Article: Government urged to initiate cross-city tunnel project

[ozbob]

From the Herald Sun click here!

Government urged to initiate cross-city tunnel project

Government urged to initiate cross-city tunnel project

    by: John Masanauskas
    From: Herald Sun
    November 11, 2011 12:00AM

INFRASTRUCTURE consultant Sir Rod Eddington yesterday urged the Baillieu Government to build an east-west toll road under the city.

Sir Rod said the tunnel, which he proposed in 2008, should be the priority for this state.

"It would be a project that the private sector would very definitely be interested in participating in," he said.

"That means, rather like the Domain and Burnley tunnels, it would be a tolled facility."

Sir Rod, chairman of federal government advisory group Infrastructure Australia, told the previous state government in a report that Melbourne needed a tunnel linking the Eastern Freeway with the Western Ring Road.

Speaking yesterday at a Committee for Melbourne event, the businessman said governments needed private sector support to deal with traffic congestion.

"We have demonstrated here that good toll roads work and we should build more of them," Sir Rod explained.

"We won't be building new infrastructure just out of taxes. We will have to move to user-pays, and that's about leadership, frankly."

Victoria was criticised this year for being the only state or territory whose Government had failed to submit major project options to Infrastructure Australia.

Sir Rod revealed he had been in informal meetings with Baillieu government ministers.

"They are putting a lot of effort and energy at the moment into deciding what their next priorities will be, and I'm confident we will be hearing from them ... very soon," he said.

"I think (when) a government that hasn't been in power for a very long time, comes into power, it sometimes takes a while to get its head around things."

Sir Rod said that the second priority for Melbourne should be an underground urban rail system, also proposed in his 2008 transport study.

"If you invest nothing for long enough in the rail network you end up with very crowded trains," he said.

Sir Rod praised Victoria's record on building infrastructure over the past 20 years, saying there was strong commitment from former premiers Jeff Kennett, Steve Bracks and John Brumby.

[ozbob]

... "If you invest nothing for long enough in the rail network you end up with very crowded trains," he said. ...

You don't say Sir Rod ....   

[ozbob]

From the Herald Sun click here!

Super road link may kill off railway plans

Super road link may kill off railway plans

    by: Ashley Gardiner
    From: Herald Sun
    November 18, 2011 12:00AM

PLANS for a railway to Doncaster have been thrown into chaos by the re-emergence of an east-west road project.

The 18km road link would kill off the dream of a railway to Doncaster, transport experts say.

A clear run into the city would take passengers away from the Doncaster train, making it unviable. The Doncaster train was a key Baillieu election promise, and a study into the viability of the rail link is under way.

Sir Rod Eddington, in his 2008 transport report, said the road should be built without city access.

But the State Government has made no decision.

The proposed road would run from the Eastern Freeway, to CityLink, and on to the Western Ring Rd, and would include tunnels.

It was shelved by former premier John Brumby, but was this week revived by the State Government in its submission to Infrastructure Australia, which has the responsibility of carving up federal cash for major projects.

RMIT transport expert Paul Mees said the road posed a serious threat to a Doncaster railway.

"It would compete with it for traffic, thus reducing its viability," Dr Mees said. "And it would compete with the rail line for funds as well."

Dr Mees said there was certainly not enough money available to build both.

Public Transport Users Association president Daniel Bowen said the road would encourage people to use their cars, and make the Doncaster line unviable.

"This means more traffic and more congestion," Mr Bowen said.

"The long-term effect would be to entrench car dependency in the north-eastern suburbs, and ensuring they will be unable to avoid the traffic congestion," he said.

The Greens yesterday vowed to fight the plans, and Opposition Leader Daniel Andrews dismissed the project list as a joke.

Infrastructure Partners Australia said the road was a "no brainer".

VECCI said the east-west road was the missing link in the city's road network.

The RACV said it was a vital cog in Melbourne's transport system.

[ozbob]

The Greens MPs Media release
http://greensmps.org.au/content/media-release/feds-should-not-fund-baillieu-tunnel

Feds should not fund Baillieu tunnel
Media Release | Spokesperson Adam Bandt MP
Thursday 17th November 2011, 8:59am

Greens MP Adam Bandt has warned the Gillard government against funding a tollway tunnel through his electorate of Melbourne.

He has also described the Premier as an "environmental vandal" in wanting to push ahead with the tunnel.

Victorian Premier Ted Baillieu is set to announce a new infrastructure strategy today and has flagged that the controversial East-West tunnel, first mooted under the former Labor government, will be on the list.

"I will not let them dig up my electorate", Mr Bandt said.

"The Premier is an environmental vandal and has given up any pretence of tackling climate change."

"I will fight tooth and nail to stop one single dollar of Commonwealth money going towards a privatised road tunnel through the middle of Melbourne."

"With energy experts telling us we have 5 years to stop runaway climate change, it's time for Melbourne to build more rail, not more tollways."

"The proposed tunnel will wreck parkland and turn inner Melbourne into a rat's nest of on- and off-ramps."

"The road tunnel was hatched under Labor and is now being suckled by the Coalition. But it is economically unviable without a massive federal government subsidy."

"I would find it very difficult to have a constructive relationship with a federal government that funded an economically unviable and environmentally disastrous tollway through the middle of my electorate."

"I will push instead for the Federal government to fund rail projects like the proposed Metro link or the Doncaster rail line."

To date, the federal government has not stated any position on the tunnel.

[ozbob]

National Times --> Why the east-west road tunnel is a stinker