Statement from the Mayor
The Federal Government’s withdrawal of $300 million set aside for upgrades to the Stony Point rail line and Mornington Peninsula Freeway is deeply unfair and incredibly disappointing for the Mornington Peninsula.
The former Coalition Government allocated $225 million for the electrification of the rail line between Frankston and Baxter. A further $75 million was committed for a Mornington Peninsula Freeway overpass at Jetty Road. Both commitments were dependent on matching funds from the Victorian Government.
Yesterday the Federal Government confirmed it would not go ahead with either project.
The Mornington Peninsula Freeway is a vital road link for our growing community, with about 14,000 vehicles using it every day. The Jetty Road intersection creates a bottleneck and is dangerous for pedestrians, especially local school children.
Recent changes to that intersection by the Victorian Government were only ever meant to be an interim measure. Now it seems this will be as good as it gets.
The electrification of the Stony Point rail line was a vital first step towards extending the metropolitan train service all the way to Hastings. This is a devastating blow to a community such as ours, which has long been starved of adequate public transport.
For too long our community has been overlooked and neglected by the federal and state governments. We cannot afford to lose this funding.
At the very least, I call on the Federal Government to ensure this funding stays on the Mornington Peninsula and is spent on other projects.
We are keen to work with the Federal Member for Dunkley, Peta Murphy, to find alternative uses for this much-needed investment in our community.
Additional quotes attributable to Josh Sinclair, CEO Committee for Frankston & Mornington Peninsula:
The Committee for Frankston & Mornington Peninsula is disappointed that $300 million in funding for major rail and road projects on the Mornington Peninsula will not proceed.
The community will be frustrated by this outcome and we will be seeking clarification from the Government about where they do plan to invest in critical infrastructure in our region over coming years.
At a time when the Victorian Government is investing nearly $30 million in this year’s State Budget at the Port of Hastings and its plans for a Renewable Energy Terminal, improving public transport and the rail line between Frankston and Hastings has never been more crucial.
Additionally, upgrades to the intersection at Jetty Road and the Mornington Peninsula freeway remain critical to ease congestion on our roads and improve safety.
The Committee calls on the Federal Government to recommit funding to the Mornington Peninsula which must be used on vital infrastructure projects.
We look forward to working collaboratively and proactively with the Federal Government about what solutions can be funded and delivered to improve connectivity and accessibility on the Mornington Peninsula.
