By XAVIER SMERDON
MELBOURNE residents have been promised a 24 hour public transport system on weekends if Labor wins this year’s State election.
Member for Altona and the Shadow Minister for Public Transport, Jill Hennessy, said trains would run on the Werribee Line, stopping at Seaholme, Altona, Westona, Laverton, Aircraft, Williams Landing and Hoppers Crossing stations.
“Under Labor, residents in Seaholme, Altona, Altona Meadows, Laverton, Seabrook, Williams Landing, Truganina and Point Cook will have transport options that have never before been available to them,” Ms Hennessy said.
“The new Homesafe Trains will mean workers in Melbourne’s West who work in the city will have the added options to get home on Friday’s and Saturday’s.
“Residents in Melbourne’s West who have an evening out in the city face a situation where they are either running for the last train, waiting hours for the first one, or trying to find a cab, it’s not good enough.”
Ms Hennessy said Melbourne was a world-class 24-hour city that needed a public transport system to match.
“Under Labor, getting home will be safer, easier and cheaper for residents living in Seaholme, Altona, Altona Meadows, Laverton, Seabrook, Williams Landing, Truganina and Point Cook. That’s good for our economy, workers and our nightlife,” she said.
If Labor is elected they will conduct a $50 million, 12 month trial of all night Friday and Saturday public transport and according to Ms Hennessy, the new system would be up and running by New Year’s Eve 2015.
But Victorian Treasurer Michael O’Brien said the government’s own estimations had shown that the plan would be expected to cause public transport fares to increase by 22 per cent.
Mr O’Brien said the cost of Labor’s election promise would be $102.2 million, more than double the announced cost.
“Daniel Andrews’ latest election thought-bubble is one that he cannot pay for, so Victorian transport users will be left with the bill,” Mr O’Brien said.
“This blowout alone would cause a 14.7 per cent across the board fare increase to all passengers to pay for Labor’s promise.”
