By Christine de Kock
TRUCK traffic in the City of Maribrynong has caused anger across the municipality.
Concerns about accidents, health issues from diesel emissions, noise and other issues has resulted in a number of reports being undertaken in the municipality relating to freight movement over the years.
The council has consolidated past and present reports into a single document, which lists in brief the purpose and the results of these reports.
It was presented at the council meeting last Tuesday.
Councillor Gerard White welcomed the report but questioned the effect of such investigations.
“We still don’t seem to be getting results. We still have the same problems (of trucks) basically using our city as a thoroughfare,” Cr White said.
He said the council, like many other municipalities in the West, was still waiting for the State Government’s Inner West Integrated Transport Study (IWITS).
He said the study, which was meant to incorporate a strategy on how to integrate transport, land use and infrastructure developments, was three years over due.
Cr Janet Rice moved a motion that the council should again write to the Minister for Transport, Peter Batchelor, for an urgent meeting to discuss the IWITS.
Trucks are a hot election issue with the Maribyrnong Truck Action Group (MTAG) aiming to keep the issue in the headlines. MTAG spokesperson Peter Knight said 34 of the 40 candidates running in the council elections were surveyed about the importance of decreasing truck traffic in the municipality.
“The results surprised even us,” Mr Knight said.
“Every candidate who responded felt that the current situation with regard to trucks was unacceptable.”
MTAG aims to hold candidates to their responses, should they become elected to council.
“To date there has been too much talk and not enough action,” Mr Knight said.
“MTAG aims to build support for action on this issue that crosses party political lines.”
