Moreland Council supports community campaign to upgrade the Upfield line

At the Moreland Council meeting on 13 March 2019, support was given by the council to the Community campaign of the Upfield Transport Alliance.

Local Coburg resident Meghan Street asked a question of council during question time regarding Better Service on the Upfield Line
The resident asked: “What action is the Council taking in supporting the upgrade of the underserviced Upfield train line in the form of formal endorsement of upgrading services in an adequate timeframe.”

The Mayor advised: “There is a notice of motion on the agenda for tonight that relates directly to this and I feel will address this question. If you need to hear an answer we can potentially bring that notice of motion forward?”

At the request of the Mayor, Cr Bolton advised: “The Council has had a position on its books for many years to support the duplication of the Upfield line. I’m sure Council has raised this on a number of occasions previously, but I don’t feel that that this has been strong enough. There is a motion tonight to get the end of the line duplicated so there can be more trains.”

Towards the end of the Council meeting the following Notice of Motion was debated and passed unanimously

NOM11/19 Duplicate the Upfield Line campaign (D19/80038)

Motion

That Council supports the campaign to urgently bring forward the duplication of the Upfield Line. This support would include Council:

1. Supporting community actions to duplicate the Upfield Line by publicising the actions on Council’s social media and website.
2. Providing free access to a Council meeting space in Coburg, (such as the Concert Hall meeting rooms at the Coburg Civic Centre) free of charge for an Upfield Transport Alliance public meeting on a night in 2019 to give a bigger public profile to the campaign.
3. Providing fortnightly free access to meeting spaces for the Upfield Transport Alliance for up to 30 people for generally 2-hour meetings, throughout 2019.
4. Resolving to refer the duplication of the Upfield Line to the Council Strategic Advocacy Plan for appropriate scoping, research and resourcing, including engaging with the Mayor of the City of Hume, City of Moonee Valley and the Lord Mayor of Melbourne along with other potential advocacy partners to support an advocacy campaign

.

Resolution
Cr Bolton moved, Cr Riley seconded –

That Council supports the campaign to urgently bring forward the duplication of the Upfield Line. This support would include Council:

1. Supporting community actions to duplicate the Upfield Line by publicising the actions on Council’s social media and website.
2. Providing free access to a Council meeting space in Coburg, (such as the Concert Hall meeting rooms at the Coburg Civic Centre) free of charge for an Upfield Transport Alliance public meeting on a night in 2019 to give a bigger public profile to the campaign.
3. Providing fortnightly free access to meeting spaces for the Upfield Transport Alliance for up to 30 people for generally 2-hour meetings, throughout 2019.
4. Resolving to refer the duplication of the Upfield Line to the Council Strategic Advocacy Plan for appropriate scoping, research and resourcing, including engaging with the Mayor of the City of Hume, City of Moonee Valley and the Lord Mayor of Melbourne along with other potential advocacy partners to support an advocacy campaign.

Carried unanimously