Off track: Billy Deikos and Paul Westcott hand a flyer about the interchange issue to Corio train traveller Shannon Herdy at Geelong Railway Station.
By Cherie Donnellan
GEELONG commuters will lose a major train interchange in Melbourne under State Government’s regional rail link plan, a public transport group has warned.
Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) Geelong branch’s Paul Westcott said plans to leave North Melbourne off the regional link network would strand thousands of commuters.
“About half of regional commuters change at North Melbourne but many don’t know they will lose their stop without urgent changes to regional rail link plans.”
Mr Westcott said Public Transport Minister Terry Mulder was “well-aware” of concerns over the plan but had failed to respond.
“We contacted him when he was in opposition to ask for the changes.”
Mr Westcott said the PTUA contacted Mr Mulder again in February 2011 but its request was still “ignored”.
Mr Westcott and a team of volunteers spent this week handing out flyers detailing the loss of the North Melbourne interchange stop to Geelong commuters.
The flyer stated: “State Government has decided to save money by not building platforms at North Melbourne station as part of the new regional rail link, even though the track will run right next to the station.”
“Don’t let our politicians sneak this through. Tell them it’s vital to retain our stop at North.”
Mr Westcott said many commuters were probably unaware of the plan despite the previous state government revealing it in 2008.
Department of Transport spokesman Simon Breer said commuters would have other options.
“Geelong and Warrnambool line commuters will continue to have multiple ways to connect to trains, trams and buses in Melbourne once the regional rail link is complete.”
Mr Breer said Footscray’s station would become a new major interchange for regional travellers.
“Two new tracks and an extra platform will be built (at Footscray).”
Passengers would be able to use Southern Cross trains to access city loop stations, he said.
