Yarra Council Media Release: Council to ramp up its campaign against east-west road (2 May 2012)

Yarra Council is stepping up its campaign against the State Government’s proposed east-west road as the Government continues to push ahead with the project.

Yarra Mayor Cr Geoff Barbour said he was very disappointed that the State Government had yesterday committed $15 million in the State Budget to planning works for the road.

Test drilling for the project will reportedly begin along Alexandra Parade soon.

Cr Barbour said the road threatened Yarra’s liveability as it would encourage more commuters from the eastern suburbs to drive through Yarra to get to the Central Business District.

He said signage opposing the east-west road would be erected along Alexandra Parade in June. Meanwhile, Council’s recently-formed Public Transport Advocacy Campaign Steering Committee will convene for the first time later this week to decide on its initial campaign activities.

“We want to work with our community on convincing the State Government to rethink its priorities,” Cr Barbour said.

“According to recent media reports, the road is likely to involve a tunnel but one of the options being investigated would involve building a section of the road at ground level in Yarra,” he said.

“That would most likely result in more cars driving through Yarra’s local streets, where rat running is already an issue.” Continue Reading…