Greens MP and Transport Spokesperson, Dr Mehreen Faruqi MLC, has responded to the Environmental Impact Statement released for the M4 East Widening Stage of the WestConnex toll road.
Dr Faruqi said:
“The widening will just shift the bottleneck of the M4 a few kilometres further down the road. Even if motorists have a faster run on the widened and tolled M4, they will still be essentially sitting in a paid car park when they reach Parramatta road, which the Government’s own consultants admit will remain the most direct road for a large number of trips even if the whole of WestConnex is built.
“In the EIS, the Government’s own numbers predict increased congestion on surrounding roads such as Parramatta Road if WestConnex is built, which will also delay bus services and impede access to train stations”.
“It is concerning that some traffic modelling assumptions are inadequate, utilising anecdotal evidence and Brisbane-based data, which means WestConnex runs the same risks as the failed Lane Cove Tunnel.
“The case for the WestConnex toll road is unraveling and the Greens will continue to work with the community and transport experts to expose WestConnex for what it is: a wasteful, unnecessary and expensive $13 billion dollar toll road to nowhere.
“The Government needs to commit the billions of dollars earmarked for the wasteful WestConnex toll road to effective and efficient public transport that gives people options to leave their cars at home, and reduces congestion for people that have to use their car” she concluded.