Thursday, 14 November 2024

 Sonja TERPSTRA (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (10:22): I rise to update the house about Croydon station’s 14-bus bay interchange, which has officially opened. It boosts safety, making transport connections easier for local commuters. The upgrade of the 14-bay bus interchange has been made possible thanks to the level crossing removal which was undertaken at Coolstore Road. The modern bus interchange facility features a waiting room which is close to Myki machines as well as passenger information displays, seating and shelters at each bus bay, CCTV and extensive lighting. With all the services now using the interchange, bus routes and timetables have been updated to streamline the services and improve train connections, and details are available on the Public Transport Victoria website. The interchange, as I said, was built as part of the Coolstore Road level crossing removal project and is one of Melbourne’s biggest bus interchanges with close to 3000 bus trips weekly across 27 school and bus routes. The dangerous and congested rail crossing at Coolstore Road was removed, and the new Croydon station also opened earlier this year. And the best news of all is that the Lilydale line is Melbourne’s first boom gate free rail line, delivered a year ahead of schedule by the Allan Labor government. This project is just one of a number of fantastic projects that Victorians have voted for, just like the North East Link and just like Suburban Rail Loop.