By XAVIER SMERDON
FRUSTRATED residents have called for Zone 1 transport to be extended to include Wyndham, in a move they claim could help create more jobs in the municipality.
Tarneit resident Intaj Khan, who is running as a candidate for Wyndham Council in the Harrison Ward, told Star residents on the urban fringe were currently being penalised for choosing to live in Wyndham.
“Extending Zone 1 would make a big difference,” Mr Khan said.
“Some people can’t afford to go to the city every day and it will reduce some of the traffic problems we have in Wyndham.”
Werribee resident Kathy Smith said she regularly drives to the Laverton train station to avoid paying Zone 2 prices.
“I know it probably costs me more to drive but then at least I have a better chance of getting there on time and I feel like I haven’t been ripped off,” Ms Smith said.
“Why should I pay more just because I live here? This is one of the fastest growing areas in Australia yet we have less train stations and the buses barely even connect to them.”
Mr Khan said he had been regularly approached by residents who had raised the issue of making Wyndham Zone 1.
“A number of people have asked me and told me that this is what they want,” he said.
“Every councillor that is elected should support this regardless of their other policies.”
But Wyndham Council’s Director of Advocacy Bill Forrest told Star there were other more pressing issues facing Wyndham.
“The council doesn’t have a view on it and I think the challenges around that are that it costs money and are there other priorities in terms of public transport expenditure?” Mr Forrest said.
“I think the council, if it were to form a view on this, it would have strong regard for would that kind of money be better spent on improving the buses or getting an extra rail station in? Is it better to have that money to fund expansions of the service?
“I’d like to see more convenience of access to other stations as well, yes, there are a lot of people travelling to Laverton.”
Spokesperson for Public Transport Victoria, David Stockman, said there were currently no plans to extend Zone 1 or to review zones in Melbourne.
Adjusting zone boundaries would not necessarily benefit everyone. It is also important to remember that retaining Zone 2 is of benefit to some commuters who can travel more cheaply within that zone,” Mr Stockman said.
“The boundary between Zone 1 and Zone 2 was set more than two decades ago and has remained largely unchanged. It is based on the number of kilometres from the CBD and is broadly consistent on the majority of train lines.”
Currently Zone 1 extends to Laverton, which is nine stations away from Flinders St Station, while on the Hurstbridge line it extends to Heidelberg, which is 14 stations away from Flinders St.
