WITH talk of another road bridge across the Yarra, it becomes clear that our planners, State Government and Opposition still have their transport thinking stuck in the 1960s. How many times does it have to be spelt out: Building another road just results in more traffic. It’s been the case with every freeway so far, the West Gate being a prime example.
If money is going to be spent on transport, it has to be spent on moving people – not cars – around our cities more efficiently. For the western suburbs, that means upgrading the crowded and infrequent train services (mostly only every 20 minutes, even in peak hour) and providing direct, frequent buses all day and evening to the suburbs that don’t have trains.
Daniel Bowen, president, Public Transport Users Association, Melbourne
(The Age, Oct 4, 2005. pg. 12)