Agenda 3

Transport and Infrastructure

The lack of new infrastructure and inadequacy of older infrastructure are seen as the biggest problem for the region and the greatest threat to its economic viability, social cohesion and environmental sustainability.

Inadequate transport infrastructure is the greatest threat to the region’s economic viability, social cohesion and environmental sustainability. Major, urgent investment in transport is essential even without further growth.

Better transport, particularly high quality public transport, is vital to:

• Enable students to access university and college campuses.
• Enable travel to jobs.
• Reduce isolation and poverty and enable access to services.
• Overcome gridlock, which imposes a significant cost on business and the economy.
• Reduce dependency on cars and fossil fuels, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, stimulate vibrant activity centres, cope with the growing travel demands and improve the environment.

Accordingly, from 2008 to 2011, LeadWest and its members will facilitate implementation of the following priority actions:

1. Substantially improve public transport (both rail and road-based) in the region. Particular focus will be on the following:

• Sunshine to Melton rail duplication & electrification;
• Significantly increased rail capacity between Sunshine and Footscray;
• Overcoming rail bottlenecks at Footscray and North Melbourne;
• Increased capacity on the Werribee line and northern lines;
• Stations at Caroline Springs, Williams Landing and Toolern;
• New cross-suburban lines and freight lines;
• Improved bus services including increased frequencies, acceleration of new routes including orbital routes and improved inter-modal scheduling connections.

2. Achieve the following priority road network improvements:

• Increased capacity on the Westgate Bridge;
• Significant progress towards a second major road connection between the West and greater Melbourne;
• Improved capacity and safety on the Western Ring Road.

3. Achieving recognition by Government of the region’s rapid growth rates and the urgent need to increase and accelerate funding for enabling infrastructure (both hard and soft).

In connection with its advocacy activities, LeadWest as produced the following documents on issues of transport and infrastructure in Melbourne's west:

• LeadWest Submission to East West Link Needs Assessment - April 2008 (pdf 417 kB)
• LeadWest Submission to Infrastructure Australia - August 2008 (pdf 558 kB)
• Report: "Telecommunications in Melbourne's West" - October 2008 (pdf 839 kB)
• LeadWest Submission to Dept of Transport on the Regional Rail Project - September 2010 (pdf 319 kB)
• Joint Submission on Shaping Melbourne's Freight Future - September 2010 (pdf 488 kB)
• LeadWest Submission to Linking Melbourne Authority on WestLink - Septemeber 2010 (pdf 555 kB)

LeadWest has also organised various events focused on transport and infrastructure issues, including a highly successful Telecommunications Forum.

If you would like to discuss the Transport and Infrastructure Agenda with LeadWest, please contact us.

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