Council & Business
3 January, 2023
Myki activation top priority as council updates rail advocacy
The Central Goldfields Shire Council has updated its advocacy priorities for passenger rail services, with additional weekday services, Myki activation and improved access to the Maryborough Railway Station topping the list. At last week’s...
The Central Goldfields Shire Council has updated its advocacy priorities for passenger rail services, with additional weekday services, Myki activation and improved access to the Maryborough Railway Station topping the list.
At last week’s ordinary council meeting, councillor Chris Meddows-Taylor introduced a lengthy motion with the intent of consolidating and updating passenger rail advocacy priorities.
The motion noted the commencement of Maryborough’s additional weekend rail services, expressed appreciation to members of parliament, thanked the State Government for its commitment toreduced rail fares.
Cr Meddows-Taylor’s motion also included that council update its advocacy priorities for passenger rail to include:
• An added weekday service leaving Maryborough mid-morning and returning from Melbourne mid-evening, each day.
• Myki activation at the Maryborough Railway Station at an early date or if this is not possible, implementing other easy access ticketing arrangements.
• Extending station access arrangements including ticket hall waiting and toilet access for passengers arriving for the early morning service.
• A review of the new weekend service’s timetable, with a view to alter departure and return times to one hour later than currently scheduled.
Speaking during the meeting, Cr Meddows-Taylor said the advocacy areas listed in the motion had been discussed with the Victorian Government during the election period.
“Some months ago council endorsed a broad-ranging letter to government ministers concerning various aspects of rail advocacy,” he said.
“This included freight, passenger rail and the Maryborough Railway Station.
“That has moved into different directions and is being dealt with by different ministers — this motion deals solely with the issue of passenger rail services and advocacy.
“This picks up the issues that were actively under discussion during the election time frame, it is not all embracing nor a total ask of government.
“This is simply to pick up the immediate priorities, things that were actively under discussion during the election cycle.”
Speaking to the motion, Cr Meddows-Taylor said all the advocacy items were “much needed” for the Central Goldfields community.
“The added weekday services are very much needed, Myki activation is very desirable and makes travel easier and more convenient,” he said.
“We also get a lot of complaints on very bitter, cold mornings about travellers not being able to access the ticket hall to wait.
“The additional weekend services we value and welcome, but there is a very real concern by some of the rail bodies and tourism people that perhaps that service is leaving Melbourne and returning to Maryborough an hour too early.
“The continued development of more services is a critical issue, it’s a critical element of the Maryborough-Ballarat growth corridor and we need to continue advocating for those services.”
The motion was seconded by Cr Geoff Lovett who noted Cr Meddows-Taylor’s role in returning passenger rail to Maryborough just over a decade ago.
“As we’ve seen from the recent state election, the government have committed additional weekend services that pleasingly, are now in place,” he said.
“One of the negatives of the Maryborough service has been the lack of a Myki facility and we’re told it’s currently being looked at.
“I thoroughly support Cr Meddows-Taylor’s notice of motion and I hope it’s successful through his continued advocacy for our rail services.”