MONEY allocated for roads and transport in the latest Victorian budget should help ease congestion for freight operators the Victorian Transport Association says.
Treasurer Tim Pallas handed down the budget earlier in the week.
VTA chief executive Peter Anderson said Victoria was outpacing the nation on population, jobs and economic growth and it was encouraging the budget contained “a raft of measures” to meet future business and community needs.
“We are especially pleased that significant funding has been allocated for roads and transport infrastructure that will ease congestion for freight operators, and improve productivity and efficiency throughout supply chains,” Mr Anderson said.
Key measures include:
- $2.2bn for the Suburban Roads Upgrade in Melbourne’s northern and south-eastern suburbs;
- $941m to upgrade and maintain regional roads and the establishment of Regional Roads Victoria;
- $1.9bn for public transport, including duplication of regional rail lines encouraging greater patronage of public transport rail networks;
- $21.1m to strengthen bridges across the state, including many on key freight routes with high-productivity freight vehicles;
- $110m to fast-track completion of design planning for the North-East Link and
- $75m for the Mordialloc Bypass connecting the Mornington Peninsula Freeway with the Dingley Bypass.
All up, the VTA notes the budget contains $13.7bn for construction and upgrades to Victoria’s transport networks.
“We also welcome measures in the budget to streamline the transition for qualified apprentices and tradespersons into the workforce,” Mr Anderson said.
“It is incumbent on the government to give Victorians future certainty with respect to jobs, training, infrastructure and growth, and we applaud them for handing down a budget that delivers on their commitments.”