Napthine government ramming through its East West link

Vanguard July 2013 p. 8
Bill F.



The Victorian government is pressing ahead with plans to build its $ 9 billion east west link tollway, and has given priority to the eastern section, even though no business plan for this has been revealed.

It has put the badly needed Melbourne Metro rail tunnel on the never-never list.

Never mind about the crying need for a second Yarra River crossing to take the burden off West Gate Bridge.

Never mind traffic chaos at the airport and outer suburbs because long promised train lines have not been built.

Never mind the objections of inner city communities who fear the link will pour thousands more cars into their suburbs.

Never mind the advice of the Linking Melbourne Authority which favoured the western portion of the link as a priority.

The Napthine government is hell-bent on kicking off the eastern link, hoping this will translate into votes in the marginal electorates on that side of town and much needed new project work for the profit hungry road construction outfits.

Yarra Council digs in

In Clifton Hill and Collingwood, where the east-west link tunnel is likely to begin, residents are very concerned at the lack of information available.

The Council has allocated $300,000 to fund a campaign against the project, with mayor Jackie Fristacky saying, it was “an improper use of public money” and would exacerbate congestion on Hoddle Street, Flemington Road and surrounding streets. “It will also deprive Melbourne of billions of money that is needed for much-needed public transport projects… With that money you could build airport rail, Doncaster rail, Rowville rail, the Melbourne Metro, the Mernda extension.”

Yarra councillor Stephen Jolly was also quoted: “If the government think they can put the wrecking ball to Collingwood homes without us using every tool possible to stop them, they’re dreaming.”

On Thursday 13 June, hundreds of people attended a meeting at the Fitzroy Town Hall to oppose the east west road link and in support of the “Trains not Toll Roads” campaign for the Doncaster rail line. The Yarra Council will spend a further $200,000 on this campaign which envisages the rail line running along the median strip of the Eastern Freeway.

Key speaker at the meeting was Alannah MacTiernan, the former Western Australian transport minister, who spoke of the success of the Mandurah Line along the Kwinana Freeway in Perth. Costing only $1.69 billion, it was carrying 56 million passengers in 2010-11. “The semiotics of actually having the rail down the centre of the freeway, with everyone seeing the trains travelling faster than the cars, was really important.”

You’d have to say, this was the exception to the rule. Under capitalism, even if it’s smart, practicable and efficient, and really benefits the people, it just doesn’t happen unless there’s a profit in it.