Thousands of trucks would be removed from inner-west streets and the east-west link would be dumped under state Labor’s $18 billion alternative transport plan.
Released yesterday, Project 10,000 would fund a $400-500 million truck bypass road from the West Gate Freeway to the Port of Melbourne, remove 50 level crossings across Melbourne and begin Melbourne Metro Rail.
Williamstown MP Wade Noonan said construction of the West Gate Distributor would begin in Labor’s first term if the
party gained government at next year’s election.
“It is a real solution that can be delivered quickly and will make the inner-west a far more liveable place,” he said.
“This project will take thousands of trucks off local roads each and every day.”
Labor would build West Gate Freeway on-and-off ramps and an elevated road along Hyde Street in Yarraville, duplicate Whitehall Street between Francis Street and Somerville Road, strengthen Footscray’s Shepherd Bridge and upgrade Footscray Road.
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The plan estimates 5000 trucks would divert from the West Gate Bridge to the new bypass road and travel across Shepherd Bridge to the port.
The project would be funded by tolls and a private sector partnership. Labor would also provide an extra lane in each direction on the West Gate Freeway between the Western Ring Road and Williamstown Road.
The multibillion-dollar spending promises would be met by privatising the Port of Melbourne and diverting $8 billion from the east-west link project proposed by the current government.
Labor would spend up to
$6 billion removing 50 of the 180 level crossings in Melbourne, including crossings at North Williamstown station and Kororoit Creek Road.
“Labor’s fully funded transport plan provides a clear alternative to Denis Napthine’s $8 billion, five-kilometre tunnel in Melbourne’s inner city,” Mr Noonan said.
The plan includes $300 million towards planning, design and early works on the
$9 billion Melbourne Metro Rail.
Maribyrnong Truck Action Group president Samantha McArthur said Labor’s plan “does seem to be a policy focused on putting infrastructure into existing problem spots”.
“The question we will be asking of the Napthine government from here is: ‘This is what Labor has put on the table; what are you going to do and how are these problems going to be fixed?’”
Opposition leader Daniel Andrews said Project 10,000 would create more than 10,000 construction jobs and give people a clear choice when voting at the 2014 state election.
Treasurer Michael O’Brien said the “unfunded transport wishlist” had not provided one single dollar of secure funding commitments.
