The Age article - RACV & the East - West link

[Luna Rossa]

This article appeared in todays Age

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/racv-carculture-politics-attacked-20130831-2sxom.html

It got me thinking about the appropriateness of the RACV lobbying blindly for the east - west link which will involve a major investment by the good citizens of this state, for a proposal that has no business case and at best will offer, according to transport planning theory, only limited benefit for a short period of time.

The investment will commit future generations to this poor piece of transport and planning policy and tying such a huge amount of money up on one project will result in lost opportunity for other more vital transport project (e.g. Tullamarine rail link).

As the lead mottoring group in this state (which I am a member of) I question how responsible it is for the organisation to be lobbying for the link instead of lobbying for good governance in spending on infrastructure.

Motorways are a paradigm of the 1950's and, in my view, the RACV needs to present a balanced and responsible approach to investment on transport infrastructure instead of blindly supporting an outdated transport model and being a puppet of the logistics industry.

No doubt forum members will have a diversity of opinion on this topic.

And no, I dont live on Alexandra parade 

[colcol]

Since when was the RACV a representative of the motorist?, not since i have been driving, which is 38 years, They blindly lobby for more freeways, do nothing about fluctuating petrol prices, [they call spikes], accept the need for even more revenue raising speed camera's, don't get me started on their breakdown services, they are a big insurance company out to maximise their profits and i am not a member, while there are good insurance companies like Shannons and Lumly's, Colin.

[Barry Edmunds]

Remember, the A in RACV stands for Automobile, not bike or public transport. There are many critics of the RACV who believe that the organisation is not doing enough to support motorists and is too pro cycles and cyclists.
There are also many who also believe that the cycling fraternity has far too much influence over government policy and that their influence is inversely proportional to their financial contribution towards the provision of 'safe' bike lanes and separating motor vehicles from cyclists.
As far as the East-West link is concerned could someone (anyone?) please tell me when was the last time that a new freeway actually solved a traffic problem. Most freeways are already out of date long before they are even completed and when they are open for use by motor vehicles they very quickly become car parks until such time as governments find the necessary millions/billions to upgrade them, years down the track.
By their actions the Melbourne City Council have demonstrated time and again that they are simply anti car and they will not be happy until such time as they have driven all cars out of the CBD. If in doubt ask yourself when was the last time that motor vehicles were able to move through the CBD without encountering gridlock, caused in the main by closing off traffic arteries to cars, installing super tram stops and handing over road space to the bike brigade with little considering given to the disruption of motorised traffic flows. Once upon a time St Kilda Road, Flemington Road and Royal Parade all had 4 lanes of traffic in and out of the city. How many lanes for motor traffic do these three major traffic arteries have today? Even ignoring the natural increase in traffic flows the blame for Melbourne's current gridlock can be sheeted home largely to the successive state governments and the Melbourne City Council who have, collectively failed the motorists by their short sighted thinking and failing to plan and this situation will continue until such time as the motoring fraternity are able to exert influence or at least regain some power over governments and bodies such as the RACV. Barry

[colcol]

Well said Barry, and the Eastlink Freeway and the Western Ringroad are 10 kilometers apart and the traffic funnels down from 4 lanes to one through Heidleburg and then you go through the city and there is a 40 kilometer speed limit, [to save lives], and then you want to drive over there but you can't because the council has put a one way street in or totally blocked it off, so you keep driving round in circles causing more pollution and traffic conjestion, Colin.