Kevin Andrews (Menzies, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise this afternoon to highlight the increasing traffic congestion in Melbourne generally and in my electorate of Menzies in particular. Increasing traffic is not surprising, because Melbourne has been growing at the rate of about 1,500 extra people a week for not just weeks or years but, indeed, for some decades. If you look at the major infrastructure in Melbourne, the Monash Freeway, the Eastern Freeway and East Link, the ring road to the west and the north or the Tullamarine freeway, most of this infrastructure is at least a decade old—if not decades older now. The city's infrastructure is not coping adequately at the present time, let alone into the future.

Melbourne is predicted to overtake Sydney as the most populous city in Australia in the coming decades. Therefore, traffic congestion in Melbourne is a pressing issue for residents. It is particularly felt in my electorate. Roads such as Bulleen Templestowe Road, Manningham Road and Fitzsimons Lane are chock-a-block with cars and trucks trying to find a way through to major freeways each morning and afternoon. This also affects the neighbouring electorate of Jagajaga, especially Rosanna Road. The triangle between Clifton Hill, Templestowe and Greensborough is one of the most congested areas of Melbourne at the present time.

Therefore, I welcome the recent Infrastructure Victoria report which said that the No. 1 priority for road funding and construction in Melbourne is the North East Link. This is the link between the M80 Ring Road, which is the Western Ring Road, Northern Ring Road, and the Eastern Freeway and EastLink. There is a gap between those two roads which means that roads such as Fitzsimons Lane, Manningham Road, Rosanna Road in Jagajaga and Bulleen Templestowe Road become thoroughfares for cars and, increasingly, large trucks each day to make the connection.

The Infrastructure Victoria chief, Michel Masson, said that this road was the clear winner in terms of priorities for Melbourne. The draft report calls for building the missing link in 10 to 15 years. I believe, however, that it should be expedited. Traffic is chaotic now. In 10 years time it will indeed be horrendous. At the election, this government promised funding for a feasibility study. I note that that funding was matched by Labor. I call upon the Victorian government to match the funding to get on with the feasibility study and start to relieve the congestion in this important part of Melbourne.