The controversial East West link is “essential” to local businesses, the Committee for Wyndham is claiming, urging Labor to proceed with the project if it wins the November state election.
Labor is vowing to dump plans for the toll road and tunnel if it fails at its Supreme Court challenge, despite contracts already being signed.
But the Committee for Wyndham believes the link, which will provide a second river crossing, is needed to give communities in the west access to jobs and clients.
Committee member and MacroPlan Dimasi chairman Brian Haratsis said the link was crucial for the economic and social development of the western suburbs.
“Congestion on the West Gate Bridge effectively throttles development in Melbourne’s west,” Mr Haratsis said. “This is best seen in Wyndham where access to the Princes Highway from Point Cook can take up to half an hour in peak periods.”
A recent MacroPlan Dimasi report found that an incident that would close the West Gate Bridge for a prolonged period would cost the state the equivalent of $8 billion a year and impact freight companies.
Committee for Wyndham chairman Peter Hudson said freight and logistics companies in Melbourne’s west needed an alternative to the West Gate Bridge to ensure their businesses remained prosperous and efficient.
As reported by Star Weekly, Wyndham council is also urging Labor to back the project.
The council believes Labor’s East West Link alternative, the western distributor, won’t help alleviate congestion in Melbourne’s fast-growing western suburbs.
Cr Glenn Goodfellow said despite removing 20,000 to 30,000 vehicles and 5000 trucks, Labor’s western distributor plan, which would add one lane in either direction to the West Gate Freeway, would have a “short life span” due to the rapid population growth of Wyndham and other outer western growth suburbs.
