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RACV report card calls for more from Baillieu

More needs to be done to tackle the state’s travel problems and to reduce Melbourne’s road congestion, RACV says

August 31, 2011

The Victorian Government has met its election promises but more needs to be done to tackle the state’s travel problems and to reduce Melbourne’s road congestion, motoring group RACV says.

It has issued the government with a report card, outlining its election transport strategy and asking all major political parties to commit to the transport needs as outlined in the strategy.

RACV public policy general manager Brian Negus says the group recognises that the government has committed funding in its first budget to partially or fully fulfil its election promises but says it needs to step up to address many critical large-scale road and public transport projects.

“Melbourne and Victoria desperately need the government to commit to an integrated transport plan to determine the vision for reducing congestion and improving mobility in Melbourne and across Victoria,” Negus says.

He says Victoria needs an integrated long-term plan and a priority list to secure federal funding.

“The scale of these ‘city shaping projects’ requires both federal and state funding and support from the private sector through public-private partnerships if we are to see earlier delivery and get benefits flowing through to the community,” Negus says.

“RACV will continue to advocate strongly for these critical projects and we will continue to monitor the actions of the State Government in delivering these projects and delivering its election promises.”

The key critical projects still to be implemented by the government, according to RACV include a link from the Eastern Freeway to the Western ring Road, a connection from the Metropolitan Ring Road at Greensborough to the Eastern Freeway and Eastlink and rail improvements.

The RACV is also pushing for upgrades to bypass Melbourne and a high-speed rail link to Melbourne Airport.

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