New outlet is just the ticket

By Glen Atwell
LYNBROOK’S frustrated public transport users can finally purchase Metlink tickets in their own suburb.
Lynbrook Village News and Lotto recently gained accreditation as a Metlink retailer after a 12-month licensing stoush with the Department of Infrastructure.
The nearest outlet was previously located kilometres away in Merinda Park, forcing car-less commuters to catch a bus and then walk to pre-purchase public transport tickets.
South Eastern Metropolitan Region MP Inga Peulich spearheaded a campaign to have the Lynbrook Village newsagency installed as a retailer.
Shop owner Peter Connell said he had applied for a retail licence six months before the store opened and blamed government red-tape for the year-long delay.
“We tried to have everything organised well before the shop opened but the relevant authorities continued to reject our applications,” he said.
“From a resident’s point-of-view, we believed having Metlink tickets available on opening day was crucial.”
According to Mr Connell, the Department of Infrastructure cited the future launch of the new ticketing system, myki, as the reason for not issuing anymore Metlink retail licences.
“But that was over a year ago, and the myki system has been delayed on more than one occasion,” he said.
Sharing the same frustration as commuters, Mr Connell turned to Ms Peulich to have the licensing issue resolved.
Citing Lynbrook as one of few Melbourne suburbs where people could not buy a Metlink ticket, Ms Peulich raised the matter in Parliament.
“I received a response from the Minister for Public Transport, Lynne Kosky, confirming the recruitment of a Metcard retailer in Lynbrook,” she said.
Lynbrook Village News and Lotto is located only 500 metres from the proposed Lynbrook railway station, increasing the value of a Metlink retailer.
“The construction of the Lynbrook railway station has been deferred in the State Government’s transport plan for another eight years but it really needs to be brought forward,” Ms Peulich said.
“Buses also run along South Gippsland Highway, which is immediately to the front of the shopping centre.
“What confronted most of the public transport users who live in Lynbrook was the lack of an outlet to purchase a Metcard,” Ms Peulich said.
“With most nearby train stations accommodating only one ticket machine and with the huge numbers of commuters for the limited number of peak train services, it can end up being a time costly delay in trying to purchase a ticket at the station.”
Casey-Cardinia Communities for Public Transport spokesman Alex Makin said he was glad commonsense prevailed.
“What the minister needs to remember is that not everyone has a car, and some rely on public transport,” he said.
“How can we have a suburb, such as Lynbrook, with a proposed railway station but without a ticket retailer?
“It makes no sense.”