More on our trip to Parliament

There's coverage of our parliamentary exploits in The Mail today, in an article by Grant Reynolds.

Also we thought you might like to see the transcript of the question time session, from Hansard. (Just the Regional Rail Link bits, that is).

Our trip to Question Time

Well goodness wasn't that exciting?

Today a group of about ten of us made our way into Parliament House to attend Question Time for the Legislative Council. (The upper house). Colleen Hartland had promised to ask a question on our behalf - for which we thank her!

The seats were all plush velvet, the mood rather tense and most parliamentarians talked to each other while someone asked a question and then heckled each other during the answer. Some guy kept calling everyone a 'princess'. There were some points of order. It was all rather strange.

But near the end of the session Hartland asked our question and Pakula made quite a lengthy response, which was appreciated. In short, he said he understood our concerns but noted that in projects of this size, private land aquisition is inevitable. (I don't think we've ever disupted that; we're just hoping they will place more value on neighborhoods and communities than on development interests).

As the route through Footscray isn't finalised yet he said it wouldn't be 'improper' for him to 'side' with one street out of the many that will be affected by giving assurances only to us that our houses wouldn't be taken. He thought people in other areas would be upset if he did that, which is quite likely but not necessarily a good argument for not giving any answers at all. We're quite sure everyone along the railway corridor want the same answers we do. In case any of you have doubts, we're for Footscray, not just for ourselves - please get in touch if you'd like to join forces!

He wouldn't give a timeline or a date for announcements on the final route, but did say they were at the 'pointy end' of the project and that there would be an announcement 'within weeks'.

He also noted that the term 'shovel ready' in relation to the RRL referred only to the platforms being built at Southern Cross and not to the whole route.

We also met him on the steps outside after Question Time, where he reiterated his statements and assured us we would be able to meet with the Regional Rail Link team soon.

Also interesting - he quoted a bit of our press release, which we sent out to the media only this morning! We're not quite sure where he found it, but are pleased he's taking note.

More soon...

Meeting Mr Pakula outside after Question Time

Our FOI rejection is in The Star

Charlene Gatt of the Footscray Star has written an article remarking on the visit of Regional Rail Link workers to the Bunbury Street tunnel and on our refused Freedom of Information (FOI) request.

Her article states that Rob Mair from the Regional Rail Link would not reveal on what grounds the request had been refused. (In their letter to us they "explained" that the information we requested was not a final version of the route and apparently therefore 'not in the public interest').

So not only won't they tell us anything, they won't tell us why they won't tell us!

The documents refused to us were the Kellog Brown & Root report (the Maribyrnong River to West Footscray part is Work Package 3) and the value management report by Simon Lane.

Blink and you'll miss it

After months of waiting for something - anything - from the State Government to answer our list of questions on the Regional Rail Link, we thought for a moment there might be some movement.

On the same day that Channels 10, 9 and 7, ABC's Jon Faine, The Age and our three highly valued local papers interviewed Railway Place residents about their plight, the Department of Transport called one of our residents.

On offer was a meeting with an engineer. The catch: the meeting had to be the very next day, at 4.30 on a Friday afternoon just before a long weekend.

To do this meeting justice, we believed our technical expert as well as two residents representative of the community should attend. Unsurprisingly, we family and community focussed people at Railway Place were not able to reorganise our lives for this at such short notice just before the long weekend.

But surely, after waiting 58 days for such a meeting, the Department of Transport could give us more reasonable notice and reschedule for this week?

No such cooperation. The offer appears to have been withdrawn and no meeting is currently on offer.

So our clock continues to tick.

67 days and counting ...

Freedom of information request denied

The Department of Transport has refused to release information sought by one of our residents under the Freedom of Information Act.

In their letter, the Department acknowledged plans have been drawn up to compulsorily acquire property but refused to release any details of which properties they are likely to take. They also refused access to a 362-page report by consultants Kellog Brown & Root which includes details relating to noise and vibration assessment, archaeological issues and geotechnical reports.

As reasons, they state that the speculative work done to date is 'not in the public interest' and that release of such preliminary work (which may not represent the final route and schedule) could be misleading and 'create unnecessary public confusion, debate or alarm'. Hmm...because telling us nothing is deeply reassuring and in fact clears confusion, prevents debate and soothes alarm? Since when has that strategy worked for anyone??

We're disappointed but not surprised with this answer. We'll challenge their decision not to release the information...maybe we'll see them later at the Victorian Civil and Administrative tribunal...

In the meantime, here's our press release on the matter.

More coverage...and the Bunbury Street tunnel has visitors!

There's a great full-page double-story piece by Grant Reynolds in today's Mail (here and here) about the potential use of the Bunbury Street tunnel as part of the Regional Rail Link.

The first article quotes ARTC spokesman Brad Emery, who said that while the short section of track might appear underutilised, it was used by particularly long trains of 1500-1800 metres which not only took longer to traverse the area, but also required a 15-minute safety gap on either side.

The second quotes Department of Transport spokesman Rob Mair, who said in a written statement that more trains could run on new, dedicated tracks than sharing with the freight network.

And yet...the Bunbury Street tunnel received some visitors today, all wearing shiny "Department of Transport - Regional Rail Link" jackets! Are they seeing the benefits of using existing infrastructure, that doesn't require the destruction of homes and communities...?

