Green Watchdog Hails Transport Vision

The Age

Wednesday December 10, 2008

PETER KER, ENVIRONMENT REPORTER

VICTORIA'S new transport plan has won bouquets from the state's environment watchdog, but there were only brickbats for new Lord Mayor of Melbourne Robert Doyle's attitude to cars.

Sustainability Commissioner Ian McPhail, who criticised numerous Brumby Government policies in last week's State of the Environment report, said he was bemused by Cr Doyle's comments since winning office.

Mr Doyle last week called for car traffic to be reintroduced to Swanston Street, but Dr McPhail said he was unconvinced.

"The notion of clogging Swanston Street up with a full traffic flow ... would just simply turn it into a horror for pedestrians with the highest possible conflict between pedestrians and motor vehicles," he said.

Dr McPhail also questioned Mr Doyle's dislike for "super tram stops", saying they were safer for customers and acted as traffic-calming devices.

Cr Doyle last night said he respected Dr McPhail's opinions, but Melbourne was a "car city", which needed to find a balance between public transport, pedestrians and motorists.

Dr McPhail praised the transport plan, declaring it "the best thing I've seen in the five years I've been in this job".

He applauded the new metro train line under the city centre, and said it would be "tremendous" if the second stage connecting that tunnel to Caulfield was built.

But he warned that extending freeways inevitably led to an expanded city.

© 2008 The Age

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