Community demands Truck Action Plan

The Baillieu Government can no longer disregard VicRoads advice to implement the Truck Action Plan and remove up to one million trucks a year from local streets, Shadow Minister for Roads Jacinta Allan said today.

Attending the Westgate Ramps Coalition Community Rally at Yarraville with Member for Williamstown Wade Noonan at Yarraville, Ms Allan said Roads Minister Terry Mulder had ignored VicRoads advice that supported the Truck Action Plan.

Ms Allan also questioned why wording on the VicRoads website acknowledging the significant reductions in truck numbers that would have resulted under the plan had been recently changed.

“The Baillieu Government has turned its back on families in Melbourne’s western suburbs by refusing to back a plan that would remove up to one million trucks a year from local streets,” Ms Allan said.

“The plan would also have provided benefits for industry by providing a direct route to the Port of Melbourne and freeway.”

Documents reveal VicRoads Acting Chief Operating Officer George Mavroyani advised Mr Mulder on January 7, 2011 that “Traffic analysis shows that the Truck Action Plan, in its own right (without WestLink), provides a significant contribution to improving access to the Port of Melbourne, as well as reducing truck traffic in residential streets by around 50 percent.”

While the VicRoads website, before it was altered, stated: Proposed road network improvements will reduce truck volumes on Francis Street and Somerville Road in Yarraville by 50-70%, or up to 5000 each weekday.

Ms Allan said Mr Mulder could no longer claim the implementation of the Truck Action Plan alone would not benefit industry or the community.

“It appears that since Mr Mulder’s decision to halt the project, the VicRoads website has been altered to remove a reference to the projected reductions in truck volume numbers,” she said.

Mr Noonan said it was time Mr Baillieu listened to the concerns of residents and funded the completion of the Truck Action Plan.

“With representatives from industry, local government, business, community groups, schools and even the truckies union coming together to support this rally, the Baillieu Government would be foolish to dismiss the broad support that exists for the Truck Action Plan,” Mr Noonan said

“If Mr Baillieu is serious about governing for all Victorians then he won’t walk away from a project that the previous Labor Government had already allocated $40 million to in Melbourne’s west.

“I’ll continue to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with my community until Mr Baillieu delivers.”