Kevin Andrews (Menzies, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I wish to briefly discuss an issue that is increasingly being raised by my constituents in Menzies—namely, the missing freeway link in north-eastern Melbourne. The traffic congestion in Warrandyte on Fitzsimons Lane and through Bulleen and Heidelberg is already bad and it is growing worse. Bulleen and Manningham roads in Menzies, and Banksia and Burgundy streets and Lower Heidelberg and Rosanna roads on the other side of the Yarra River are in gridlock every morning and afternoon. Heavy trucks in particular add to the congestion as they are forced to use Bulleen, Manningham and Rosanna roads to transit between the Northern Ring Road and the Eastern Freeway.

Just as the Monash Freeway needs additional lanes and the East West Link needs to be built, as the coalition is committed to, the link between the Northern Ring Road and the Eastern Freeway East Link needs construction. It was first proposed in 1969 and remains the RACV's No. 1 transport priority for Melbourne. Three possible routes have been discussed. It is time for the state government to seriously develop a plan and a time frame for building the missing link. The Victorian Labor government must get real about the increasing traffic congestion in Melbourne, build the East West Link and commit to the construction of the missing north-east link.