Victorian transport plan revealed
An expansion of Victoria’s rail network and the go-ahead for new roads have been announced as the key elements of the State Government’s transport blueprint.
According to The Age,
The Age believes Premier John Brumby will announce a “metro-style” rail tunnel from the western suburbs to the south-east, a new rail link to free-up the Geelong and Ballarat lines, and an extension of the Epping line in the rapidly expanding outer north-eastern suburbs.
Mr Brumby is also expected to flag the Government’s intention to build the so-called “missing link” in the Metropolitan Ring Road through some of the city’s most environmentally sensitive areas in the north-east and east.He will also signal plans to start work on a new outer-metropolitan ring road, and to build the long-mooted Frankston bypass.
Also this for Maribyrnong.
…the Government plan is expected to include only a new road in the inner west, designed to cater for increased freight traffic from the Port of Melbourne and to free up residential roads such as Francis Street, in Yarraville, that are clogged with trucks.
Read the full article online here>>>
19 responses to "Victorian transport plan revealed"
I was pleased when i read this in The Age, but not so pleased when I read the Herald Sun version. It seems that the road in the Inner West is not the Truck Ramps we had hoped for, but a road tunnel under West Footscray that will see Geelong and Sunshine Rds flooded with trucks. We have much work to do!
Where are our ramps Brumby?
Yes if it's a tunnel under Footscray coming out near West Footscray station would be the worst of all outcomes for the inner west. It would really be a catastrophe (and I use that word with the utmost care). But, conversations I have had this morning suggest that the story in the Herald Sun is spurious (surprise surprise). Fingers crossed and stay tuned...
I wrote to Wade Noonan a month ago and he wrote that he was supportive of the Westgate ramps proposal in the Eddington report, but that the plans will be revealed by end of year. I hope it's still on, but even the Age mentions just one road for the inner west.
I live in West Footscray and am confused as to why a proposition which takes port related and cross city traffic off inner-western neighborhood streets and puts it on the highway and through a tunnel is a bad idea? Can someone please explain?
The Herald Sun story seems to have changed slightly in my reading from this morning: http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,24748012-661,00.html
Hi Justin It would be a disaster because it would generate enormous levels of truck and car traffic in West Footscray and Sunshine and do little about the problems in Yarraville. The plan which is being pushed by the VTA and others is for the tunnel to exit right near West Footscray station so that trucks can go from the port straight down Geelong Rd to the ring road or down Sunshine Rd to industry out there. Problem is there are thousands of residents who will be affected. Industry doesn't care...
The other thing about a tunnel exit near West Footscray station is that it will eventually lead to the construction of other measures such as the elevated road through Sunshine to the Western Ring and the upgrade of Ashley St to Ballarat Rd... a total disaster for the west. If the government plan includes these measures then MTAG will be helping to coordinate a huge protest campaign with other transport groups. We continue to promote the Westgate Ramps, which represent the best outcome for the greatest number of people in terms of getting trucks off residential streets. But, if the government is going to build a tunnel under Footscray then we are saying that the exit/entry needs to be much further west in the industrial zone. This is the option that the excellent folk from No Freeway 4 West Footscray put to the minister and we agree whole heartedly. If this tunnel option is adopted it would also need to be accompanied by through-truck bans on Francis St and Somerville Rd.
Fingers crossed that the tunnel option is not the direction they are planning to take. I'm sure a combined protest would have huge support though. People power in the WEST!!
There is currently already a large volume of Trucks (and cars for that matter) moving between the Port area and Geelong Road/Sunshine Road and at the moment there is no choice but for them to use Footscray Streets - e.g. Moore St, Buckley St. The tunnel would provide an alternative route for these vehicles. The other alternative was the Newell's paddock route but that seems very unlikely to happen now. It would be good to have the ramps too (so long as the river crossing at Footscray Road was upgraded) but I don't see how the Geelong road truck traffic will ever be removed from Footscray residential streets without the tunnel.
