MP launches ‘heart’ attack

By Alison Noonan
CRANBOURNE MP Jude Perera has accused Casey Council of using its campaign to secure the Cranbourne Bypass as a political football.
The call followed last week’s launch of council’s $5000 Cranbourne’s Heart Needs a Bypass campaign to lobby the State Government and VicRoads to fund what it has labelled a ‘vital project’.
Casey mayor Kevin Bradford claimed Cranbourne was choking with heavy vehicles and excess through traffic and feared the town’s future was in jeopardy without the bypass.
“The negative impacts of the current traffic volumes and amount of heavy vehicles will only escalate into the future as Cranbourne continues to grow and develop.
“This is why the Cranbourne Bypass is the City of Casey’s number one main road diversion priority,” he said.
However, Mr Perera said the council was handballing its responsibility to construct the bypass to the State Government.
“I totally agree that we need to get the trucks and heavy traffic out of Cranbourne but, unfortunately, the City of Casey’s recommendation is simply flawed.
“Council is responsible for the local road network and the State Government is responsible for the main road arterials,” he said.
Mr Perera said many residents were against the development of the bypass, which would cut through hundreds of backyards and cause noise and amenity disruptions.
He claimed the council should be spending the estimated $40 million required to build the bypass on local projects such as footpaths, traffic management systems, parks, community buses and the sealing of roads.
“Local councillors should be listening and consulting with their ward residents before spending their hard earned ratepayers’ monies on wasted political motivations,” he said.
Cr Bradford this week hit back at the State MP’s claims, accusing Mr Perera of failing to understand the road network and the council’s proposal for the bypass.
“The State Government is responsible for arterial roads. Cameron Street is an arterial road and is already busy, dangerous and difficult for residents of the Hunt Club Estate to get on to at peak times,” he said.
“The State Government needs to upgrade Cameron Street soon. Council’s proposal adds $12 million to the project and provides a 1.2 kilometre connection between the South Gippsland Highway and Cameron Street at Camms Road.
“The land is already owned by VicRoads and this road has been planned for years,” Cr Bradford said.
“Mr Perera ought to come clean and acknowledge that the bypass does not go through anybody’s front or backyard but instead is along a long-planned route already purchased by VicRoads for this purpose.”