SOUTH MORANG MERNDA RAIL ALLIANCE

Here we have set out the chronological events surrounding the promised extension to South Morang.

In December 2003, the state government introduced the 571 Trainlink bus service instead of delivering on it's promise to extend the Epping rail line to South Morang. Check out this link to find out what is wrong with this service.

This page outlines the case for the extension as promised by the State Government in 1999.

A very successful rally was held on the site of the proposed South Morang Rail Station. Over 100 attended the rally and heard from several speakers. Passing motorists tooted their horns and waved with their support. Read more by clicking the link above.

We held a PUBLIC MEETING on the 18th October 2005. Click here to get the details and the arguments in favour of the rail extension

To find out more about the Rail Alliance and what we stand for click on this link.

Council refuses to accept NEITS Study.

On the 15th of April, Whittlesea Council discussed the Department of Infrastructure's North East Integrated Transport Study. With South Morang still proposed to be built in 2021 and Mernda in 2027, every Councillor rose to passionately refuse acceptance of the report and made the resolution to take up the matter with the Minister for Transport and Local MP's Danielle Green (Yan Yean) and Lily D'Ambrosio (Mill Park). It was a fantastic event for local residents to have their Council stand up and demand better services from the Government. We wait in earnest to see what results from their resolution.

Petrol rises to over $1.50 per litre

With petrol prices breaking the $1.50 barrier on the 16th of April for the first time, the SMRA is calling on the Government to extend the railway from Epping to South Morang and Mernda immediately. According to the article “Petrol Prices set to stabilise” in The Age (7/1/2003), Melbourne’s average price of petrol was only 93 cents per litre. This means that a tank of petrol for the average family that drives a Holden Commodore (73 litre fuel tank) has risen from $67.89 in 2003 to $109.50 in 2008. With no railway in South Morang, Mernda, Whittlesea or Mill Park, our local residents are feeling the pain in their back pocket. Premier Brumby and the State Government must provide a railway now as an alternative to driving for the local residents to assist in relieving the financial burdens they face.

FOI shows true cost to South Morang is only $18 million.

Thanks to Freedom of Information laws, the SMRA and The Greens obtained a feasibility study in January written by Parsons Brinckerhoff in regard to the extension of the Epping Line to South Morang. In 2003, the study proves that it would have only cost the State Government $18 million to build the extension! This is despite the Government claiming in 2006 that it would cost $348 million to build (Whittlesea Leader 1/11/06). With the truth being exposed thanks to Freedom of Information laws, the State Government has no excuse but to build the extension now.

This is the Official Logo of the South Morang Rail Alliance.

These are the sleepers at the end of the track at Epping Station. The government has a massive surplus and could easily remove them and extend the line to South Morang as promised. Dont let this be the end of the line, help us get the Train to South Morang! Follow the links on this home page and email a politician with your opinion. Better yet, why not show your support and join the Rail Alliance?

This bumper sticker was launched at the Public Meeting of the Alliance on the 18 October 2005 and is designed to place maximum presure on our local MPs Peter Batchelor, Lily D'Ambrosio and Danielle Green to honour their 1999 promise to extend the Epping line to South Morang. We are sick of excuses and want the extension funded in the next state budget.