50 most dangerous level crossings, labor promises and infrastructure needs

[ufo_investigations]

Labor promised the 50 most dangerous level crossings will be removed. I wonder if this is really going to happen, and the 'Back to Work Act' will be enacted to help Victorians get jobs and improve the economy. I've seen this before, all politicians make big promises but leave a lot to be desired.

Labor said they will make the contract null and void for the east-west freeway link which is supposed to connect the eastern freeway to the western ring road I believe. This is a worry, this project should go ahead it will create jobs, stimulate the economy, create better traffic flow and lessen the burden on local roads.

Victoria needs a continuous freeway with entry/exit points that covers the whole metro Melbourne area. For example in Flemington on the City Link Freeway you can't connect to the Eastern Freeway unless you drive through Carlton and Alexandra Parade. This is stupid, they need to fix it.

If you drive east on the Western Ring Rd you get a Dead End at Greenborough. How ridiculous is this? That spot needs a tunnel like the Ringwood one, so it connects to the Eastern Freeway. This is the real infrastructure we need right now, we have 5 million people living here and is the fastest growing state in Australia. The government needs to spend big to fix all of this.

We also need a train line from Flinders Street to Melbourne Airport, right now we only have taxis, VHA hire car and buses doing it. This needs fixing.

The Geelong Road Freeway should be extended to the SA border and connect with theirs via Warrnambool and Portland. Western Victoria has been neglected by every government, this needs fixing.

We need a freeway from Melbourne to Mildura with speed limits of 150km/h plus. It is a long drive, not sure how many hours away it is but I think it is about 8. North Western Victoria is another part of our state which has been totally neglected. Mildura is a beautiful place with potential for growth. It is a great location.

Our freeways to Philip Island, the Hume Highway to NSW have permissable speed limits of 100km/h and 110km/h. Well, all our freeways have a speed limit of 100km/h except for some with 110km/h. This is too slow. In Europe 150km/h plus is the norm. Our modern cars equipped with all the latest technology are quite capable of travelling at faster speeds. 150km is pretty reasonable on a freeway.

Politicians win power, sit on the backside and DO NOTHING to improve what really needs improving but they still get a lifetime pension with benefits. Once they are sworn in they should get moving fast and fix everything.

I wonder how much is going to get done under this new government.

[debra9275]

It's a bit too soon to know after 6 hours since the election result. We're getting a 10 million dollar bike path in my suburb, they started on it last week, a bit of a waste of money IMO

[aps1080]

Yes, but the Greenies love it.

Getting people to go green and ride bicycles is more important than spending on other things
As its in and trendy to be green.

[***super_nova***]

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@ufo_investigations wrote:

We also need a train line from Flinders Street to Melbourne Airport, right now we only have taxis, VHA hire car and buses doing it. This needs fixing.

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Labor governments tried to do that for years.  But the airport is owned and operated by Australia Pacific Airports Pty Ltd  and they make mint from the parking fees, and the taxi companies also do not like that idea.  Actually, ALP government did put light rail proposition to the parliament last time (?) they were in power, and the LNP voted against it.

Basically, we need better and more efficient public transport rather than more expensive roads.  Also as statistics show that people are using cars less than they used to, and more people ride bikes, it would be much cheaper to make roads more cyclist friendly, and then even more people would do so.  That would mean less road congestion, less pollution; good for everybody.

As far as lifting speed limits go, the problem is that Australians are very careless drivers.  I drove in Europe in excess of 200km/hour, and it certainly takes time off your travel.  But it is also much more tiring.  When you are on the autobahn doing 190 and there are cars overtaking you at speed that they just fly by you, you really cannot blink; you cannot make a tiny mistake. 

I could not believe how courteous European drivers were,  they communicated with the other drivers, made eye contact, indicated what they are doing.  When I first came to Paris, I found myself in bumper to bumper traffic on the 5 lane "peripherique"  doing 100km in the middle lane, when I saw a sign for the exit I needed "200m ahead", I panicked put my indicator on and looked at the car next to me , the driver smiled and dropped back, as did all the others who I needed to cut in front of.  In Australia they would not let you, and if they would communicate they abuse you. 

I do not think Australians are good enough drivers to be allowed to drive any faster.  Maybe it has something to do with the fact that we learn to drive from our parents; in Europe licence is much more difficult to get, and people have to take lessons from professional instructors = properly trained instructors. 

[debra9275]

I'm in a lib retained seat ap, a very low Green vote here, so there's no relevance to the Greens

Unless the libs were after the green vote here

[punch*drunk]

I do not think Australians are good enough drivers to be allowed to drive any faster

Cant argue with that!

[aps1080]

Speed is ok if the roads are up to scratch. Witness going back to unlimited on certain stretches in the NT and 130 kmh on most of the rest.

The problem is, you have never ending speed up, slow down signs for whatever reasons.
Look a the western ring road in melbourne.

[aps1080]

Debra
Your seat got 14percent green vote, most seats get 9 or 10 percent green vote.

The green vote in your electorate is higher than most.

[debra9275]

The libs probably thought they'd need the green vote to get over the line, but they only had a 2. 6 swing away from them, (unlike the majority). We only had 4 contestants in our electorate, so the greens came in 3 rd. ( the other was the Christian party or something)

[***super_nova***]

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@aps1080 wrote:
Speed is ok if the roads are up to scratch. Witness going back to unlimited on certain stretches in the NT and 130 kmh on most of the rest.

The problem is, you have never ending speed up, slow down signs for whatever reasons.
Look a the western ring road in melbourne.

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Of-course, it;s different driving on road in NT when there is not much traffic.  Also i should have said that I was talking about VIC drivers, I think Sydney drivers are not as sloppy as ours, and I am not sure about other states. 

I hate those constantly changing speed limits too, and not just on the "freeways".  Here where I live on outskirts of Melbourne there is a road stretch about 5 km that used to be all 80 km, now it has about 6 changes of speed, 2 of them due to schools (so they are also time dependant), even that the schools are set well off the road and parents drive right in, and until the school speed limit appeared I did not even realised they were schools.  I never saw kids round.  Another stretch of  about 100m of wide and only slightly curved road all of the sudden acquired  50km limit.  The fact is pointed out by no less than 3 extra large signs!!!?   The road  before and after has 60km.