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

Transport and traffic congestion is the No. 1 local issue in my electorate of Menzies. In all the surveys, which I regularly do, what's returned from my constituents as their No. 1 issue is traffic and transport—the congestion. So I was very pleased to be able to announce, along with the minister at the table, Minister Tudge, on a number of occasions, a series of projects which will help to ease that traffic congestion and transport issues in the electorate. For example, the provision of additional car parking places at Eltham Station will make it easier for my constituents in that part of the electorate to get home sooner and more safely. In addition, there are more car parking places at the park and ride in Doncaster, again, assisting those residents who use those facilities on a regular basis. There's the provision of new traffic lights on Tram Road in Doncaster near the Applewood retirement village. And there's one which I'm very pleased about: the improvement of the drop-off and pick-up points in some 16 different schools and preschools in Nillumbik. This will assist for the safety of young children, in particular, when their parents are dropping them off in the morning and picking them up in the afternoon. Then, of course, on top of that, there's the $10 million to try and help ease traffic congestion on the main road, Fitzsimons Lane corridor, which was announced in conjunction with Minister Tudge.