Checking out the tunnel exit

Colleen Hartland visits

Colleen Hartland and Janet Rice of the Greens came to meet with us today to talk to us about their views on the Regional Rail Link. Colleen is the upper house member for the Western Metropolitan region. She's offered to ask questions on our behalf in State Parliament next week.

We need to craft questions that will return useful answers. If you have questions to suggest, please let us know! Email us at saverailwayplace@gmail.com.

Let us know too if you're interested in joining us in the gallery to watch question time! We'll give you the details...

And in 'The Star'! And 'The Leader'!

An article by Charlene Gatt in the Footscray Star highlights our hopes for the Bunbury Street tunnel, as does Linh Ly's article in the Maribyrnong Leader.

In the Star article, resident Ben Howard also notes that “we’re doing a survey to fill in the gaps of what we’ve been told by the Regional Rail Link team. We haven’t had a great deal of information forthcoming from them...they’ve told us they’re looking at a number of options, but they won’t tell us what they are, or what it means, or when they’ll tell us, or anything, really.”

It's been 62 days, people!

Another article in the Age

Clay Lucas has written about the Regional Rail Link the The Age today, noting a submission to the government that claimed the Regional Rail Link would not speed up regional rail services.

The article also mentions that neither the route of the Regional Rail Link or the Westlink road tunnel has been decided yet, despite the government entering into 27 separate contracts with consulting firms to manage the project. Surely, to enter into a contract, the consulting firms must have been given an idea of the scope of works required, including the proposed route?

The government has also said the Regional Rail Link "cannot share the Bunbury Street tunnel with freight trains because of the huge projected growth in rail freight and commuter train trips". On average, the tunnel currently sees traffic of two trains per hour.

Community meeting - Colleen Hartland

It's not about the Regional Rail Link, but it is about another State-run planning project involving Footscray which has failed to truly consult the community in any way. It also appears to ignore all the previous strategic work of the Maribyrnong City Council. You've probably receive a letter about it in the mail, which, as Colleen has said, was presented in a manner that was "just gobbledygook to most people".

The meeting is being run by Colleen Hartland, the Greens member currently serving in the Western Metropolitan electorate. Please attend if you're concerned about zoning changes and excessive building heights in Footscray.


When: Wednesday 16 June, 7pm
Where: Colleen Hartland’s office, 75 Victoria St Seddon
RSVP: colleen.hartland@parliament.vic.gov.au or 9689 6373

We're meeting with Colleen separately about the Regional Rail Link - we'll keep you informed.

Trainspotters on the television news

You might have seen us on all three commercial television stations this evening - our efforts made the news on Channels 7, 9 & 10! We also spoke to John Faine on Radio 774 and to print journalists from local and metropolitan newspapers. Quite a day's work! Thanks to all the journalists & photographers who talked with us today.

Early morning view

Talking with Grant Reynolds from The Mail

Television crew!

Keeping our train tally...and some essential supplies for early morning train-spotting

Bunbury Street Tunnel barely used in peak hour

There is an alternative for the Regional Rail Link that would save money and protect our community.

After rising before dawn this morning to count trains using the Bunbury Street Tunnel under Footscray we are at a loss to understand why this option is not being considered for the Regional Rail Link.

We have spent two consecutive weeks surveying the use of the tunnel in the busiest period of the busiest day of the week. This morning only 9 trains used the tunnel in the whole two-hour period. Across the whole 24-hour day, just 48 trains are scheduled to go through.

So why will the Department of Transport not consider this option? We did ask them – about 57 days ago – but as yet there has been no response to this or anything else we’ve queried.

Read our full analysis of the use of the Bunbury Street Tunnel here.
Find out more about options for RRL here.

Tunnel count – 7am Thursday 10 June

Save Railway Place will be out with our clipboards at the crack of dawn tomorrow morning to count the number of trains using the Bunbury Street Tunnel in peak hour.

It has been suggested that country trains could use this tunnel under Footscray instead of digging a new one or carving up the suburb for the Regional Rail Link.

The government is apparently not considering this option but has not told us why. So we’re going out to do our own analysis to see if it could be viable.

Look out for us in the morning chill: corner of Bunbury and Moreland Streets, Footscray, 7-9.30am.

Who takes responsibility for the train network?

A report tabled in State Parliament today found that poor strategic planning and a fragmented management system are the cause of the significant increase in late and cancelled trains in recent years. (See Clay Lucas' article in The Age for further information).

Let's hope that the Regional Rail Link and other transport plans for the west are not also at the mercy of poor strategic planning. As no one is passing on any information at all about how this project is being managed, it's very hard to tell.

We are not alone

The people of Manor Lakes further up the line are also calling for the their bit of the Regional Rail Link to go into a tunnel.

They want to stop their suburb being cut in half by the railway and also protect one of the local schools.

Read more in this article from the Wyndham Leader.

They're talking about some pretty radical stuff - chaining themselves to trees! Food for thought for Footscray...

We're on Twitter

Keep up to date with our campaign on Twitter! We tweet as @Railway_Pl.

We'll post links to articles, new blog posts and other information on Twitter, but you'll be able to find it all here as well.