Opposition transport spokesman Terry Mulder and Liberal candidates Luke Martin, Ken Ong and Gary Anderton at the site of the proposed Cranbourne East railway station.
THE Opposition has accused the State Government of failing to meet promises to build the Cranbourne East railway station while the Government maintains it will not back down from its promise.
Opposition transport spokesperson Terry Mulder was out in Cranbourne on Tuesday to discuss transport issues raised by local Liberal candidates.
Mr Mulder said the visit was the final round of an assessment of all projects put forward by the candidates and happened at the same time as Premier Steve Bracks officially opened the Cranbourne Police Station.
Mr Mulder said the proposed Cranbourne East railway station had been neglected by the Bracks Government.
“They made the promise then backed away from it as they have with many major projects around the state,” he said.
He said the Liberal Party would now give consideration to the railway station and other local transport issues as they moved to finalise their transport policy.
A spokesperson for Transport Minister Peter Batchelor said the Government made it clear before the 2002 election that its policy was to implement the train station and bus link.
“Our policy position hasn’t changed,” she said.
“We are still determined to address capacity constraints before we can consider further extensions to the rail network.”
The spokesperson said the Government also recognised that late-night train services were important to young people, especially in areas such as Casey and Cardinia, which was why train services would be extended by an extra hour on Friday and Saturday nights starting later this year.
Mr Mulder also visited the intersection of Pound Road and the South Gippsland Highway in Hampton Park, an issue raised by Liberal candidate for Lyndhurst Gary Anderton.
“The intersection has some of the worst traffic congestion I’ve seen locally, causing long queues on Pound Road, South Gippsland Highway in both directions, and even as far back as Greens Road in Dandenong South,” Mr Anderton said.
“Make no mistake – at this year’s state election I will go in fighting for the community to have the local traffic congestion fixed.”
