Hobsons Bay council this week voted to officially oppose the West Gate Tunnel project, expressing anger at increased freight traffic and the effect of diesel fumes on residents’ health.
It represents a major shift in the council’s position from it’s previous conditional support.
Cr Tony Briffa successfully moved to oppose the project because its design and construction would significantly detrimentally impact Hobsons Bay residents, and numerous council recommendations had been refused.
These recommendations had included truck bans on Millers Road, Mason Street, Kororoit Creek Road (east of Millers Road), North Road and High Street.
The council voted to write to all state MPs advising them of the many issues with the project and urging them to either oppose the project completely or ensure that Hobsons Bay council’s recommendations are implemented.
“If we wait much longer it will be too late because a decision will be made,” Cr Briffa said.
“We have never, well, I certainly have never, supported the West Gate Tunnel/Maribyrnong bypass.
“There’s so many faults with it.
“You have to remember this is a political fix – it’s not an engineering fix – this whole West Gate Tunnel/Maribyrnong bypass nonsense.”
The council will seek support from other western suburbs councils and LeadWest to lobby the state government to implement Hobsons Bay’s recommendations.
“It’s disgusting how much money and resources they have put toward social media in pushing the barrow of this horrible project and it is a disgrace,” Cr Briffa said.
Other council recommendations include upgrading Grieve Parade as the preferred truck route (via Princes Highway) to access the West Gate Freeway and a “shadow toll/availability charge”, as implemented on the Peninsula Link, to mitigate toll avoidance.
The council also wants separation of residential and freight traffic, particularly at Millers Road between the West Gate Freeway and Geelong Road, and the reopening of the train station at Altona North which closed in 1985.
