THE west’s commuters can expect more gridlock and longer journeys, while cyclists longing for safer routes to and from the city have been dudded in the 2012-13 state budget.
Industry groups in support of the east-west link were disappointed that the government committed only $15 million for planning and engineering works in Carlton.
LeadWest CEO Anton Mayer said he was disappointed the focus of the east-west link was on the eastern section. “The Westgate is already at capacity and we need to ensure that residential amenity is improved in the inner west by taking increased truck movements off residential streets.”
The Greens have vowed to fight the east-west link and called for more spending on public transport.
The RACV said improved transport infrastructure was vital to improve mobility and reduce congestion.
It has backed pushing ahead with the metro rail tunnel from near South Kensington to South Yarra via the CBD and the full east-west link freeway. The government allocated $49.7million for planning works for the rail tunnel.
Cyclists were shocked to see the only money to be spent on cycling projects was that already trickling through from previous years.
No new money has been allocated for 2012-13, which means improvement to dangerous routes such as Shepherd Bridge on Footscray Road and connecting Sunshine with West Footscray via the rail corridor remain in limbo.
As reported in the Weekly, VicRoads is investigating an alternative route to connect the Federation Trail to Hyde Street as building it along Fogarty Avenue was contingent on the Truck Action Plan, which received no funding.
RMIT transport expert Paul Mees said the Coalition had won office by promising to fix the problems in the rail system and build new and extended lines.
Dr Mees said it had instead dumped rail and reverted to the Kennett-era obsession with roads. “The reason seems to be that fixing rail is too much hard work … roads, on the other hand, are easy: you just give the road lobby money and they build them.”
