Hills’ traffic problems behind Dan Cregan’s defection as government transport inaction blasted

Government inaction on the Hills’ traffic woes has been blasted at a public transport forum, with Liberal turncoat Dan Cregan revealing it was a major reason he jumped ship. Watch replay.

First-term backbencher Dan Cregan has revealed a major reason he defected from the State Government was its inaction to address the Hills’ ongoing traffic woes.

His comment was made at a public transport forum on Monday night, which turned into a political battlefield when state political leaders made Hills commuting a key election issue.

In other revelations, Adelaide Hills Mayor Jan-Claire Wisdom said the council had recently received written notification from Transport Minister Corey Wingard that their request for a comprehensive study into passenger rail was denied.

From reversing privatisation of public transport assets, stopping the sale of land in Bridgewater to help create a new park’n’ride, and lobbying for Commonwealth funding to create a new rail line, politicians were in full election mode.

The pre-election commitments were delivered during the forum at Wallis Cinema in Mt Barker which was live streamed by The Advertiser.

Delivered by the SA Transport Action Group, the forum aimed to provide workable solutions to address the Hills’ growing traffic woes.

This included making a case for the return of passenger rail, creating rail freight and truck bypasses and lobbying for more park’n’ride across the Hills region.

Getting plenty of applause was newly minted independent and Liberal turncoat Dan Cregan MP.

Traffic banked up on the South Eastern Freeway traffic downtrack near the toll gate. Picture: AAP/Brenton Edwards

Mr Cregan, who announced his shock defection last Friday, said his decision – in part – was a direct result of the government’s inaction to address the Hills’ ongoing traffic woes.

Talking to The Advertiser after the meeting, Mr Cregan said the region needed a unified approach to address traffic woes.

“I’m calling on both major parties to bring forward a unified plan for the massive population growth we’re experiencing and that plan needs to involve every portfolio area in the government,” he said.

“We’re building a new city in the Hills, a new city in Mt Barker and we need to recognise that it requires a very high level of planning.”

Ms Wisdom delivered an election-inspired message via a pre-recorded video.

She said the council had recently received written notification from Transport Minister Corey Wingard that their request for a comprehensive study into passenger rail was denied.

Ms Wisdom said she called on the community to make their voices heard in the lead up to upcoming state election.

Liberal turncoat Dan Cregan. Picture: Brenton Edwards

“The minister wrote back to us to advise us that preliminary investigations have commenced on a review of the SE Freeway and mass transport options to service the Adelaide Hills bus rapid transport strategy,” she said.

“That confirms to us that despite the multi-billion dollar work being undertaken on CBD roads, designed to make it easier for trucks to get access to the city, that no comprehensive, integrated freight and public transport strategy or plan is currently in place.

“So there is nothing currently dealing with the commuter and freight traffic that is being funnelled down the SE freeway at this time or into the future – now this must change.”

Addressing the continuous privatisation of key transport assets was also of concern - something which leader of the opposition Peter Malinauskas vowed to put an end to.

“I can’t continue down the path on the privatisation of key pieces of public services and infrastructure,” he said.

“I have made a policy commitment to reserve (privatisation) if we win the next election and I have written to Keolis Downer and every tenderer in that project (Adelaide Metro Rail) that should we win the next election, we will terminate that contract ... and they knew that before they signed that ($2.45b) contract.”

Members of the SA Transport Action Group Maurice Parry, Gary field, David Thackrah and John Hill.

Mr Malinauskas said he also planned to stop the sale of government-owned land in Bridgewater.

“The department of transport, under the Minister, is currently selling (land) in Bridgewater. Selling that land is strategically unwise,” he said.

“If that sale has not been completed when we’re lucky enough to be in government after the next state election, we will immediately cease it and retain it as a strategic location (for park’n’ride).

Also getting plenty of applause was newly minted independent and Liberal turncoat Dan Cregan MP.

Mr Cregan, who announced his shock defection last Friday, said his decision - in part - was a direct result of the government’s inaction to address the Hills ongoing traffic woes.

Talking to The Advertiser after the meeting, Cr Cregan said the region needed a unified approach to address traffic woes.

“I’m calling on both major parties to bring forward a unified plan for the massive population growth we’re experiencing and that plan needs to involve every portoilio area in the government,” he said.

“We’re building a new city in the Hills, a new city in Mt Barker and we need to recognise that it requires a very high level of planning.”

Transport Minister Corey Wingard.

