Do we tunnel east to west?

RACV's pro-tunnel statement, in today's Herald Sun.

THERE has been widespread speculation the east-west road tunnel will not be included in the State Government's transport plan.

The RACV has a clear view that a road tunnel from the Eastern Freeway to CityLink, with an extension to join the Western Ring Rd, is an essential part of a rational and comprehensive transport plan for Melbourne's future.

The West Gate-Monash corridor is being upgraded, including five lanes each way on West Gate bridge with an active emergency management system in place, but Melbourne is now totally reliant upon this route.

If something happens along it - especially given it serves the Port of Melbourne - the entire metropolis grinds to a halt.

The Eddington east-west project will provide an essential alternative to the West Gate-Monash corridor and this will "future-proof" Melbourne long-term.

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• Prof Nicholas Low: The case against a tunnel
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• Editorial: Premier needs to get moving

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This project will also significantly reduce traffic through Parkville, the inner north and upper part of central Melbourne, improving the amenity for workers and residents in these vital areas. And there will be less delay to both traffic and public transport travelling north-south.

RACV is aware some commentators have said there is not enough through traffic to justify the tunnel.

We do not agree and are aware that the Eddington team reviewed previous studies, including the northern central city corridor work and came up with a contrary analysis.

The RACV is strongly urging the State Government to deliver the Eddington blueprint for this project in its entirety and not just "cherry-pick" selected parts suiting interest groups.

We have proposed a comprehensive suite of road and public transport projects and initiatives that are integral to getting Melbourne moving properly.

The key longer-term issues include strategies for land use, new outer road and public transport corridors on Melbourne's west and north, consideration of cross-town heavy and light rail options within 10km of the city.

We need a dedicated airport rail link, too.

The transport priorities we need delivered in the next decade include:

FINISHING the Metropolitan Ring Rd. The end at Greensborough must be joined to the Eastern Freeway and EastLink to provide a proper route around Melbourne.

BUILDING the east-west rail tunnel from Footscray to Caulfield.

MAKING key public transport and road improvements in the outer growth suburbs (see RACV's Connect Outer Melbourne report at racv.com.au)

GOING ahead with the Tarneit rail line from west of Werribee, and joining the northern group of rail lines, to serve Wyndham and relieve V/Line congestion.

RELIEVING a blockage at the Frankston end of the Monash and EastLink freeways by building a bypass link to the Mornington Peninsula.

RACV has also proposed a ramp-up of the SmartBus network to cover the Doncaster corridor. New rail to South Morang and Epping must go ahead.

We're urging the Government to ensure that all these critical projects are in the transport plan and especially the complete east-west tunnel project.

A plan without this key project will not sufficiently ease Melbourne's congestion or improve life in the inner suburbs.

Brian Negus is RACV general manager public policy

RACV to Brumby: City fringe roads need $3.2bn

Clay Lucas

THE RACV has demanded that the Brumby Government double the money it pours into road building in outer Melbourne.

Calling for $3.2 billion to be pumped into 85 new road projects over the next five years, the RACV said there was a growing gap between transport options for people who lived in inner and outer Melbourne.

"The transport disparity between outer and inner Melbourne continues to get wider," public policy manager Brian Negus said.

Many of outer Melbourne's main roads were built for light rural traffic, but are now handling tens of thousands of vehicles a day, the RACV said in its report, Outer Melbourne Connect.

"Country roads are now handling city levels of traffic," Mr Negus said yesterday.

The report criticises governments for failing to provide adequate public transport to outer Melbourne. "(The) transport system has failed to keep pace with rapid population growth," the report says.

"Many of Melbourne's newly developing suburbs are public transport black holes with little prospect of significant improvements in the near future."

On top of $3 billion in road projects, the RACV called for:

■ Underpasses or overpasses to be built at five level crossings in Melbourne each year.

■ A "missing link" tollway from Greensborough to Ringwood, connecting EastLink to the Metropolitan Ring Road.

■ Rod Eddington's proposed $9 billion east-west road tunnel.

Some of the new roads should be paid for using a public-private partnership model known as "shadow tolling", the RACV said. Private firms would build a road and bill the Government over 20 to 30 years based on usage.

The RACV also called for a new railway line to Mernda, near Whittlesea, electrification and duplication of the line to Sunshine and new stations at Melton and Point Cook...

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But Public Transport Users Association president Daniel Bowen said the RACV plan would deplete resources sorely needed for more urgent public transport projects. "Exactly what Melbourne doesn't need right now is more roads," he said.

To suggest it did not come down to a choice between roads and public transport was laughable, Mr Bowen said.

"As a city we need to make a choice: do we keep building roads like we have been doing for the last 50 years — which has just resulted in worsening traffic congestion and more reliance on petrol — or do we invest heavily in transport that provides real solutions?" he said.

The Metropolitan Transport Forum's 2005 study of Melbourne, Most Liveable and Best Connected?, found three times as much was spent on new roads in Victoria as on public transport infrastructure. In this year's state budget, $729 million was committed to roads and $730 million to public transport.

But the Federal Government will spend large amounts on road projects in Victoria — including widening the Western Ring Road — while spending nothing on public transport.

Read the whole article at TheAge.com.au