Map: www.theage.com.au
So just what does MTAG think of the planned East West Link?
$100m has been allocated in 2014-15 State Budget for East West Link Western Section.Premier Napthine has said once the west end of East West Link is built there will not be one port truck in Footscray and Yarraville.
Because MTAG just focuses on truck traffic in the inner west, we do not have a position on the East West Link Eastern Section.
In regard to the Western section of the planned East West Link, MTAG supports any infrastructure that keeps port trucks off residential streets. However we need more detail on what is proposed in relation to the Western Section of East West Link, and we’ve learnt the lesson from City Link, that any road infrastructure needs to go hand in hand with truck bans on residential streets. We also note that these solutions are a long way off, and interim measures are also required to reduce the impact of diesel emissions on the community’s health. This applies equally to the Western Section of East West Link and the Westgate Distributor, or any other proposed infrastructure.
MTAG is cautiously supportive of East West Link Western Section provided that: the route is a tunnel; that its entry points are not in residential areas; that vent stacks are appropriately located and effective and that it is accompanied by truck bans elsewhere.