Walking away from traffic congestion in Melbourne

MELBOURNE’s economy is only as strong as its transportation system is efficient. Businesses rely on the free movement of freight and people into the CBD and around the city for work, to access services and for tourism.

The House Standing Committee on Infrastructure, Transport and Cities will consider the Australian Government’s role in delivering transport infrastructure critical to Melbourne’s global competitiveness at a public hearing in Melbourne on Tuesday. The hearing is part of a broader inquiry into the Australian Government’s role in the development of cities.  

The Committee would like to discuss strategies to boost the delivery of active and public transportation.

There is strong recognition amongst submitters to the inquiry that public and active modes of transport, like light rail, walking and cycling, can relieve traffic congesting major transit routes into the city.

However, some submitters have been critical of the cost benefit analysis process which informs Australia’s transport infrastructure investment decisions. They suggest that processes may not adequately factor in the congestion relief and health gains delivered by these modes.

In its submission to the inquiry, the Australian Cycling Promotion Foundation argued that the “provision of roads for motor vehicles is also extremely expensive given the low density of vehicles that use traffic lanes compared to other modes”.

It recommended that, “mode-agnostic cost benefit analysis is undertaken on all major transport projects to ensure decisions are made on an objective value for money basis”.

 

Public hearing details: 9.00 am – 2.30 pm, Tuesday, 21 November 2017, Meeting Room G3, 55 St Andrews Place, East Melbourne

9.00 am:               City of Ballarat, Regional Capitals Australia, Latrobe City Council

10.40 am:             Roads Australia, Inner Melbourne Planning Alliance, Hale Infra Strategy Pty Ltd, Town and Country Planning Association

12.50 pm:            Heart Foundation, Australian Cycling Promotion Foundation, Centre for Research Excellence in Healthy Liveable Communities, RMIT

2.30 pm: Close

The hearing will be broadcast live at aph.gov.au/live

ends