WHERE’S THE FOOTSCRAY STATION UPGRADE?

Colleen Hartland MLC has questioned the delay on starting the Footscray Station upgrade, in Parliament today.  The Planning Minister was unable to answer.

“The announcement was made eight months ago, but no work has started.  The ramp is still in a state of disrepair, and as someone who uses that station all the time, I would like to know when we can expect work to start?” said Colleen Hartland

“Mr Madden was unable to answer.  He gave a lengthy speech about other projects, but even when I asked the question a second time, pointing out that the ramp is becoming unsafe, he was not able to say when the project would start.”

“He said ‘it will take place in the near future’, then he said ‘very shortly’, but that’s the same answer he gave in Parliament last August”.

“Considering they announced the ramp upgrade as an election promise, then made another big announcement about the station upgrade last August, you’d think they’d have some idea of when work will commence.”

“Meanwhile, the Eddington report came out recommending the government sink a new Footscray station underneath the old one at a cost of some billions of dollars. I’ll believe that one when we have a ramp that isn’t held together by all the termites holding hands,” said Ms Hartland

Cut emissions and turn off lights

A couple of weeks ago Earth Hour was held as a way of raising awareness about climate change, where citizens of the world were asked to turn off lights and unnecessary applicances for an hour.  In Melbourne there was a pretty dismissal response.

But one of the major ways of cutting emissions is to reduce your own energy consumption.

You can do this by turning off lights in rooms not being used in your house, turning off applicances at the wall and making sure that you turn off anything that is on ’stand-by’.  Not only will you be helping to reduce your own emissions, you’ll also be saving money on electricity bill.

Another way of helping to reduce your energy consumption is to install solar power.  While it can be expensive to install, you’re savings will easily pay for the installation.  In some cases you can even make some money by selling your solar energy back to the grid.

See the ATA link for more details about how you can make your home solar powered

Cut emissions and drive less

Using private transport, like your car, is one of the major sources of greenhouse gas emissions. 

You can make a substantial contribution to reducing your greenhouse gas emissions by using public transport options, which are very limited in the city of Brimbank.  You can also contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by walking to the milk bar instead of hoping into your car.

Another way you reduce your reliance on private transport is to form a car pool with colleagues from work or with friends and/or neighbours that may be travelling in the same direction as you.  When you car pool you are helping to reduce emissions.

Eddington Report – What about the Melton Line?

Colleen Hartland MLC has made a preliminary assessment of the Eddington Report for the Caroline Springs area.

“The biggest missing item in the report is the electrification of the Melton/ Bacchus Marsh line, with a new station at Caroline Springs.  It’s either not in the report, or you need a backhoe to find it.  This is a high priority, and so we’ll need to crank up the community campaign.”

“Eddington lists a lot of pie in the sky expensive long term projects, and that’s all very well and good, but there are affordable short term solutions that won’t cost as much.  We urgently need changes to the system that are achievable in the short term.”

“People on the Werribee, Williamstown and Sydenham lines have to wait 30 minutes for a train after 7pm, Craigieburn has three trains an hour, Melton has one per hour.  You can increase the service without building anything new.  Then plan for the future at the same time.”  

“The most urgent need in the west is for the extension of the Werribee line to Wyndham, electrification of the Melton / Bacchus Marsh line with a train station at Caroline Springs, extension of the Airport West tram line, and a load of new bus routes that connect people to the trains, rather than delivering them five minutes late.”

Welcome to BrimbankCAN

BrimbankCAN (Climate Action Network) is a loose network linking like minded people and community groups with the aim to:

• encourage residents, ratepayers, businesses and industry to actively reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
• provide information about climate change and what can be done to help reduce emissions.
• lobby Brimbank City Council to regulate for energy efficiencies for residential, commercial and industrial developments, and to take greater action in reducing the Council’s own emissions.
• promote forums, rallies, events, conferences and media about climate change, ecological biodiversity and environmental sustainability.
• organize local forums and meetings on climate change and alternative technology.

The BrimbankCAN is an entirely online network.  There is no membership fee required and it is not an incorporated association.