WEB STATS

This month
Average hits per day: 862
Average Page views: 358

Unlikely coalition calls for Eddington’s Westgate truck ramps to be built

Prominent community voices that don’t usually agree on much have come together to call for the on/off ramps described in Sir Rod Eddington’s Truck Action Plan to be approved and built as soon as possible.

The Maribyrnong Truck Action Group and truck drivers have a history of some antagonism but they agree on this: the ramps that Eddington prioritised as part of his study are the best solution to truck traffic problems in the inner West.

According to truck driver Rob Johnson, most truckies don’t want to use residential streets to get to and from the port but there’s little choice at the moment, “The government needs to build proper infrastructure to carry port trucks and this proposal makes a lot of sense.”

Also joining MTAG and the truck drivers is the No Freeways for West Footscray group, prominent local Labor identities Cr Michael Clarke and Wade Noonan MLA (member for Williamstown), along with Greens councillor (and former chair of Metropolitan Transport Forum) Janet Rice, public policy analyst Dr Russell Solomon (who is also the chair of corporate body 61 Francis St apartment complex), and a host of other community figures.

The ramps proposed by Eddington will create a route for trucks that bypasses residential areas in Francis St and Somerville Rd with exits and entries from the Westgate Freeway before the bridge that takes them directly to the Port via Hyde St and Whitehall St.

It’s what MTAG has been calling for since the group was formed. We want to see trucks using the Westgate Freeway to get to the port because that’s the route with the most buffer between the trucks and communities in the inner West.

We do however acknowledges that not everyone will be happy: this is not a perfect solution and unfortunately some people around Hyde St will be negatively affected. But we have to be realistic, the port’s not going away, the trucks have to go somewhere and this is the fairest solution with the best outcomes for the vast majority of residents. There is no perfect solution and the way it’s shaping up, if we don’t get the ramps built, then they’ll have to widen Ballarat Rd and increase movements up Geelong Rd, which would be a disaster – and we’d still never get a reduction of traffic on Somerville Rd or Francis St.

The coalition has come together to call for something positive to be done. There have been plenty of people saying don’t do this and don’t do that – we all feel that it’s time there was a consensus FOR something. Because something surely needs to done about this situation, which is intolerable for residents and truck drivers, and incredibly inefficient for industry. HAVE YOUR SAY HERE

Eddington Truck Action Plan
Westgate Freeway on/off ramps

The proposal

Construction of a new truck link to be built from the Westgate Freeway providing direct access to Hyde Street and onto the Port of Melbourne. The link would consist of two dual lane ramps for traffic travelling in both an easterly and westerly direction.

Where can I get more information on the proposal?
Download our printable pdf of this proposal.

Eddington’s East West Link Needs Assessment final report can be found online at the
Department of Transports web site:
transport.vic.gov.au/eastwest

MTAG AGM Thursday 9th October 7.30 pm Uniting Church Hall Gamon St Seddon

As a member or subscriber to the MTAG mailing list you have been sent this newsletter.
If you wish to unsubscribe from MTAG you can instantly be removed from our mailing list by clicking HERE

If you are having difficulty receiving HTML email and wish to view this page go HERE
If you have been forwarded this email and wish to subscribe to the weekly newsletter click HERE