Transport gaps grow as road, rail fail in growth suburbs, Auditor-General's report warns

PUBLIC transport and road infrastructure in Melbourne's growth suburbs is inadequate and needs urgent action, a scathing Auditor-General's report has found.

"The state had failed to deliver the transport infrastructure and services needed to support rapidly growing communities," Auditor-General John Doyle said in the report on developing transport infrastructure and services for growth areas.

"Inadequate public transport and growing gaps in the road network in these communities are creating barriers to mobility, including access to critical services, education and employment opportunities."
The report said funding for transport in growth areas often took more than a generation to materialise.

The report found there would be a 98-year gap between when the rail line to East Doncaster was identified as a need and its estimated delivery date of 2027.

It said about $6.2 billion in rail projects for growth areas was yet to be funded.

Another $4.1 billion to $5.1 billion was needed for road infrastructure - more than $1 billion in outer eastern Casey.

"The delivery of transport infrastructure and services to Melbourne's growth areas has not kept pace with the rapid rate of population growth," the report said.

"This has resulted in inadequate services, and a significant and growing backlog of much needed state public transport and road infrastructure works."

RACV public transport and mobility manager Thanuja Gunatillake said a massive infrastructure backlog needed to be dealt with, and planning to ensure the mistakes weren't repeated.

Public Transport Users Association president Tony Morton said the report confirmed a well-known problem.

"There is now a bigger need than ever to build and invest in suburban public transport infrastructure like the Doncaster and Rowville extensions and also (train lines to) Melbourne Airport, Mernda and Clyde."

heraldsun.com.au 21 Aug 2013

Reports of this calibre have been around for over a generation and literally NOTHING has changed.

The infrastructure policy is very backwards, as projects are authorised once there is traffic gridlock, and not for the future, but in the rears.

Until this policy changes, Australia's population will always hurt, in terms of wasted time and monies.