The proponent of a $5.5 billion freeway tunnel running under Yarraville has defended a decision not to release a report into community feedback on the project.
Transurban chief Scott Charlton said feedback relating to the redesigned Western Distributor tunnel entrance, featuring flyover ramps through open space leading to a southern tunnel portal near a cluster of Yarraville homes, would be released in coming months.
Fronting a state government infrastructure committee earlier this month, Mr Charlton said community consultation had already influenced the project’s design.
“We’ve gone through two major designs on getting more trucks off the streets and then going back and looking at the southern portal in the middle of the West Gate, taking the powerlines underground and finishing the Federation Trail,” he told the committee.
Committee chairman Joshua Morris questioned Mr Charlton on why no report had been released on consultation that took place last September and October, given a report had been released detailing consultation from April to July last year.
“Why is it that it took two months to release the last report and yet, five months down the track, we still do not have a consultation report from the last period of consultation?”
Mr Charlton said feedback was still being gathered and a further report would be available about midyear.
He said there was some feedback on Transurban’s website.
He told the committee his preference was for a tunnel portal at the West Gate Freeway – at odds with the state government’s preferred Hyde Street option.
He said a solution to connect the West Gate Freeway directly with Hyde Street to service fuel trucks and other dangerous vehicles still needed to be found, and he confirmed residents should know the final route and design of the road before the final contract was signed.
“That would be my understanding … the environmental approval process would have to specify all of that before they could sign a contract.”
Roads Minister Luke Donnellan last week announced seven community sessions, beginning at South Kingsville Community Centre on April 16.
More details: www.westerndistributorproject.vic.gov.au
