Politics The East West Link toll road

[Wonaeamirri33]

W33 the NBN is a joke, great idea, terrible execution.

Based on what evidence?

And whose word are you taking on the money question? News Ltd and the Coalition made up breathtaking figures in their claims about NBN costings, then endlessly repeated them, without even attempting to substantiate them.

Current available projections suggested the full rollout of the NBN would cost about $40 billion, yet they ran around brandishing figures like $94 billion, even sometimes claiming over $100 billion, as I say, without anything remotely approximating meaningful analysis to support it.

Those claims about cost blow-outs don't stand up to scrutiny, and every financial projection on the NBN since, including those done by outside agencies, reinforced the original estimate.

As to execution, I don't really know what you're talking about there either, since I've seen nothing in the rollout estimates that supports the claims made by those opposed about delays there either. Seen some remarkable invented claims made in the public arena there also.

And comparatively on money and execution, the alternative we're looking at now under this government is about $29 billion in currently estimated expenditure (even based on estimates about the number of nodes required which have been pretty well debunked), to get us to about the average speed people can already get through Telstra cable internet.

That's what I call a joke.

I think I'll start another thread for the NBN so we can go through information about that like I did on this one.

 

[Hellbourne]

On general public opinion, economic modelling, estimates of likely demand, petrol pricing forecasts, and the Census data showing car use in Melbourne is stagnating, beginning to decline, and use of public transport is at a record high.

I've already posted all the information about this in the articles above. It's all there.

Recent figures show that Melbourne's public transport use has declined over the last year: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/fare-evasion-up-but-patronage-down-20130919-2u217.html

There appears to be a big difference between the Melbourne and Brisbane attitudes with toll roads from my recent trips to Brisbane with work. I know its anecdotal but most people I know (mainly living in the North Western Suburbs) all use CityLink to get into the city (Usually exiting at Flemington Road) and to the South Eastern Suburbs (via the Burnley Tunnel) as they equate the saving in time in comparison with using the West Gate Bridge as of greater value than the cost of the tolls. In comparison almost all of the guys I've spoken to in the Brisbane office when I have commented about the dream run through the empty tunnel said they would only use it if they were using a taxi with a cabcharge and that otherwise the time saving isn't worth the toll.

I can guarantee that if I had to head up the Eastern Freeway for anything I'd not hesitate for a moment in using a new tunnel over getting bogged down in the inner city crawl between the Tullarmarine and Alexandra Parade. But then I'd prefer the more comprehensive transport plan for the city as stated in my earlier post and not just this tunnel.

 

[Wonaeamirri33]

Recent figures show that Melbourne's public transport use has declined over the last year: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/fare-evasion-up-but-patronage-down-20130919-2u217.html

Interesting - yeah, down 2% in 2012.

The trend seems to be going strongly upward over the longer term though.

Here are some more details from the 2011 Census report, to give extra background on this:

Census figures show public transport patronage is growing in Melbourne faster than the population

October 31, 2012

Amelia Harris
Herald Sun

Public transport patronage in Melbourne is growing more than three times faster than the city's population, Census figures show.

On Census day - Tuesday, August 9, 2011 - more than 280,000 people caught public transport, including trains, trams, buses and taxis, to work.

That figure represents a 33 per cent increase on the 209,918 people in 2006.

Greater Melbourne's population grew by 9.7 per cent to 3,999,980 in the same five-year period.

Australian Bureau of Statistics figures, released yesterday, showed cars were the most popular way to get to work but buses were the fastest-growing mode.

Census data showed 1.25 million people - or 65 per cent of employees - travelled to work by car.

Public Transport Victoria's Donna Watson said new trains, trams and major network extensions would increase capacity.

"The latest ABS data supports our patronage surveys, which show that more people than ever are catching public transport," Ms Watson said.

"In the past six years patronage has increased by 37 per cent, with an extra 144.4 million trips made by passengers in 2012 compared to 2006."

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/vi...n-the-population/story-e6frf7kx-1226507014298

 

[wowlace]

Disregarding whether or not this is a good idea, I think we can all agree that the people in control will * up the roll out and it will take twice as long and cost x^10 it was supposed to.

UGH Myki, * me. Seriously how? How do you * something up soooo bad?

 

[Ratts of Tobruk]

And since we know that Wowlace, that's why it's good to attack it now. How these pollies never learn is beyond me, but Jon Faine just chatted on 774 Melbourne to an infrastructure planner and it was plain embarrassing. The planner seemed to have zero knowledge of drivers, let alone Melbourne drivers. Two choice quotes were that people don't get off at Bell St to avoid tolls on Citylink and that Alexandra and Hoddle were enough to service the city from the North.

 

[CBDees]

I support the:

• East-West link
• The rail link to Melbourne Airport (elevated?)
• A rail link to Doncaster
• The metro rail link
• Removing some level crossings (about 25% of those Labor suggest), and
• Routing the East-West link right through the middle of Princess Park (Optus Oval)!

Plus upgrading regional and suburban lines such as Dandenong/Paekenham!

Go DEES!

 

[wowlace]

Not keen on this at all, seeing as the it is going to go straight through my house.

 

[RandB]

Not keen on this at all, seeing as the it is going to go straight through my house.

It's not a house, it's a home.

 

[Blackas87]

Not keen on this at all, seeing as the it is going to go straight through my house.

in Viewbank?

 

[wowlace]

in Viewbank?

Yeah. They want to extend the Ring Rd down Greensy Hwy through Viewbank.