[Greens-Media] Victoria Rd traffic modelling: govt keeps under wraps

[Alison Orme]

Greens MP Lee Rhiannon - Media Release  - 18 April 2008

Victoria Rd traffic modelling: govt keeps under wraps

Greens MP and roads spokesperson Lee Rhiannon says Roads Minister Eric
Roozendaal is negligent in refusing to publicly release traffic
modelling prepared for the proposed Victoria Road Upgrade to better
allow Leichhardt Council to properly access the upcoming Tigers and
Multiplex development proposals.

Minister Roozendaal, in an answer to questions put by Lee Rhiannon,
says 'traffic modelling and cost benefit analysis will be provided as a
working paper to the environmental assessment document':
http://143.119.255.90/isysquery/62980e11-e2f3-414b-9a9d-2a183830f13d/6/doc/
Mr Roozendaal has also refused to release one and five year traffic
projections for the project:
http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/lc/qalc.nsf/18101dc36b638302ca257146007ee41a/69b8943d0e396aa4ca257402001e56c7!OpenDocument


“The Tigers development is due to come before Leichhardt Council in
June, but without proper traffic modelling for the Victoria Road project
the council is in no position to make an informed decision about whether
this and similar developments should go ahead," Ms Rhiannon said.

"The RTA has a history of conducting lousy traffic modelling in
relation to the Cross City Tunnel, Lane Cove Tunnel and M5 East
motorway, with its back of the envelope calculations being shown to be
way off the mark.

"The government has created a situation where the right hand does not
know what the left hand is doing," Ms Rhiannon said.

Leichhardt Greens Councillor Michele McKenzie said:

"Leichhardt Council voted in December 2007 to ask the government for
this information, but we remain empty handed. 

"There is no clear timeframe on when the NSW Planning Department will
release its environmental assessment documentation for the Victoria Road
upgrade.

"The government should be working with Leichhardt Council to ensure the
best outcome for the local community, not hiding information from us.  


"Ultimately the community will lose out because council will struggle
without adequate information to make the right decision on important
local developments that have major traffic impacts,” said Clr
McKenzie.

For more information: 
Greens MP Lee Rhiannon 9230 3551, 0427 861 568
Councillor Michele McKenzie 0410 815 552


Alison Orme
Adviser, Greens MLC Lee Rhiannon (p/t Wed-Fri)
Macquarie St, Sydney 2000
Tel: +61-2-9230 3551 Fax: +61-2-9230 3550
Mobile: 0432 332 104
Email alison.orme at parliament.nsw.gov.au 
Web www.leerhiannon.org.au