Greens MLC Colleen Hartland and members of the Altona Loop Action Group launched a campaign to duplicate the Altona rail line last week. 67750 Picture: ALESHA CAPONE
By Alesha Capone
COMMUTERS and Greens MLC Colleen Hartland launched a campaign last week calling on the State Government to duplicate the Altona Loop railway.
Gathering at Altona Train Station, they handed out flyers which read ‘Don’t derail Altona’ and ‘Stand up for Altona: Duplicate the Altona Loop for better and more frequent train services’.
Ms Hartland said the State Government recently failed to nominate any major projects for Infrastructure Australia funding.
“This is a great opportunity to secure funding to duplicate the Altona Loop train line,” she said.
“During the election campaign, the new government campaigned on public transport and now after eight months in, I haven’t noticed any changes except cutting services on this line.”
Ms Hartland said duplicating the Altona Loop would allow for better train services at Seaholme, Altona and Westona stations.
She said recent timetable changes on the line have caused Altona commuters to lose direct access to the city loop.
All express trains have been cut and also direct access to the Werribee line, with all services stopping at Laverton.
Sandra Wilson, from the Altona Loop Action Group, said the timetable changes mean her 13-year-old son no longer takes the train to school.
“We’re not going to let this go, we’re in it for the long haul,” she said.
Fellow resident Steve Colbrook said the timetable changes have also inconvenienced his 13-year-old daughter on her trips to school.
Mr Colbrook said he has experienced lengthy delays waiting for trains from Laverton in off-peak evening periods.
Under the new timetable, the record amount of times he has changed trains during one trip has been five.
Mount St Joseph Girls’ College in Altona has also written to the Department of Transport, outlining their concerns about “the crowding of some buses and the challenges of recent timetable changes”.
Ms Hartland said she remained hopeful the government would commit to duplicating the Altona Loop.
“I think the way this community is campaigning, they will have to change their mind,” she said.
However, Hobons Bay Councillor Tony Briffa said if the duplication went ahead, the government might have to compulsorily acquire homes and build a new platform at the heritage-listed Seaholme Station.
The Minister for Public Transport’s media team and Metro did not respond before deadline.
