[Greens-Media] Roozendaal avoids questions on M4 East discussion paper and Victoria Rd Upgrade

[Lee Rhiannon]

Media Release - 28 February 2008

NSW Roads Minister avoids questions on M4 East and Victoria Road
Upgrade 

Greens MP and roads spokeperson Lee Rhiannon said Roads Minister Eric
Roozendaal is avoiding scrutiny by failing to answer her questions put
to him every day in NSW Parliament this week regarding the Victoria Road
Upgrade and M4 East extension projects.

*Minister Roozendaal*s failure to answer questions on his own
portfolio responsibilities shows that this government is hell bent on
keeping upgrade plans for Victoria Road and the M4 East extension
secret,* Ms Rhiannon said.

*Predictably the Roads Minister kept carefully to his script and
dodged questions about these controversial road projects

*On Tuesday Mr Roozendaal failed to directly answer questions on
whether he would release traffic modelling to assist Leichhardt Council
to finalise its development approval process, and a detailed
cost/benefit analysis for the project. 

*On Wednesday Mr Roozendaal sidestepped the question of why the
*Bridge to Bay Alliance*, a project team for the Victoria Road
project, fails to include any representatives from the State Transit
Authority or any public transport advisory groups or Canada Bay or
Leichhardt councils.

*On Thursday Mr Roozendaal refused to give a date for when he would
release the government*s discussion paper on the M4 East extension,
which he promised would be released by the end of 2007.

*The Iemma government says it is committed to openness and community
consultation but Mr Roozendaal*s performance in Parliament this week
suggests otherwise.

*Minister Roozendaal*s response to Greens questions on these key
road projects is symptomatic of a culture of arrogance and secrecy in
the Iemma government,* Ms Rhiannon said.

For more information:  Lee Rhiannon - 0427 861 568, 9230 3551
Hansard extracts below. The answer and question on the M4 East
discussion paper will be available on the NSW government website on
Friday 29 February 2008.

Hansard * NSW Upper House

M4 East extension discussion paper

Question asked by Lee Rhiannon 28 February 2008

In the government*s Urban Transport Statement of November 2006 and in
various other public statements since you have promised to release to
the public a discussion paper on the proposed M4 East extension by the
end of 2007. Where is the discussion paper Mr Roozendaal and can you
explain the delay? 

VICTORIA ROAD UPGRADE - Question Time 27 Feb 08

Ms LEE RHIANNON: I direct my question to the Minister for Roads. If the
proposed upgrade of Victoria Road is all about promoting public
transport, as the Minister stated in his answer to my question
yesterday, why does the Bridge to Bay Alliance, which is managing this
project, not include representatives from the State Transit Authority
for Sydney Buses, the City of Canada Bay Council, Leichhardt Municipal
Council or any public transport advisory groups? Can the Minister
outline the public transport goals of this project?

The Hon. ERIC ROOZENDAAL: I have provided the House with extensive
information on the Victoria Road project on previous occasions and I
refer the honourable member to that information. However, I reiterate
that improving public transport on Victoria Road is a first-order
priority for the Government. This upgrade is about providing the 200,000
bus commuters who use Victoria Road buses each week with a better public
transport service. Removing the choke points and providing dedicated bus
lanes on the busiest sections of Victoria Road are expected to improve
bus travel times by up to eight minutes. A widespread community
consultation process is underway. The Roads and Traffic Authority is
listening to feedback from the community, commuters and other
stakeholders and getting on with the job of delivering this important
project.

VICTORIA ROAD UPGRADE Question Time 26 Feb 08

Ms LEE RHIANNON: I direct my question to the Minister for Roads.
Considering that the
 Multiplex and West Tigers developments near
Victoria Road will generate additional traffic, will the Minister ensure
that the Roads and Traffic Authority releases to the public its traffic
modelling for the proposed upgrade of Victoria Road to assist Leichhardt
council to finalise the council's development assessment process?
Considering the Parry report states that all transport infrastructure
projects must be prepared and evaluated using rigorous cost benefit
analysis to take full account of economic, social and environmental
costs and benefits, has the Victoria Road upgrade proposal been
evaluated in accordance with these criteria? If so, will the Minister
publicly release the cost benefit analysis? If not, why not?

The Hon. ERIC ROOZENDAAL: Improving public transport on Victoria Road
is a first-order priority for the Government. The people who travel on
Victoria Road, including the 200,000 bus commuters who catch Victoria
Road bus services each week, know how much this upgrade is needed. The
Government's commitment to upgrading Victoria Road is a $150 million
investment announced as part of the Urban Transport Statement in
November 2006 and its main objective is to improve bus services on one
of Sydney's busiest road corridors. This project will deliver major
public transport improvements for commuters travelling from Balmain,
Rozelle, Drummoyne, Gladesville, Ryde and throughout the inner west. 

The proposed upgrade will provide a continuous 3.5 kilometre city-bound
bus lane to speed up travel times for the 1,500 buses that travel on
Victoria Road each weekday. Also proposed is a tidal-flow traffic scheme
through Drummoyne and new traffic arrangements through Rozelle to
provide extra lanes for vehicles travelling in the peak direction,
similar to what we have now on the Sydney Harbour Bridge. To deliver
these benefits and improve traffic conditions on Victoria Road the choke
point at Iron Cove Bridge also needs to be addressed. That is why the
project involves a new four-lane bridge over Iron Cove, which will
provide a 24-hour bus lane in each direction, and we are talking to the
community about a preferred location.

We are committed to delivering improved travel times for the 200,000
bus commuters who use the Victoria Road corridor. We are committed to
fixing up the choke point of the Iron Cove Bridge. I have already met
with Leichhardt council and had a discussion with them about their
issues.

The Hon. Rick Colless: Was that productive?

The Hon. ERIC ROOZENDAAL: Of course. I went in and had a chat with the
mayor from Leichhardt council and I have met other community groups that
have concerns and interests in the Victoria Road upgrade.



--------------------------------------------------
Lee Rhiannon, MLC
The Greens
Parliament of New South Wales
Macquarie St 
Sydney 2000
Tel: +61-2-9230 3551 Fax: +61-2-9230 3550
Email lee.rhiannon at parliament.nsw.gov.au
Web http://www.lee.greens.org.au/

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