viable without the Cranbourne-Pakenham Rail Corridor Project and Melbourne Rail Link.