Missing the bus!

By Melissa Grant
PAKENHAM is fast becoming the place to be with several surrounding communities recently requesting bus services to the growing town.
Those living in Kooweerup, Lang Lang, Gembrook, Emerald and Cockatoo say they are missing out on employment and recreational opportunities because of a lack of public transport to the growth corridor.
The recent announcement that 50,000 jobs would be created at a business park to be constructed between Pakenham and Officer has outer lying towns desperately calling for the State Government to connect them to Pakenham.
Eastern Region MP Edward O’Donohue, who recently presented a 749-signature petition to parliament from Hills residents, said it was important for the Brumby Government to improve public transport in Cardinia.
“Good public transport services mean increased mobility and access to employment, cultural, educational and social activities and services,” he said.
“As Pakenham grows that’s where the opportunities will be.
“Nearby towns need to be linked to those opportunities.”
Cockatoo resident Brendan Hennessy, who gathered the Hills petition, said it was absurd that there wasn’t a bus service considering the two areas were only about 15 minutes apart.
“When I came here (Cockatoo) six months ago I couldn’t believe there wasn’t a bus,” he said.
“I wasn’t driving when I came and thought it was ridiculous that there wasn’t a bus going to Pakenham.
“One of the biggest issues for our communities is the ability of young people to access entertainment and employment facilities in Pakenham, Fountain Gate and beyond.”
Mr Hennessy said currently there were only buses to Belgrave and a return service which ran once every Saturday to Fountain Gate.
Kooweerup Township Committee president Ray Brown said a bus service from Lang Lang and Kooweerup to Pakenham was long overdue.
“The transport is a woeful thing,” he said.
“The (current) buses don’t suit; there’s no way for people to get to work.”
Mr Brown said residents also deserved to have ample access to the business park between Pakenham and Officer when it opened as well as the recreational and shopping facilities in Pakenham -and those towns connected to it by the metropolitan train service- had to offer.
“We believe our community should have access to those types of things,” he said.
“You’re 10 minutes away from a metropolitan train service and you can’t get there.
“You think of the youths and the buses that leave the Pakenham Railway Station that go to Fountain Gate.
“Most of them don’t have cars… with public transport they can go at their leisure.”
Last fortnight Gembrook MP Tammy Lobato met with Public Transport Minister Lynne Kosky to discuss the need for a bus service between Gembrook and Pakenham.
Following a recent increase of population to the Hills area, Ms Lobato said providing such a service was now a priority for the State Government.
The News contacted Ms Kosky about the possibility of a bus service from Kooweerup and Lang Lang to Pakenham but she didn’t respond before the News went to print.