THE Perth City Council has sent a clear message to WA Government departments – don’t mess with our turf.
THE Perth City Council has sent a clear message to WA Government departments – don’t mess with our turf.
At its 23 November meeting council voted to tell Main Roads WA and the Department of Transport that it did not support plans for a bus lane on the Causeway.
The departments want to put a bus-only lane across the Causeway and turn the six lane road into eight lanes around the Causeway roundabout.
Council is concerned the bus lane plans will hurt moves to upgrade the city’s gateway.
However, most of the works to beautify the CBD’s eastern gateway will be stage managed by the WA Government-formed East Perth Redevelopment Authority.
The EPRA is responsible for redeveloping the government-owned buildings along the gateway such as the Police Headquarters.
Lord Mayor Peter Nattrass said the bus lane plan was “a glaring example of another authority imposing its insular interests on the city”.
“They have a narrow focus rather than a broad vision of the city at heart,” Dr Nattrass said.
“We are talking about the prime gateway to the city here.
“If we go along with this, it is going to negatively impinge on our entry statement.
“We’ve been told when the Northbridge tunnel goes through it is going to reduce the traffic on Riverside Drive by 50 per cent.
“So I see no need to create lanes of traffic around the roundabout.
“I also see no need to create an extra road carving into the Ozone Reserve.
“We’ve been told that’s because it is Perth’s number one black spot.
“I’ve driven over that stretch of road a thousand times and if that’s Perth’s number one blackspot then we have the safest roads in Australia.”
Councillor Judy McEvoy said she also thought the Graham Farmer Freeway Tunnel was supposed to take cars out of the city.
“Why do we need a bus lane?” Mrs McEvoy said.
“People in Perth are not going to use public transport.”
Councillor Bert Tudori said he had seen bus after bus on Adelaide Terrace empty.
“We should wait and see if the tunnel does its job,” Mr Tudori said.
Councillor Jennifer MacGill said a lot of projects were on the go in Perth that should have been left until the
tunnel proved its worth.
At its 23 November meeting council voted to tell Main Roads WA and the Department of Transport that it did not support plans for a bus lane on the Causeway.
The departments want to put a bus-only lane across the Causeway and turn the six lane road into eight lanes around the Causeway roundabout.
Council is concerned the bus lane plans will hurt moves to upgrade the city’s gateway.
However, most of the works to beautify the CBD’s eastern gateway will be stage managed by the WA Government-formed East Perth Redevelopment Authority.
The EPRA is responsible for redeveloping the government-owned buildings along the gateway such as the Police Headquarters.
Lord Mayor Peter Nattrass said the bus lane plan was “a glaring example of another authority imposing its insular interests on the city”.
“They have a narrow focus rather than a broad vision of the city at heart,” Dr Nattrass said.
“We are talking about the prime gateway to the city here.
“If we go along with this, it is going to negatively impinge on our entry statement.
“We’ve been told when the Northbridge tunnel goes through it is going to reduce the traffic on Riverside Drive by 50 per cent.
“So I see no need to create lanes of traffic around the roundabout.
“I also see no need to create an extra road carving into the Ozone Reserve.
“We’ve been told that’s because it is Perth’s number one black spot.
“I’ve driven over that stretch of road a thousand times and if that’s Perth’s number one blackspot then we have the safest roads in Australia.”
Councillor Judy McEvoy said she also thought the Graham Farmer Freeway Tunnel was supposed to take cars out of the city.
“Why do we need a bus lane?” Mrs McEvoy said.
“People in Perth are not going to use public transport.”
Councillor Bert Tudori said he had seen bus after bus on Adelaide Terrace empty.
“We should wait and see if the tunnel does its job,” Mr Tudori said.
Councillor Jennifer MacGill said a lot of projects were on the go in Perth that should have been left until the
tunnel proved its worth.
