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Govt’s cosy deal to expand M2 leaves public transport second best
Wednesday 14 October 2009
Greens MP and transport spokesperson Lee Rhiannon today called on Transport Minister David Campbell to reverse his agreement with toll road operator Transurban Group for a $550 million expansion and upgrade of Hills M2 motorway.
“Transport Minister David Campbell has his head in the sand if he thinks that increasing the lanes on the M2 will solve the transport crisis in Sydney’s North West”, said Ms Rhiannon.
“This is a sweet deal for Transurban – the company gets a 4 year extension to their contract, an 8% toll increase and an increase in the speed limit – but leaves cyclists and public transport users waiting by the M2 roadside.
“Transport Minister David Campbell has failed to ensure that bicycle lanes are included in this upgrade.
“This follows in the footsteps of the 2007 decision to close the M2 bike lane between Lane Cover and Beecroft roads to make way for a third lane.
“Allowing Transurban to increase the speed limit on the M2 smacks of a bribe to entice people onto the toll road.
“The taxpayer will wear a $24 million risk from this project if it does not proceed according to plan.
“Today’s announcement shows the Labor government’s slavish devotion to private motorways is alive and well, despite the bad news stories from the Cross City Tunnel and Lane Cove tunnel.
“The evidence is in: private sector road projects lose money. The NSW government compensated the Land Cove Tunnel owners $25 million and the Auditor-General predicts $1.1 billion of public funding will be spent on the Harbour Tunnel by 2022 to ensure viability for its private sector owners.
“In this age of climate change and peak oil, the government must drop its vision of bigger motorways and dig deep for much needed public transport infrastructure”, said Ms Rhiannon.
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