Second-class transport

By Melissa Donchi
UPPER Yarra residents are being treated like second-class citizens when it comes to public transport, according to the Eastern Region Liberal MP Edward O’Donohue.
People who wanted to travel from Lilydale to Warburton by bus had to purchase two fares, a regular metro fare from Lilydale to Woori Yallock and a country fare for the rest of the way, he said.
Mr O’Donohue said the State Government’s failure to extend the Met boundary to include all towns up to Warburton and to provide a more regular bus service from Yarra Junction to Healesville was shameful.
“The Labor Government has had eight years to fix the problem. How much longer do these communities have to wait for the provision of basic public transport,” Mr O’Donohue said.
“Public transport from Warburton to Healesville will link these communities for employment, education, access to doctors and many other services and facilities.”
Gembrook Labor MP Tammy Lobato has also called on her own government to improve the services.
“I acknowledge that since the abolition of zone three fares, the cost of the fare for this route has decreased, but passengers are still being disadvantaged by having the two fares imposed,” Ms Lobato said.
But while both parties agree that transport in the Upper Yarra needs to be improved, the government does not have any immediate plans to change the system.
A government spokesperson said the fares had already been simplified by abolishing the zone three boundary.
“While there are still two tickets required for customers travelling between Chirnside Park and Warburton, the fares have been simplified,” government spokesperson Bill Kyriakopoulos said.
“Under the ‘myki’ ticketing system, which is scheduled to be implemented over the next year, fares will be further simplified, with customers being able to purchase a single ticket for the entire journey.”
Mr O’Donohue said it should not take a year to provide services that were already available to other people.
“I see no reason why Upper Yarra residents should have to pay two fares instead of one like everyone else,” Mr O’Donohue said.
“Why should they have to wait a few more years to get the services that everyone else has now?”