08 March 2011
The Urban Taskforce has welcomed Coalition plans to widen the M5 and commence one of Sydneys missing link road projects in its first term of government. The Coalition today announced that the M5 would be widened to six lanes between Camden Valley Way and King Georges Road.
The Urban Taskforces chief executive, Aaron Gadiel, said it was good to see the strong focus on the needs of Sydneys growth centres.
The Coalition has made it clear they want Sydney to have enough homes for its citizens, Mr Gadiel said.
Widening the M5 and building the South West rail link helps ensure that residents in the South Wests new homes will also have the infrastructure that they need.
The Coalition also promised to commence a major “missing link” road project. Infrastructure NSW would identify the project from a list of:
¢ the M4 East link between Strathfield and the Anzac Bridge;
¢ the M2 to F3 connection;
¢ M5 corridor improvements;
¢ the extension of the F6 motorway from the southern suburbs to General Holmes Drive; or
¢ the inner west bypass which would provide a tunnel connecting the M4 to Sydney Airport and Port Botany.
Mr Gadiel said those who were against road projects overlooked the fact that 90 per cent of Sydneys journeys are taken by car. He said the great majority of commutes are by motor vehicle, as are shopping and social journeys.
For the first time, in a long time, we have a major party talking about a truly integrated transport vision for Sydney, Mr Gadiel said.
Integrated transport planning is not just about public transport, or just roads, its about looking at the transport system as a whole.
Extending the M4, duplicating the M5, building the North West and South West rail links are all iconic projects crucial for Sydneys future.
Mr Gadiel said that Sydneys south west was heavily dependent on motor vehicle transport.
83 per cent of Liverpools workers, 84 per cent of Bankstowns workers and 73 per cent of Hurstvilles workers rely on a car to get them to work, Mr Gadiel said.
Any government that isnt investing in the road network is abandoning these important centres, and the workers struggling to get to work each day.
Mr Gadiel said that mobility is the lifeblood of a city. Roads are meant to be used, he said.
This means, at busy times, they will be full of cars.
But better roads can support more people and give Sydneys residents the mobility they require.
Sydneys future will be at risk if our citizens cant be mobile.
If people can no longer move freely about a city, the whole economic rationale of the place is undermined.
Reduced freedom of movement means that jobseekers are less likely to seek out a better, more suitable, employment.
Similarly, congestion limits employers choice of workers and makes it harder for businesses to attract as many customers as they otherwise would.
The Urban Taskforce is a property development industry group, representing Australias most prominent property developers and equity financiers.
