2018-02-23
The Greens call on the federal, Victorian and NSW governments to heed Infrastructure Australia’s warning that they must commit to building the public transport we need to alleviate congestion and pollution rather than allowing big private toll operators to dominate the planning of our major cities’ transport networks.
“It’s not a surprise that Infrastructure Australia’s Future Cities report puts public transport investment front and centre as a core recommendation - it’s clear that is what we desperately need,” said Senator Janet Rice, Australian Greens transport spokesperson.
“Successive Liberal and Labor governments have failed to invest adequately in integrated public transport that will move people quickly and affordably, and keep up with the pace of our growing cities.”
“People are already stuck in traffic, paying exorbitant and rising tolls, while our cities are clogged with traffic and choked with air pollution.”
“We’ve seen successive governments sell off public assets, privatise our transport system and allow companies like big private toll road operator Transurban to build expensive and enormous toll roads that line their own pockets and induce even more traffic onto our roads.”
“This report demonstrates what the Greens have been saying for years and years – we need more investment in public and active transport, not more toll roads.”
“The Andrews Government must change course and start prioritising public transport investment instead of toll roads if it wants to keep Melbourne liveable,” said Sam Hibbins, Victorian Greens transport spokesperson.
“From high capacity signalling to new train lines to growth suburbs and extending our tram lines, public transport investment is essential to deal with rapid population growth.”