Eddington Report community meeting in Footscray

Eddington Report community meeting in Footscray

10/06/08

Greens MLC Colleen Hartland will hold a community meeting to discuss the Eddington 'East West Link Needs Assessment' Report next week.

She has written to 5000 residents in streets identified by the Report as likely to have a detrimental impact from one or more of the proposals, and letterboxed a further 15 000 households inviting them to attend the meeting.

Ms Hartland said she is very concerned about the new roads proposed in the report. 'Both road options presented are as bad as each other', she said.'And building big new roads will do nothing to reduce our growing carbon emissions from transport.'

'It's clear that the answer is great public transport. If most work trips into the inner city were made by public transport, this would slash traffic on the Westgate, and we wouldn’t need a major new highway.'

'The proposed tunnel would have huge traffic impacts at the Footscray end, and would require exhaust stacks, compulsory property acquisitions and digging up of parkland in Kensington. The tunnel would connect to an elevated tollway next to Cross St-and Rupert St in West Footscray, then continue past Braybrook and Sunshine.'

'Imagine the noise, pollution and ugliness for people living nearby', Ms Hartland said.

'Eddington's other option is to widen the Westgate Freeway. The freeway would connect to an elevated tollway along Whitehall St before crossing the river. This road would require compulsory acquisition of properties, be a huge eyesore and cut the river off from the rest of Maribyrnong. It's repeating the mistakes of the freeway builders from the 1960's.'

'Another recommendation is the 'Port Link Road' between Dynon and Smithfield Roads. This would be an elevated four lane road, cutting straight through Newell's Paddock wetlands.'

'This is a beautiful park. It shouldn't be destroyed by a road', Ms Hartland said.

Ms Hartland said that in contrast to these unsustainable road plans she is working for a future where no big new roads are required, we emit much less carbon, and spend much less money on petrol.

'I encourage people who share these aims to come to the meeting', Ms Hartland said.

Community meeting details:

Wednesday 18 June, 7.30pm
Angliss Neighbourhood House
2/ 11 Vipont St, Footscray. ( Melways 2S J6)
RSVP to colleen.hartland@parliament.vic.gov.au or ring 9689 6373.