|
Just days short of the 4th year anniversary since local Federal MP, Bruce Billson, convened a ‘roundtable’ of local councils, road authorities and transport experts to pursue the construction of the Frankston Bypass, the State Labor Government has nearly completed a humiliating ‘u-turn’ after years of opposition to the project.
Last week’s announcement by State Transport Minister, Tim Pallas, that a contract has been awarded for the private construction and operation of the Frankston bypass, renamed ‘Peninsula Link’, in return for quarterly ‘availability’ payments from the Victorian Government for the next 25 years, is a key milestone in the local community’s campaign to turn around the State Labor Government’s attitude to this crucial project.
Mr Billson convened the first ‘Frankston bypass roundtable’ meeting on February 2, 2006 and led efforts to highlight the impact of increasing traffic congestion in and around Frankston and key northern Peninsula arterial roads as a result of the opening of EastLink and the State Government’s failure to plan for proper ‘traffic pressure relief valves ‘.
“We have seen many announcements and press releases from the State Labor Government as part of its 4 year u-turn from strident opponent to strong advocate on the Frankston bypass project, with last week’s being more encouraging and a cause for optimism than most”, Mr Billson said.
“In contrast to so many Frankston bypass media events the Brumby Labor Government has orchestrated in the last year with little resulting progress , the selection of a contractor, the Southern Way consortium, is a significant and important action that should give us all confidence that the Frankston bypass will actually proceed.
“Some caution is still needed as the detailed design and funding arrangements are to be finalised in the coming weeks and these have been areas of concern in the past.
“With the State Labor Government being unable to convince the Rudd Labor Government that this top priority metropolitan road project warranted a substantial Federal funding contribution of the kind I had secured from the former Howard Government, there are fears that design and construction options that can overcome key environmental and neighbourhood amenity impacts will be overlooked.
“The tender phase has silenced much of the debate about design solutions to legitimate environmental and neighbourhood amenity concerns so we are all been kept in the dark about key details.
“With the ‘financial close’ on the Peninsula Link project still some weeks away according to the Minister, let’s hope we are not fitted up with a discount design option or another Scoresby tolls betrayal just because State Labor Ministers and MPs couldn’t convince their Federal colleagues of the importance of the project and case for Federal funding.
“The case for the Frankston bypass is compelling and I’m convinced the design and construction can be completed in an environmentally sensitive way that is thoughtful in terms of the impacts on adjacent neighbourhoods”, Mr Billson said.
Mr Billson paid tribute to the local councils, community leaders and business representatives that been a part of the campaign to build a toll-free Frankston bypass, inspired by what he described as ‘opportunity segregation’ produced by traffic congestion and delays that put metropolitan employment, education and leisure options out of reach from local resident because of increasing travel times.
Expert traffic modelling prepared at the time Mr Billson’s ‘Frankston Bypass roundtable’ initiative pointed to a 25% increase in vehicle movements through the already congested Frankston Cemetery intersection and substantially increasing congestion and travel times along Moorooduc Highway and other key north-south roads and arterial links.
At the time, this research was refuted by the State Labor Government and the need for significant investment in upgrading transport infrastructure was rejected ignored, with the Government arguing that a bundle of patch-up projects said to be all that was needed.
|
Your Federal Member for Dunkley
