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2022 Federal Election priorities to get Victoria moving

Public transport in Melbourne CBD

Tom Hounslow

Posted March 21, 2022

RACV has joined forces with the AAA and is calling for funding for key infrastructure projects across Victoria to help make the state’s roads safer and improve access to alternative transport.

Regional road safety, improved cycling infrastructure, and a growth in the regional electric vehicle charging network have been identified as key priorities ahead of this year’s federal election.

RACV is calling for a commitment to funding key projects across Victoria to ensure the safety of motorists on the roads and to build the infrastructure needed to increase access to alternative modes of transport.

With sufficient funding, these projects will help keep Victorians safe and generate economic stimulus.

RACV Executive General Manager Motoring and Mobility Phil Turnbull said RACV and the AAA are calling on all political parties and federal election candidates to green light a multi-billion dollar infrastructure injection to aid Victoria’s recovery.

“The Victorian part of the national plan includes a call for an injection of substantial extra funding above the current infrastructure spend, creating new jobs and economic activity,” he said. 

“To help pay for this plan, the RACV is calling for the funds raised each year in net fuel excise to be fully reinvested back into transport infrastructure.  All the next Federal Government has to do to fund the much-needed transport infrastructure injection is fully commit that all taxes motorists pay go towards implementing the plan, for the benefit of all road users.”

The priority projects RACV is calling for support for include: 

  • The Regional Road Safety Program
  • Regional EV charging stations
  • Cycling Infrastructure Projects
  • Metropolitan Intersection Program
  • Speed reduction program
  • Suburban Rail Loop
  • Melbourne Outer Metropolitan Ring Road

Transport and mobility infrastructure priorities

The Regional Road Safety Program

The $3 billion Regional Road Safety Program was established with the intent to reduce road trauma and save lives on regional roads. The current funding the program has received from both federal and state governments has allowed more than 180 safety improvement projects on state highways and arterial, and local roads.

However, as we have witnessed with an increased number of fatalities on regional roads in 2021, more needs to be done.

The RACV is calling for a commitment of $300 million each year over 10 years to fund regional road maintenance and upgrades, with safety as a priority. 

Regional EV charging stations

Whether they are fully-electric battery-powered vehicles, or plug-in hybrids, more and more Australians are turning to electric-powered vehicles. 

As more and more manufacturers add electric vehicles to their line-up, prices are dropping and the market is becoming increasingly competitive. 

To give Victorians confidence to transition to battery-powered vehicles for their mobility needs, the RACV is calling for a guarantee from the federal government that Victoria will receive funding to accelerate and complete the installation of regional highway ultra-rapid EV chargers and EV charging points. 

Cycling Infrastructure Projects

Though bicycle sales have been somewhat stagnant in Victoria for the past decade, 2021 saw sales grow by almost 50 per cent as recreational, exercise and commuter cycling became mainstream. 

To accommodate the increasing number of cyclists on our roads, improved cycling infrastructure is essential within and leading to inner city Melbourne and the regional centres of Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo.

Included in RACV’s recommendations are 17 key metropolitan cycling corridors which are in urgent need of increased physical separation and protection for cyclists across intersections and principal cycling routes. 

 

 

Freeway in Melbourne

Melbourne is tipped to exceed nine million residents by 2056. Image: Getty. 

 

Metropolitan Intersection Program

Melbourne is well-known for having a diverse transport network rarely seen in any other major city around the world, including tram networks, trains, buses, cycling and traditional roads and footpaths.

While this diversity makes us unique, it complicates the planning and build of a safe and efficient public transport network.

RACV is calling on the Federal Government to commit funding to upgrade high-risk intersections in metropolitan Melbourne, including funding for raised safety platforms, roundabouts and grade separation. 

With greater infrastructure, we can keep Melbourne a unique and safe city.

Speed reduction program

When it comes to our roads and transport, safety is always the number-one priority, and we need to do whatever we can to make our roads as safe as possible. 

RACV is calling for $250 million in funding to help make local streets safer, including speed reductions in high pedestrian zones and providing investment in chicanes and other traffic-calming safety infrastructure. 

The number of deaths on Victorian roads increased from 211 in 2020, to 237 in 2021. We need to do whatever we can to reverse this trend and stop more people losing their lives on the road. 

Suburban Rail Loop

According to projections, Melbourne is tipped to exceed nine million residents by 2056, and being Australia’s most densely-populated city, public transport infrastructure is critical to our future. 

The Suburban Rail Loop will help provide that critical infrastructure, and RACV is calling for $12 billion in support from the Federal Government to help sustain Melbourne’s growth. 

Melbourne Outer Metropolitan Ring Road

RACV is calling for a commitment of $2.3 billion over five years for corridor preservation to plan for the Melbourne Outer Metropolitan Ring Road/E6. 

The planning for the multi-purpose mobility corridor is designed to provide options for a freeway road - capable of running four lanes in each direction alongside four railway tracks in the median for interstate freight and high-speed passenger trains.

The project has huge potential to boost Victoria’s economy as well as connecting transport networks with Melbourne Airport, Avalon Airport and the Port of Geelong.

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