Residents in Melbourne's west are becoming increasingly frustrated about heavy vehicle traffic and government indecision on Truck Action Plan
By Ruza Zivkusic | August 10, 2011
Residents in Melbourne’s west are becoming increasingly frustrated about truck traffic, Williamstown MP Wade Noonan says.
After collecting more than 10,000 signatures in a petition earlier this year urging the Victorian Government to commit to the Truck Action Plan, Noonan says the government has returned nothing but silent treatment.
“Under some questioning at a parliamentary committee in May the Road Minister Terry Mulder indicated that they would make some decision about the Truck Action Plan and that’s much as we know at this point,” Noonan says.
“We’re extremely disappointed with their approach on this. This is a project which would redirect more than a million heavy vehicles away from streets such as Francis Street and Somerville Road each year, it’s a project that has an enormous community support and was recommended by the previous government by Sir Rod Eddington as part of his east-west transport needs.
“To find ourselves in this situation where the incoming government simply wants to shelve it in some review is extremely disappointing for the community.”
With the Port of Melbourne growing each year, Noonan says residents anxiously await the strain increasing traffic levels will put on local roads.
“They understand that there’s a clear solution sitting on the table for the new government and they’re just a bit perplexed at the lack of commitment at this point by the Baillieu Government to what is obviously a project that will redirect many of these heavy vehicles away from residential streets,” he says.
Noonan says his office has received “overwhelming numbers of letters” which have been forwarded to Mulder’s office in support of the construction of the Truck Action Plan.
“I think there is a strong mood that exists within the community to demonstrate as best as they can to the new Baillieu Government that there is support for this particular project and I don’t think that the campaign will simply wind up. In fact I think people will push on and continue to ensure the new government understands that a solution needs to be found,” Noonan says.
“I will ensure that constituents in my part of the world have their voices heard both in the Parliament and directly to the Baillieu Government.”