OPPOSITION MP Inga Peulich is disappointed that the recently released Eddington Report has neglected the growing population in Victoria’s south-east.
The comprehensive study, undertaken by businessman Sir Rod Eddington, looks at how transport options between Melbourne’s east and west can be improved.
Ms Peulich, the member for south eastern metropolitan region and shadow parliamentary secretary for communities, said the release of the study showed the City of Casey had been severely let down by the Brumby Government. Among the recommendations included in the report are a 17km rail line from Footscray to Caulfield and an 18km road to link the western suburbs to the Eastern Freeway.
But Ms Peulich said the report would do nothing to ease traffic congestion burdening Casey residents.
“Despite collecting $258 billion in revenue, the Bracks and Brumby Government has pushed back projects for the Casey community that would have eased the transport crisis,” she said.
“Projects like the Cranbourne Bypass and the Lynbrook and Cranbourne Railway Stations will now be put further down the list because of a Labor Government that has dabbled around the edges of transport policy and will continue to do so.”
Study spokesman Matt Phelan said the Eddington report was to define a transport strategy for the Eastern Freeway to the west rather than Victoria as a whole.
Casey, Cardinia and Greater Dandenong weren’t part of that area, he said.
However Mr Phelan said those living in the two municipalities would benefit from the proposed rail link between Footscray and Caulfield.
The new line would allow for an extra 20,000 commuters per hour from Melbourne to Caulfield, greatly benefiting those travelling on the Pakenham train line, he said.
But Ms Peulich said the rejection of previous reports into Melbourne’s transport needs revealed the Labor Government had allowed the situation to worsen.
“Sir Eddington recommended a 17km Melbourne metropolitan underground train link that was previously made in the Government-commissioned Infrastructure Planning Council Final Report in August 2002.”
“While Casey residents are either stationary on the Monash (freeway) car park or jammed into overcrowded trains, the Brumby Government sits on report after report which is totally unsatisfactory and shows a government that has lost touch with the Casey community,” Ms Peulich said.
