26 Feb 2011: SEQ: Clem 7 a financial and congestion-busting failure

[ozbob]

Media release 26th February 2011

SEQ: Clem 7 a financial and congestion-busting failure

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport commuters has said that the Clem 7 road tunnel being placed into administration clearly demonstrates that toll road and tunnels are not only financially non-viable but they have no congestion-busting capabilities either.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"Clem 7's financial collapse is just the latest in a long list of tunnel or toll road failures in Australia.  The private sector will be never be keen to invest in a major new toll road project again.  Local and State Governments had turned to the private sector in a final attempt to out-build traffic congestion to learn not only were these projects financially non-viable, but they have no congestion-busting capabilities what so ever.  Claiming such road projects are congestion-busting is stubbornly denying the reality accepted around the world that building more road space in cities only increases congestion."

"RAIL Back On Track has highlighted from before the first sod was turned on Clem 7 that today's traffic congestion is actually the result of the road infrastructure built over the last 40 years and not because of the latest missing link, no new bypass or not enough upgrades.  Claiming more roads will reduce congestion is like smoking more cigarettes expecting it to cure lung cancer.  The only outcome of building more freeways and tunnels is worse congestion and slower traffic speeds and horrendous escalating costs associated with environmental emissions, road trauma and the cost of congestion itself (1,2)."

"If 20 years ago we had followed the lead of cities such as Vancouver, Vienna, Berlin or Copenhagen our city would have a truly 'world-class' public and active transport network rather than the mess we have today.  RAIL Back On Track predicts that unless a complete about face in transport policy is adopted, South East Queensland will continue towards a very unsustainable future and a major transport crisis. Some may well argue the 'crisis' has already arrived!  Peak oil and oil price rise impacts cannot be continually ignored either."

RAIL Back On Track calls on all levels of Government to take off their 'road-coloured glasses' and accept that the only solution to our traffic woes is to:

1. Halt the construction of any new motorway or tunnel road capacity immediately;

2. Establish meaningful sustainable transport mode targets in Connecting SEQ 2031 for people and freight of 60-70% of all trips made by rail freight and public/active transport and invest accordingly; and

3. Implement the recommendations/ideas of the Transport Minister's Sustainable Transport Forum (3)."

References:

1. 6 Nov 2010: SEQ: Zero time left to can congestion  http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=4794.0

2. 4 Oct 2010: SEQ: 'I will be late, stuck in traffic gridlock'   http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=4568.0

3. 5 Nov 2010: Queensland's sustainable transport future  http://www.cabinet.qld.gov.au/mms/StatementDisplaySingle.aspx?id=72447

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org

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