By LACHLAN MOORHEAD
LABOR will trial 24-hour public transport throughout Melbourne on Friday and Saturday nights if it wins the November State election.
Opposition leader Daniel Andrews announced this week that a 12-month, $50 million trial of round the clock trains, trams and buses would be rolled out by New Year’s Eve 2015.
The initiative would include the Pakenham and Cranbourne lines, with trains running around the clock stopping at Berwick, Hallam, Merinda Park and Narre Warren stations.
Narre Warren South MP Judith Graley said the plan would benefit commuters throughout Casey.
“Local residents often tell me that when they are out for an evening in the city, they 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 just not good enough,” Ms Graley said.
“The new Homesafe train and bus services will ensure local residents trying to find their way home from the city will now have the added option of using public transport on Friday and Saturday nights.”
Labor has set aside $50 million for the Homesafe trial and will extend the work of Protective Services Officers (PSOs), who will remain on stations throughout the night until the following morning services resume.
Trains will run hourly on all lines during the trial, while selected buses and trams will also operate.
In addition, a new Homesafe shuttle service will leave Southern Cross Station at 2am for Geelong, Bendigo, Ballarat and Traralgon as part of the trial.
Gembrook MP Brad Battin questioned how Labor would pay for the additional train, trams and buses needed for a 24-hour public transport service.
“Recent transport plans released by the Labor Party have failed to plan for the purchase of a single new train, tram or bus,” he said.
“To operate a 24-hour train service would require an increase in carriages to allow essential maintenance.
“Public Transport Victoria and the Department of Justice indicate Labor’s costing is way off the mark, and that operating a 24-hour service would increase fares by 22 per cent across the board.”
Mr Battin also said Labor had not promised to match the Coalition’s commitment of having PSOs at “every” metropolitan railway station.
Public response to the proposed trial garnered mostly positive feedback when the News garnered public opionion at Narre Warren station on Tuesday.
“We do need 24-hour transport. I go out on a Friday night and there’s no more transport to get home,” Narre Warren commuter Simon Zlatkin said.
Errol Nazareth, from Hampton Park, said the intiative wouldn’t benefit him because he only used public transport on week days.
