By Charlene Gatt
TARNEIT MP Tim Pallas has accused Ports Minister Denis Napthine of protecting his own patch at the expense of the West.
Mr Pallas said Mr Napthine had failed to deliver important freight connections for Melbourne’s inner West despite committing to fund a $500,000 pedestrian overpass in his own electorate.
“While addressing the concerns of Portland residents is important, Mr Napthine has not explained why it is more important than reducing truck movements away from suburban streets in Melbourne’s West,” Mr Pallas said.
“The Baillieu Government has failed to commit to the Truck Action Plan and has stalled its $40 million first stage of works, nonetheless it wants to introduce bigger and longer trucks on inner western suburbs roads 24 hours a day.
“These roads in the West cater for almost 50 times more truck movements than Portland.”
Mr Pallas said if implemented, stage one of the Truck Action Plan would remove one million trucks a year from Yarraville and surrounding suburbs.
“It is gross hypocrisy that the Minister, now in Government, refuses to invest in on-road infrastructure but supports an expansion of the big truck roll-out for Melbourne’s West.”
