Tunnel News updates

Herald Sun: Victorian opposition leader Ted Baillieu blasts copycat report (23rd July, 2008)
Three references to overseas public rail networks were plagiarised in the East West Link Needs Assessment transport report, Ted Baillieu claims.

Herald Sun: Opposition Leader in dark over cost of own transport plan (23rd July, 2008)
Victorian Opposition Leader Ted Baillieu today admitted he does not know the cost of his own transport proposal for Melbourne.

Star News Group: Maribyrnong says no (22nd July, 2008)
Time is up for City of Maribyrnong residents to make their voices heard on Sir Rod Eddington’s East West Link Needs Assessment report.

Star News Group: The next step (22nd July, 2008)
The State Government’s three-month submission period on Sir Rod Eddington’s East West Link Needs Assessment report closed last Tuesday. But what happens next?

ABC Online: Government told to spend more on public transport (22nd July, 2008)
Victorian Government told Melbourne’s public transport system is at breaking point, and more money should be spent on train and tram services. Victoria’s independent Sustainability Commissioner has urged the Government to shift major transport spending from roads to public transport.

Maribyrnong Leader: City rejects cross-city tunnel (22nd July, 2008)
Maribyrnong Council says it cannot support the cross-city road tunnel proposed by Sir Rod Eddington because his report is too light on detail.

The Age: Eddington tunnel ‘fails’ on emissions (22nd July, 2008)
SirRod Eddington’s plan to build a road tunnel from Footscray to Clifton Hill will only make transport emissions worse, a Government-appointed watchdog has found.

The Age: Melburnians want a better rail system (22nd July, 2008)
It is essential and possible to meet growing transport needs. The Federal Government has given the travelling public and State Government infrastructure planners just five years to adapt before a carbon price for transport kicks in fully.

Herald Sun: Highpoint lobbies for new train line to Maribyrnong (21st July, 2008)
Highpoint Shopping Centre wants a new train line to Maribyrnong. The retail mecca has outlined the plan in its response to Sir Rod Eddington’s transport report.

Herald Sun: North Melbourne joins tunnel fight to save park (18th July, 2008)
North Melbourne Football Club has weighed into the transport debate, standing up for a local park that would be lost if an 18km road tunnel was built under Melbourne.

The Australian: Monorail proposal to link airports (18th July, 2008)
At the risk of turning Melbourne’s transport woes into a song and dance routine, a European consortium has proposed building a monorail that will run between Geelong and Frankston as an alternative to an $8.5billion, west-east rail tunnel being considered by the state Government.

The Age: Minister’s seat at risk over road tunnel plan (18th July, 2008)
State cabinet ministers have reported a backlash in their electorates over plans for a $9 billion road tunnel running from Footscray to Clifton Hill.

The Age: Vic minister ‘torn’ over tunnel plan (17th July, 2008)
A proposed cross-city road tunnel threatens to leave a senior Victorian minister torn between allegiances to her constituents and the government front bench.

ABC Online: Education minister cautious about new tunnel (17th July, 2008)
Bronwyn Pike is concerned about having enough parkland in the inner city. The Victorian Education Minister, Bronwyn Pike, has spoken out against an east-west road tunnel, as recommended in the Eddington report.

The Age: Vic minister ‘torn’ over tunnel plan (17th July, 2008)
A proposed cross-city road tunnel threatens to leave a senior Victorian minister torn between allegiances to her constituents and the government front bench.

Herald Sun: Warning on public transport funding (17th July, 2008)Investing only in public transport would have disastrous consequences on Victoria’s future liveability.

Herald Sun: Missing link is on the radar (17th July, 2008)
The RACV’s push for the completion of the missing link in Melbourne’s outer ring road has won the backing of major transport industry stakeholders.

Herald Sun: Transport giants back multi-billion-dollar roads strategy (17th July, 2008)
Victoria’s biggest transport companies have backed construction of a $9.5 billion road tunnel through the city’s inner north.

The Age: Plan trashed as $7bn down a hole (17th July, 2008)
If SIR Rod Eddington’s $7 billion rail tunnel is built, the Brumby Government will have used the largest infrastructure investment in Australia’s history to mask its incompetence, and that of rail operator Connex, a public transport advocate says.

National Nine News: Vic rail tunnel waste of money: academic (16th July, 2008)
A proposed $8.5 billion Melbourne rail tunnel would be a waste of money when the network is dogged by capacity constraints and black holes, a transport academic says.

Manningham Leader: Green grapple on Bulleen traffic (16th July, 2008)
Oour city’s green “lungs” are under threat from a proposal to build new freeways through Bulleen and Warrandyte, environment groups say.

ABC Online: Transport group urges caution on rail tunnel (15th July, 2008)
The Public Transport Users’ Association (PTUA) says the Victorian Government should be making the most of existing public transport infrastructure, before investing in a new rail tunnel.

Moorabool Leader: Moorabool councillor hits road protesters (15th July, 2008)
A Moorabool councillor has labelled protests over the proposed east-west tunnel in Sir Rod Eddington’s report as “self-interested.”

Star News Group: Furore over rail services (15th July, 2008)
Residents are angry at constantly seeing empty V/Line carriages zoom past the Deer Park platforms while they wait at the station they have nicknamed “the swamp”.

Wyndham Leader: Put up or shut up (15th July, 2008)
Wyndham Mayor Kim McAliney has told inner-city critics of the proposed East-West road tunnel to put up or shut up.

The Age: New rail tunnel may be privatised
(15th July, 2008)
A proposed $7 billion rail tunnel from Footscray to Caulfield could be privatised under funding options being considered by the Brumby Government and being backed by Metlink, the body that promotes Melbourne’s public transport operations.

The Age: State admits transport strategy is a failure (10th July, 2008)
The 25-year blueprint for Victoria’s overloaded road and public transport system — priced at $10.5 billion — has failed to develop key transport strategies, the State Government has conceded.

Diamond Valley Leader: MP casts doubt on ring road link (9th July, 2008)
A local Labor MP has refused to back her government’s move to consider completing the “missing link” in the ring road chain.