Yarraville residents facing an increase in dangerous truck traffic are calling on the state government or toll road operator Transurban to buy their homes.
Hyde Street residents in the path of a new route for petrol tankers and other trucks that won’t be allowed to use the new Western Distributor tunnel say the $5.5 billion project will have a dramatic affect on their quality of life.
Resident Emma Honey said nine of the 11 home owners on the section of Hyde Street that will be impacted have asked to have their home acquired, in keeping with an acquisition overlay that already exists over their properties.
“We had written a letter to Premier Daniel Andrews and they took a very long time to get back to us,” Ms Honey said.
“They said the plans haven’t been finalised and they will not be buying us out.”
She said residents were bracing for around- the-clock truck traffic once the Hyde Street ramps are built.
She and her neighbours have attempted to sell their homes in recent years, but potential buyers have been deterred by the volume of traffic that will be generated by the ramps.
“It’s going to make a massive difference to the quality of our lives,” Ms Honey said.
“We’re not against this project; we just want to get out of here.”
Greens MP Colleen Hartland said the state government or Transurban should buy the residents out and end their anxiety.
“The government has taken the positive step of offering voluntary acquisitions for the elevated rail project in the south-eastern suburbs,” she said.
“It’s only fair that a similar approach be taken to these houses, which will be so negatively affected by the Western Distributor truck off-ramps.”
Roads Minister Luke Donnellan recently told Star Weekly no decision had been made on whether the government would acquire the homes.
“In relation to compulsory or non- compulsory acquisition, that will be worked through. If there are some people making approaches that will be considered under normal VicRoads processes,” he said.
Mr Donnellan declined to indicate how long the process would take and when a decision would be made.
“We haven’t made a decision one way or another so I’m not going to give you a timeline on a decision we haven’t made.”