Yes you're right Dylan there is already a large amount of truck traffic using Geelong Rd and Sunshine Rd... a ballpark figure of 3000 to 6000 a day for each road. Now think about what it would be like if you tripled that figure and doubled the number of cars in peak hours (cars would use the tunnel as an alternative to the Westgate). It would be, as I said, a catastrophe; and once it's done it's there for good. We have to fight this, if it announced, much harder than we have fought before, we need to come together as a community and say NO WAY!
The fear I have is that I see it as very unlikely that there will be a truck ban along Geelong Road as there will be some trips between the Port and the industrial areas for which the Westgate route (with ramps) will be either impossible or inconvenient (or seen as inconvenient) route to take. Taking this assumption there will need to be a way for these trucks to get between Geelong road and the port. All of the available routes are residential (Francis, Sommerville, Napier/Buckley and Whitehall/Moore). If we fight for truck bans on Francis and Sommerville then that leaves the traffic to all go onto the remaining residential streets. We only have to look at the amount of trucks on these Footscray streets during the curfew hours to get some idea of what would happen. I will also admit, as I have mentioned on the other threads, that I have personal concerns over the Westgate ramps because I live on Whitehall St and believe that if they are built trucks will come right up to Dynon road 24x7 past all the houses on my street and once that is in it will stay for good as there are less people to object.
When the off ramps are announced, I hope at least some of you take the time to remember the lives of Yarraville residents and that of their childrens which will have been ruined both financially, environmentally and in terms of amenity because of this short term/temporary solution. These trucks are going to be using ONE road, in which a TOTAL TRUCK BAN exists.
"Brumby's $40bn plan to get Victoria moving * Paul Austin * December 8, 2008 * Page 2 of 2 | Single Page View But there will be quicker action to get freight traffic out of residential areas of the inner-west, notably Francis Street in Yarraville. Mr Brumby will announce plans to build an elevated road from West Gate Freeway to Hyde Street, to carry trucks along Footscray Road to the Port of Melbourne, at a cost of about $380 million." I hope this includes compensation for people to move from Hyde Street south of Francis Street into similar homes in Yarraville.
Good Point Luke. My reading of the situation is that MTAG have built a strong and positive relationship with Dept of Transport, which means they will be able to advocate for those residences affected. The MTAG campaign has been highly effective in getting the State Government to talk to the West.
And to those north of Francis Street on Hyde Street, when trucks drive straight through and turn right at Somerville Road instead of using Whitehall Street. Not to mention those affected when the corner of Whitehall and Francis Street is closed for the construction work. (It would also be nice if they renamed the section of Hyde Street south of Francis Street to Douglas Parade.)
I was of the understanding that the total Truck bans in Hyde Street only exist North of Francis Street?? Wouldn't this would mean that trucks exiting this ramp from the Westgate would be forced down Whitehall Street? Does this mean that there will be a total ban on trucks driving down Somerville Road East of Geelong Road to Whitehall Street and West of Hyde Street down Francis Street??
>I was of the understanding that the total Truck bans in Hyde Street only exist North of Francis Street?? True. But what measures exist to stop a truck heading north along Hyde Street (north of Francis Street). NEVER has VicRoads fined a truck breaking this truck ban. EVER. By force, I hope you and MTAG argue that this MUST include infrastructure investments prohibiting all trucks using Hyde Street (north). I have no knowledge of ANY bans that will be imposed. This will be determined by VicRoads.
Seems to be its a blindfold, what they'll do is keep mum until the public is exhausted and then clamp down by locking up our properties by way of overlays and so forth making them worthless overnight! Im against the OMR and will ensure that the state govt and the morron eddington is brought to shame internationally! Has anyone asked what big trade we're expecting to do in the next 25years out of victoria? we're in a drought for at least another 10 yrs, we're too expensive to be really exporting anything and shipping lines wont bother skipping sydney to come down to melbourne only to have the goods sent back up so why brumby??? why have we deepened the bay/ port and looking to destroy the lives of so many farmers/ lifestyle farmers and other acreage owners who have been building their retirement into these farms which youve so blindly agreed to evict them from. How would you like it if someone does the same to you??? remember Karma always works in circles!!!