VTA welcomes new Vic government

The Victorian Transport Association has welcomed Victoria's Premier Elect, Daniel Andrews, and the southern state's new Labor Government

The CEO of the Victorian Transport Association, Peter Anderson, has officially welcomed the Victorian Premier Elect, Daniel Andrews (pictured), following the Labor party's victory in the recent Victorian state election.

Mr Anderson said the VTA was looking forward to working with the newly formed government on a number of key issues, while ensuring transport operators were well represented.

"The VTA eagerly awaits proposed road infrastructure initiatives such as the West Gate Distributor, but urges the Andrews Labor Government to look to the future and deliver other vital infrastructure," he said.

"The West Gate Distributor will remove heavy vehicles heading to the west from the West Gate Bridge, but it is imperative that further east-west connection to the Port of Melbourne precinct and the M80 ring road are delivered if the state is to secure its long-term economic viability.

"A vital step is the delivery of the 'missing link' between the M80 ring road and the Eastern Freeway. If this connection is not delivered congestion in and around Melbourne’s north-east will only worsen.

Mr Anderson also urged the Labor Party to revisit its policy concerning a recently proposed truck curfew on a number of roads in Melbourne's north-eastern suburbs.

"In the lead-up to the election the Labor Party committed to a 12-month trial ban of heavy vehicles on Greensborough Highway, Rosanna Road and other major roads in Melbourne’s north-east at night," he said.

"This promise illustrates a short-sighted and uninformed perspective and the VTA urges the newly formed government to reconsider this decision."

The VTA has highlighted a number of vital transport issues that the Andrews Labor Government will now need to examine, including: the planning and delivery of an alternate river crossing for Melbourne; the securing of federal funding for a duplication of the Western Highway to Stawell; the delivery of a Shepparton bypass; the construction of a rail connection between the city and Tullamarine Airport; and the development of a state-wide 10-year road infrastructure plan.

VTA welcomes new Vic government

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