THE Maribyrnong River poses one of the biggest headaches in dealing with the future transport needs of Melbourne’s west, according to a new transport strategy.
LeadWest and the Western Transport Alliance developed the Western Transport Strategy to identify the most urgent projects required to meet existing and expected transport challenges.
Leadwest chief executive Anton Mayer said the plan showed the need to look at better public transport connections as well as improved infrastructure.
“We have a mix of both public transport and road transport requests. If you look at Melbourne’s future growth it’s in the north and west and it’s critical to provide the infrastructure to support that expansion.”
Key transport challenges include port and urban growth, and rapid changes in the types of industry operating in the west.
The strategy notes the Maribyrnong River is the major geographical barrier between the east and west. Highlighted projects include the western section of the east-west link, Regional Rail Link, the West Gate Freeway bus rapid transit package, a Bay West port study and cycling network development.
The strategy notes the impacts of trucks on residents of the inner west and calls for solutions such as the Truck Action Plan to be put in place unless work begins soon on the east-west link.
Roadsafe Westgate Community Road Safety Council member and Hobsons Bay councillor Bill Tehan said western suburbs councils must lobby government to implement the Western Transport Strategy.
“We certainly need, without argument, another river crossing. We need a tunnel. We need a whole host of strategies to take us forward for years and years to come.”
Hobsons Bay councillor Angela Altair said: “You only have to be near the West Gate Bridge — because you often can’t get on it — to realise the traffic snarls.”
