PUBLIC transport must be planned to meet the needs of projected population increases in Fairfield, opposition public transport spokeswoman Fiona Richardson said.
Ms Richardson said there was no planning to meet the needs of a 16.5-hectare residential development proposed for the Amcor site in Heidelberg Road.
She said the Doncaster rail study had ruled out an option to include the development in a rail link connecting the east to the CBD.
"Having run the red pen through even investigating how to improve public transport for the future development of the Amcor site, surely it's not too much to ask that the Liberal government propose how this problem will be addressed in the future," she said.
"Simply ignoring the problem will not make it go away especially as we already face the challenge of the bottleneck at Chandler Highway Bridge."
RMIT University transport senior lecturer Paul Mees said no proper planning was taking place in the state government to provide public transport access to any new developments. He said this was "a bipartisan failing" that went back 50 years.
Mr Mees said the Amcor site was halfway between two stations and close to one bus route that did not run on weekends. "The idea that people should have to become trained Olympians to walk to a station is fanciful."
Alphington Paper Mill Action Group president Peter Jacob said the development could double the suburb's population, and public transport was one of many infrastructure concerns.
Larissa Garvin, spokeswoman for Transport Minister Terry Mulder, said the government was aware of significant development in the inner city. "That is why we are investing in 50 new high-capacity trams and 40 new trains to meet continuing patronage growth, particularly along tram routes."