With the recent chaos on the Westgate Freeway and CityLink, Wyndham City is calling on the State Government to urgently seek ways to reduce traffic disruptions for residents across Melbourne’s West and North West experiencing significant congestion during peak hour on their daily commute.
VicRoads and CityLink owner TransUrban have advised motorists can expect significant delays on the West Gate Freeway and the Bolte Bridge due to major construction of an extra lane off the Bolte Bridge and along the West Gate Freeway through to the Burnley Tunnel.Trans urban began works in March and it is anticipated they will take up to 18 months to complete.
For Wyndham residents,the impact could be up to six years with works on the Western Distributor expected to begin after the completion of this City Tulla widening project. Current indications suggest this is a four-year construction program.
Wyndham City’s Portfolio Holder for Transport, Cr Glenn Goodfellow said while these road works were necessary to address traffic congestion, the way in which they are being undertaken will create unacceptable delays for Wyndham commuters.
“The impact of the daily commute for Wyndham residents is already affecting the quality of family time – an hour to and from work each day equates to four weeks annual leave stuck in traffic each year. We have recently heard reports of it taking over two hours to get to work. This is intolerable,” Cr Goodfellow said.
“We recognise that people are being warned to plan their journey ahead, and some tinkering with traffic signalling is proposed but this is manifestly inadequate,” he added.
He said that through the Get Wyndham Moving campaign, Council was calling on the State Government to implement solutions to ease congestion for Wyndham commuters. “A further six years of traffic mayhem is simply not tolerable for our residents and more must be done. There are solutions that we want implemented immediately and we also urge consideration of some longer term options,” he said.
Cr Goodfellow said that the Council wants extra train services on the Werribee line during peak hour and for the City Tulla project schedule to be re-negotiated to three shifts a day, seven days a week. They also want peak flow lanes increased on alternate routes such as Moore Street and at Shepherds Bridge in Footscray to improve access to Dynon and Footscray Roads, both of which will require minimal works but result in a major increase in traffic capacity.
“We want Vic Roads and emergency service to collaborate to find ways to clear up accidents more rapidly because this currently this is exacerbating traffic congestion and can take hours during peak periods, even where nobody has been injured,” he said. “We also believe there should be a serious look now at longer term options such as peak or tidal flow technology that is being used in the USA to create extra traffic lanes in the peak direction on freeways,” he added.
“I urge residents to visit the Get Wyndham Moving and Fund our Future websites to find out how they can advocate to State and Federal Governments to get the road and transport infrastructure we urgently need and deserve,” he said.
For more details log in to www.getwyndhammoving.com.au; www.fundourfuture.info/
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