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May. 1st, 2009 08:02 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
hnpccReading the Mx on the way home I notice that the state government has - yet again - announced that this time, definitely, no, really, definitely definitely, the South Morang rail extension is going ahead and will absolutely be taking passengers by 2013.
Which can of course only mean one thing - there's an election next year, and if they are returned to office the extension will return to the same backburner it's sat on since the 1999, 2002 and 2006 elections.
Cynical, me?
What's even more irritating is that they haven't just bitten the damn bullet and extended the line all the way back up to Whittlesea. Given that they've allowed development along all the green wedges in that area, that the area to the west from Epping to Wollert is also going to be developed and that Plenty Rd, McDonalds Rd and Epping Rds are struggling as it is. There's a reason we take the back route to Whittlesea, and the reason is that Plenty Rd sucks now during quiet times, and is bumper to bumper the rest of the time.
Naturally there's no mention of the Aurora extension, which was also a definite election promise about three times. "Green" development my arse.
Naturally of course though a new freeway is going ahead right now - because everyone knows that the answer to congestion is roads! More roads! Bigger roads! Built with public:private partnerships so that the government doesn't have to spend, and companies make a profit! We're all winners, with new toll roads! (oh come on, they promised not to toll Eastlink before the election too. You seriously think they're not going to toll this road?) Unless of course people don't drive on the road, as appears to be happening with Eastlink. Profit margins? Not so good then.
But on the positive side, we've got a new bus! It'll be magic! Or something. *sigh*
The thing that makes me giggle the most about this is the government advertising. As you come into Clifton Hill station there's a big sign informing you of the cost of the duplication, when it started and that "it's part of the plan". To which most people reply "there's a plan? We thought you were making this shit up as you went along."
Because God knows when you're crammed into your technically not overcrowded ("there is no stated limit") train staring at the sign in you do find yourself wondering about the lack of infrastructure funding, the lack of coherent development, the lack of any apparent ability to actually fund public transport effectively and how, exactly, this constitutes a plan. Other than "re-elect us please, we promise this will happen. No, really this time."
Which can of course only mean one thing - there's an election next year, and if they are returned to office the extension will return to the same backburner it's sat on since the 1999, 2002 and 2006 elections.
Cynical, me?
What's even more irritating is that they haven't just bitten the damn bullet and extended the line all the way back up to Whittlesea. Given that they've allowed development along all the green wedges in that area, that the area to the west from Epping to Wollert is also going to be developed and that Plenty Rd, McDonalds Rd and Epping Rds are struggling as it is. There's a reason we take the back route to Whittlesea, and the reason is that Plenty Rd sucks now during quiet times, and is bumper to bumper the rest of the time.
Naturally there's no mention of the Aurora extension, which was also a definite election promise about three times. "Green" development my arse.
Naturally of course though a new freeway is going ahead right now - because everyone knows that the answer to congestion is roads! More roads! Bigger roads! Built with public:private partnerships so that the government doesn't have to spend, and companies make a profit! We're all winners, with new toll roads! (oh come on, they promised not to toll Eastlink before the election too. You seriously think they're not going to toll this road?) Unless of course people don't drive on the road, as appears to be happening with Eastlink. Profit margins? Not so good then.
But on the positive side, we've got a new bus! It'll be magic! Or something. *sigh*
The thing that makes me giggle the most about this is the government advertising. As you come into Clifton Hill station there's a big sign informing you of the cost of the duplication, when it started and that "it's part of the plan". To which most people reply "there's a plan? We thought you were making this shit up as you went along."
Because God knows when you're crammed into your technically not overcrowded ("there is no stated limit") train staring at the sign in you do find yourself wondering about the lack of infrastructure funding, the lack of coherent development, the lack of any apparent ability to actually fund public transport effectively and how, exactly, this constitutes a plan. Other than "re-elect us please, we promise this will happen. No, really this time."
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no subject
Date: 2009-05-01 10:56 am (UTC)And they'll be waiting for a good while yet, methinks. ;)
no subject
Date: 2009-05-02 08:16 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-05-01 08:59 pm (UTC)