EAST-WEST LINK NEEDS ASSESSMENT STUDY OVERVIEW BY SIR ROD EDDINGTON Foreword Transport is critical to the future success of Victoria. While the Monash – CityLink – West Gate To maintain our economic success and the liveability Improvement Package announced in the of our State, we must continue to create efficient Meeting Our Transport Challenges Statement will and sustainable ways for people and freight to move improve capacity on that route, further network across Victoria. improvements are required to meet Melbourne’s and Victoria’s long-term needs. The assessment The Premier has asked me to lead a needs will investigate and make recommendations to the assessment into an east-west link across Melbourne. Government on a wide range of options, including I have accepted this challenge because I believe this the capability of linking to possible transit services assessment is of critical importance to the ongoing along the Eastern Freeway, new bus services and economic success of Melbourne and Victoria. public transport interchanges. A task such as this one is not new to me. Over Matters that the investigation will consider include: the past eighteen months, I have been engaged by the UK Government to report on the long-term Public transport opportunities link between transport and economic productivity, Enhanced freight access growth and stability. I have looked at experiences Urban amenity around the world and it is evident that a high standard of transport infrastructure is essential to Road network connectivity economic development. Benefits to the Victorian economy Many of the challenges I have seen in the UK are Traffic congestion the same the world over. Here in Victoria – as in Costs and funding options many other parts of the world – those challenges I intend to deliver a report that sets out practical, are reflected in the tension between urban amenity workable and achievable options. To do this, I want to and traffic demands, significant population and be clear from the start about what’s in and what’s out freight growth, congestion affecting public transport of the assessment. This Study Brief provides some and, of course, the strong and proper desire of the background to the task, sets out the assessment’s community to protect the environment. geographical parameters and includes an outline of The East-West Link Needs Assessment is about the key issues I want to canvass with the community, working out the next steps to take to address the industry and government. I have included a brief growing demand for personal, business and freight discussion on the important question of how to finance travel across Melbourne. It is about identifying any options arising from the assessment. Finally, I have workable solutions, in real time frames. attached a summary of the key Victorian Government policies that are relevant to the assessment. Central to the assessment is the recognition that Melbourne is heavily reliant on the Monash In undertaking the assessment, I will consult with – CityLink – West Gate corridor as the only major a wide range of stakeholders. I invite you to make east-west road link to support travel between the a submission to the study (see page 12) and industrial and residential growth areas to the west provide your views about the issues and how they and south-east of Melbourne. I believe this corridor might be addressed. will not be adequate to serve travel needs arising I look forward to hearing from you. from further economic development and population and jobs growth. But more importantly, it will not deliver the economic benefits that Victoria should expect from a comprehensive and well functioning transport network. Rod Eddington 2 Terms of reference Review of East-West transport needs Scope of the review With specific reference to an additional east-west Background transport corridor, Sir Rod Eddington will inquire into Efficient and sustainable transport systems are and report on: fundamental to supporting a diversified and growing economy and to connecting communities 1. Current transport volumes and patterns, and the across Victoria. This is reflected in the Victorian likely changes to these volumes and patterns Government’s vision for the State, Growing Victoria over the next 30 years, including the impact of Together, which emphasises the need for ongoing Melbourne 2030, other Government policies and investment in public transport and roads, while anticipated economic growth. protecting the environment for future generations. 2. The capacity of existing and planned Over the last ten years, there have been two major infrastructure to meet these future transport east-west road developments in Melbourne: requirements. 3. How to balance the needs of freight traffic with The linking of the Monash and West Gate the needs of residents in areas adjacent to Freeways, and freight movements. Western and Metropolitan ring roads. 4. Development of options to address capacity The majority of east-west traffic is carried on constraints and future demand, future needs these two links, which experience significant of port and associated commercial traffic congestion during peak periods. Currently, this including the Government’s 30/2010 target, and congestion represents 60 per cent of Melbourne’s opportunities for public transport in the corridor. total freeway congestion. 5. In developing options, consideration will be Concurrently, it is expected that container given to a range of measures to meet future traffic through the Port of Melbourne will increase demands. Contribution to the achievement of significantly by 2035. The majority of this traffic Growing Victoria Together transport targets will will be imports, which require substantially different also be considered as part of the assessment. distribution networks to those required to support 6. Funding issues, including sequencing of projects export traffic. according to public and private funding capacity, and the capacity of the construction industry to The Monash – CityLink – West Gate Improvement deliver. Package announced in the Meeting Our Transport Challenges statement will enhance capacity over the Community and stakeholder consultation will be next four to five years. However, it is estimated that undertaken as part of the review. A final report will be full capacity will be reached within 2 decades. submitted for consideration by Government. Public transport must continue to be a priority for current and future Victorian governments. At present, east-west public transport links north of the Melbourne CBD are limited, an issue which is being addressed in Meeting Our Transport Challenges by the introduction of such initiatives as the Smart Bus Expansion project and other improvements to bus services and rail capacity upgrades. In this context, the long term transport requirements of an additional east-west corridor need to be assessed and options developed to meet future demand. EAST-WEST LINK NeeDS ASSESSMENT 3 Background to the study Melbourne’s early urban development was Looking forward, Melbourne’s population of based around its extensive railway and tramway 3.5 million is projected to grow by up to one systems, with houses within walking distance of million people or 620,000 households by 2030. railway stations or tram stops, and employment Up to 400,000 additional persons are anticipated concentrated in the inner suburbs. to be housed in the city’s growth areas to the west and south east – areas that are served by the Since the 1950s, the growth in the use of private Monash-CityLink-West Gate corridor. Figure 1 shows cars has enabled the development of suburbs and population projections for Melbourne. communities between the city’s rail and tram lines, following a pattern of low density residential areas In the years ahead, Victoria will need to manage this and dispersed centres for employment, business, strong population growth to maintain our State’s shopping and other activities. reputation for liveability. We will also need to make sure Victoria has the right infrastructure in place Over the coming decades, strong growth is to sustain a growing economy and to create new expected to continue in Melbourne’s outer suburbs. employment, business and investment opportunities Significant jobs growth is also projected in areas across the State. Efficient, sustainable transport around the city’s CBD and in the outer south- connections across Melbourne will be critical to eastern and western suburbs.1 These patterns of meeting these challenges. growth will create increasing demand for cross-town commuting and freight movements, placing greater Melbourne’s unique geography – surrounding strain on Melbourne’s cross-city links. Port Phillip Bay – means that options for east-west movement of goods and people are limited and that As travel demands grow, public transport will the increasing demands on the Monash – CityLink become increasingly important in reducing the – West Gate corridor will be unsustainable in number of trips made by car and alleviating future years. This poses particular challenges and congestion on Melbourne’s roads. Today, of problems in building an efficient transport network journey-to-work trips, around 80 per cent involve across Melbourne. travel by car, although more than 13 per cent include travel by public transport.2 While the The Victorian Government recognises the Victorian Government is strongly committed to importance to Victoria’s future of good transport improving public transport options, significant systems and has made a substantial investment challenges remain in meeting the demands of a in transport infrastructure across the State. The growing and prosperous State. Government also recognises the vital importance of the Monash – CityLink – West Gate corridor and is Critical to Victoria’s economic strength is the making a major investment through the Meeting Our efficient and sustainable movement of goods and Transport Challenges statement to improve capacity, services into, around and across the State. Very reduce accidents, improve travel times and reduce large volumes of goods come through the Port of congestion along the corridor.