Mr Wingard, whose five-minute presentation was interrupted by angry listeners, said the state government was committed to addressing transport concerns.

This, he said, included further investigations into the feasibility of passenger rail.

“We have got some early (budget) figures from the department ... which range between $6b and $12b and we’re getting Infrastructure of South Australia to look into that to see what the figures might be and what the options might be,” he said.

“The top of the line, the $12b figure could be for a fast train from the city and build a whole new line and a lesser figure could (offer) a 70 or 80 minute (train) journey.

“What are the facts? what are the figures? That’s what we’re looking at and Infrastructure South Australia will determine that.”

Monday night’s meeting came on the back of a transport report by Regional Development Australia Adelaide Hills, Fleurieu and Kangaroo Island which suggested the introduction of a rapid bus network between Mt Barker and Adelaide CBD.

The report also supported the exploration of a business case into passenger rail to address population growth in the long-term.

Another 12,000 residents are expected to call Mt Barker home over the next 10 years, taking the town’s population to 51,000.

The population boom will add additional pressure to the South Eastern Freeway which, according to the state’s peak motoring body, was reaching near capacity in some sections.

Organiser John Hill said fixing the Hills ongoing traffic woes would need a collaborative approach and open-minded thinking.

“Our interest is the big picture of public transport and what is needed in the long term,” he said.

“So we want to look at all the things that will contribute to that and not just one in isolation, so that includes public transport, park’n’ride facilities – which you need for buses and trains – and getting trucks off the freeway.

“In relation to park’n’ride, we’ve identified a number of locations, some of which already have infrastructure such as platforms and land that has been cleared which means they are ideal for parking cars.

Locals fight sale of Hills railway station

A once popular Hills railway station could be sold off to developers despite community pressure to preserve the land for future park’n’ride.

Balhannah Railway Station has been declared surplus by the State Government, which is considering the future of the 2ha site.

This includes a potential sale to a private buyer after the Adelaide Hills Council declined to purchase the two-adjoining parcels of land due to cost in August.

The railway station is estimated to be worth upwards of $1m.

The potential for park’n’ride at Balhannah will form part of a Adelaide Hills transport forum to be live streamed by The Advertiser on Monday night.

SA Transport Action Group chairman John Hill said the sale of the land would be an opportunity lost.

“One of the issues in the Adelaide Hills Council area is that it’s a very difficult area to find suitable locations for park’n’ride,” he said.

“Balhannah is a central location for a number of towns including Woodside, Oakbank and Lobethal which is why the site is so important.

“It’s also the closest rail line you will get to those towns.

“So we want to see that side retained for park’n’ride, be it for buses or trains.”

Cr Pauline Gill, Cr Andrew Stratford, SA Transport Action Group Chair John Hill, Hills local Wendy Creaser, Cr Linda Green and Cr Leith Mudge at Balhannah Station which locals want retained as park’n’ride. Picture: Matt Loxton

The group’s proposed park’n’ride would cater for more than 300 cars, a bus pick-up zone, and ramp access to the platform to access trains.

In a report to the council, manager of property services Natalie Westover said the Transport Department first contacted the council about a potential sale in 2016.

At the time it was revealed that the former station was in need of extensive repairs with work likely to cost around $2m.

While the department offered a one-off grant of $60,000 – akin to the cost of demolition – to “actively work with its community to ascertain the best longer term use of the building”, it was subject to council taking ownership of the site and agreeing to restore the buildings.

Council subsequently declined to purchase the site due to the cost involved but was again approached about an expression of interest this year.

Mr Hill said it was not up to the council to restore the land for park’n’ride.

“Council’s don’t run park’n’ride, the state government does, so it’s really up to them to retain the site for community use,” he said.

“The state government has already sold land Bridgewater (formerly identified for park’n’ride), so we don’t want the same to happen in Balhannah.”

The Transport Department said in a statement: “The Balhannah Railway Station was declared as surplus to the department’s requirements and was offered to the council who did not wish to acquire the land. The property is currently being prepared to go to market by 2022.

“The possibility of using the land for a Park ‘N’ Ride facility was considered as part of the department’s evaluation of its requirement for the land. However, it was not considered viable due to the site being more than one kilometre from the nearest bus stop, which is considered well beyond the distance patrons are willing to walk to access bus services.

“The department continues to explore different options to further improve public transport to the Adelaide Hills, including a planning study for a bus rapid transit solution. This planning study will be completed by the end of 2021.”

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Originally published as Hills’ traffic problems behind Dan Cregan’s defection as government transport inaction blasted