A ministerial brief reveals the state government decided that Sanctuary Lakes, Seabrook, Laverton and parts of Truganina which relied on buses were not a financial priority, according to Altona MP and opposition transport spokeswoman Jill Hennessy.
As reported by Star Weekly, Laverton residents have to catch a bus and train to travel about one kilometre to Aircraft station, after a direct bus service was scrapped.
Hobsons Bay council slammed the cancellation of bus routes 413 and 416, which provided a direct bus for Seabrook and Laverton residents to Aircraft station and the Aviation Road shopping precinct.
The changes coincided with the opening of Williams Landing station in April last year.
Ms Hennessy told State Parliament there were deep concerns about areas of Sanctuary Lakes, Seabrook, Laverton and Truganina being ‘‘abandoned’’.
“Information I obtained under a Freedom of Information application demonstrated that the government had decided that the communities which rely upon this bus service were simply not a financial priority,” she said.
“People in my community are rightly angry about the government’s failure to address these concerns in the recent budget.”
About 700 people signed a petition calling for the reinstatement of the bus services.
A ministerial brief to Transport Minister Terry Mulder from Public Transport Victoria chief executive Ian Dobbs – dated September 24, 2013 – stated that funding a bus service for Sanctuary Lakes was “desirable”.
“However, such a service could not be viewed as a priority in the current funding environment,” the brief said.
The brief said that provision of a bus service to Sanctuary Lakes had been costed.
However, the annual cost was blanked out before being released under Freedom of Information.
Mr Mulder’s spokeswoman Jess Maguire said the government was investing $209.5 million to operate and maintain the new Regional Rail Link, which included money for new stations in Wyndham Vale and Tarneit.
