2015-11-10
In August the Economist proclaimed Melbourne as the world's most liveable city for the fifth consecutive year. There are certainly areas of Melbourne which have good infrastructure and good public transport, services and job opportunities, but there are many, many parts of Melbourne that have poor infrastructure, poor public transport and limited job opportunities. This is indeed a tale of two cities: one Melbourne for the haves and another for the have-nots. There is a growing divide in our city.
Among the most important indicators of liveability are congestion and access to public transport. Large swathes of Melbourne are grinding to a halt every day due to debilitating congestion and limited or no access to public transport.
Earlier this week the Age reported on a congestion index. Most concerning is the extensive congestion in outer Melbourne and many areas which have little or no public transport — suburbs such as Mulgrave, Scoresby, Hallam, Wantirna and the suburbs in the north-west around Melbourne Airport. The government needs to urgently implement improved public transport for these communities. Buses are particularly effective because they are relatively cheap to implement and the road infrastructure is already in place, but we also need to improve connectivity between bus routes, trams and train lines. We must ensure that all Melburnians, not just those who live in the inner city, are able to enjoy the livability for which our city is famous.