- Minister for Roads
The Andrews Labor Government is making it easier for people and goods to get around Melbourne with better technology, more specialist staff and stronger enforcement of clearways in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Minister for Roads and Road Safety Ben Carroll today unveiled a $340 million package of measures to make it easier for people and freight to get around on our roads.
The coronavirus pandemic has dramatically altered the way Melburnians move around the city with more people now expected to use cars to get around.
The number of people making trips on Melbourne’s roads each day is increasing, with road traffic now only 17 per cent below normal levels, while passenger numbers on public transport are 71 per cent less than the same time last year.
To keep Melburnians moving during this time, we’re ramping up direct traffic interventions by tasking more response crews and traffic engineers with tackling congestion hotspots, incidents and blockages on the network.
Three key traffic hotspots in the western, eastern and south eastern suburbs of Melbourne will also be blanketed with the technology and resources to help keep traffic moving, reduce delays and provide drivers with better traffic information.
Almost 700 CCTV cameras will be installed to identify bottlenecks as soon as they start and more than 200 wireless travel time sensors and 40 new visual message boards will put live traffic data in the hands of our traffic management centre and drivers.
Six extra incident response crews and dozens more specialist traffic engineers will be hired to keep our roads moving around the clock – creating jobs and reducing delays from unexpected events.
The timing of hundreds of traffic lights – along with traffic patterns and crash data – will be analysed and re-sequenced to maximise traffic flow along some of the busiest routes in the targeted areas.
Clearways across inner-Melbourne will also be strongly enforced with new penalties for those that park illegally and all arterial road clearways within 20 kilometres of the CBD will be strengthened to tow-away zone status.
Finally, road occupation charges to charge developers for blocking precious lanes on arterial roads during building works will recommence from 20 July, after they were suspended in response to the coronavirus outbreak.
This is a comprehensive plan to create more space on Melbourne’s roads and keep people and goods moving as we continue to respond to the coronavirus pandemic. For more information visit vicroads.vic.gov.au.
As noted by Minister for Roads and Road Safety Ben Carroll
“The way we travel around Melbourne has been massively impacted by the coronavirus pandemic – our plan will mean people spend less time stuck in traffic and more time at home with their families.”
“We’re building more roads and adding lanes through our unprecedented Big Build – now we want to ensure our entire road system works as efficiently as possible as we continue to deal with coronavirus.”
