WYNDHAMCity is facing its biggest challenge in a hundred years.
That’s how residents described Wyndham’s traffic chaos at a transport forum last Wednesday night.
About 100 people rolled up to hear government officials and private industry operators acknowledge the need for major investment and planning to cure over-crowding on Wyndham’s trains, roads and buses.
Wyndham’s mayor Shane Bourke urged residents to join council in a major lobbying campaign to demand better transport infrastructure for the city.
“We have a window of opportunity to say that we’re not going to stand for this any more,” he said.
“We need to use the same kind of energy we used to stop the toxic dump.”
Cr Bourke pointed out that some residents would remain about 10 kilometres from a train station until another line was added for the rapidly growing neighbourhoods in North Wyndham.
“It would be like asking someone in Coburg to catch their train at Spencer St,” Cr Bourke said. “They wouldn’t put up with it and neither should we.”
Department of Infrastructure executive Murray Cullinan said the State Government would give commitments and time frames next month, in its “transport and liveability statement”, for projects to ease Melbourne’s traffic troubles.
Residents were also told:
FOUR out of five trains on the Werribee line exceeded a maximum average of 800 passengers and more express trains will be considered;
THE parking lot for train commuters at Laverton will be significantly increased;
A train station will be built in time near the Laverton RAAF base, for Point Cook residents;
The traffic lights through Werribee along Princes Fwy will be synchronised to give better traffic flow;
A study will soon be released on improving peak-hour congestion on the West Gate Bridge, with options including adding more lanes, reserving a priority lane for trucks and buses, and allocating the direction of lanes with red Xs or green ticks, based on traffic demand;
LIGHTS at on-ramps to certain freeways are being considered, with the aim of improving traffic flow by about 30 per cent;
A possible re-design of Wyndham’s bus network aimed at improving frequency to every 15 minutes and expanding operating hours, especially during peak times and on weekends;
CITY planners want to generate more local jobs so residents won’t need to drive elsewhere for work.
