East West Link- #trainsnottolls and the importance of public transport

By Kat


I think a lot of us would agree that sustainability is of more value than short term solutions. The logic behind this leads one to wonder, why on earth has Denis Napthine allowed the East-West link project to go ahead?
Under the basis of arguing a need and demand for a link between the east and west of Melbourne, the project of creating this road has been planned and invested into. And yet, what we need is not and will never be the short-term solutions this would provide. The total estimated cost for the project is up to 15-17 billion dollars- money that could potentially go to improving the current state of our public transport system, inefficient as it is. If we return to the topic of budget cutbacks, it is evident that the money allocated for this expensive band-aid fix could go to so much more worthwhile affairs. Surveys conducted show that public transport is becoming a more important part of the lives of many Australians, with increasingly more people taking it to work or school. It is evident that the demand for efficient transportation is paramount- when roads become increasingly congested, what other plan does the government currently have to revert to?
It is essential that we focus on sustainable developments such as the construction of the Doncaster Rail- the suburb is a location from which many workers take transportation to the city, and yet, they find themselves hindered by ineffective systems. It is clear that we are not giving public transport the attention and funding it deserves for both the present and the future.
Statistics show that a rail would remove up to 800 vehicles per peak hour train. The rail would be built at a mere fraction of the East-West link project. It seems that, once again, we need to reassess demands. Despite the acknowledgement of public transport's superiority in usage over motor vehicles, especially in urban areas, projects are not being carried through, and many could be delayed as a result of the road.
The future of the East-West link is a glum one. The road is expected to cause congestion at certain points, as well as an inflow of large trucks that only add to the high levels of pollution already occurring on busy roads.
Clearly, public transport is our only viable option for the future. It is smarter in every way- the cost of the project itself, the cost of using the service, environmental factors, as well as Melbourne's rising culture of connectedness and increased acceptance of public transport as a vital part of our society. It's time for the government to open their eyes and recognise what people need, investing the money they have towards projects that will maintain its significance in 50 years time.