❓ Mr. Hatton asks about the government's plan to address traffic congestion, referencing the TomTom index. The Minister responds by highlighting the government's investments in infrastructure and public transport, defending their record and criticising the opposition.
AnsweredQoN 162Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
TRAFFIC CONGESTION REDUCTION MEASURES
162. Mr C.D. HATTON to the Minister for
Transport:
I note the satellite mapping company
TomTom has released its traffic congestion index. Can the minister advise the
house what the government is doing to address congestion?
162. Mr C.D. HATTON to the Minister for
Transport:
I note the satellite mapping company
TomTom has released its traffic congestion index. Can the minister advise the
house what the government is doing to address congestion?
AnswerView source ↗
That is a great question from the
member for Balcatta. The index released by TomTom showed that Western Australia's
congestion was ranked seventy-second out of 174 major cities around the world.
I have to say that it is this government's positive policies that have led
to over 400 000 people coming to this great city since we were elected. I will
say the fact is that congestion would be far worse if it were not for this
government. I have often talked about the major infrastructure we are
undertaking for a growing and transforming city. I have also said we need to be
smarter about how we utilise our existing infrastructure. Last week, I released
the traffic light optimisation program that has seen up to 25 per cent
increases in flow during peak periods and time savings for people of up to five
minutes on groups of traffic lights.
We have talked about a new exit lane
on the Mitchell Freeway. We have expanded the CCTV network to provide Main
Roads WA with a far better view of what is occurring across our city so that we
can respond. What did the member for West Swan say yesterday on Channel Seven?
She said that if we do not invest in public transport, we get stuck on the
roads. I think the member for West Swan might need an education in how to read
the budget papers. This government is investing more in public transport than
any previous Labor government did. That is one thing I can guarantee. There is
no greater friend in public transport than the Liberal–National
government. We have seen the largest bus network expansion of any previous
government.
Ms
J.M. Freeman interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Mirrabooka, I do not want to hear you beating your tom-tom here. I call you to
order for the second time.
Mr
D.C. NALDER : Very funny, Mr Speaker.
We have seen the largest investment
by any government in the expansion of our bus network—an increase of
13.5 million kilometres. Not only that, we have seen a bus renewal program
costing nearly half a billion dollars when we combine the two sums. We have
seen the expansion of our rail network through to Butler and we will start the
construction of the Forrestfield–Airport Link by the end of this year.
We have seen a 30 per cent increase in our rail fleet and we have seen the
start of construction of the Aubin Grove train station. If anyone tries to tell
me that this government is not investing in public transport and improving our
amenities in this city, they must be on another planet.
Mr
D.A. Templeman interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Mandurah, sorry to disturb you. I call you to order for the first time.
Minister for Transport, this question was about TomTom, so come back to it,
please.
Mr
D.C. NALDER : It is about TomTom and what we are doing for congestion. I just
heard the interjection from the member for Mandurah. I am sure that everybody
who lives down —
Mr
D.A. Templeman interjected.
Mr
D.C. NALDER : My mum lives down there.
Mr
D.A. Templeman interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Mandurah, I call you to order for the second time.
Mr
D.C. NALDER : Everybody tells me how good the Mandjoogoordap Road in
Mandurah is and how appreciative they are of this government getting on and
building a connection like that. My mum, who lives down there, loves me for it.
We also talk about the need —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Thank you. We
are bogging down again.
Mr
D.C. NALDER : What is more important is that as our city continues to grow
and transform, we want this city to remain one of the best cities in the world
to live in. I reckon that everybody should wake up in the morning and remind
themselves that we are pretty lucky to live in this fantastic city. The key is
an integrated, multimodal approach to transport. We cannot focus on one mode as
occurred decades ago. It needs to be multimodal, so it needs a focus on roads,
on our rail network, on our bus network and on our cycle network. We have seen
record investments in our cycle network over recent years in Western Australia
and it is fantastic to see the number of people who have taken to that, which
is easing congestion on our roads. That is a strategy; that is a plan by a government
that is committed to the future of Western Australia.
member for Balcatta. The index released by TomTom showed that Western Australia's
congestion was ranked seventy-second out of 174 major cities around the world.
I have to say that it is this government's positive policies that have led
to over 400 000 people coming to this great city since we were elected. I will
say the fact is that congestion would be far worse if it were not for this
government. I have often talked about the major infrastructure we are
undertaking for a growing and transforming city. I have also said we need to be
smarter about how we utilise our existing infrastructure. Last week, I released
the traffic light optimisation program that has seen up to 25 per cent
increases in flow during peak periods and time savings for people of up to five
minutes on groups of traffic lights.
We have talked about a new exit lane
on the Mitchell Freeway. We have expanded the CCTV network to provide Main
Roads WA with a far better view of what is occurring across our city so that we
can respond. What did the member for West Swan say yesterday on Channel Seven?
She said that if we do not invest in public transport, we get stuck on the
roads. I think the member for West Swan might need an education in how to read
the budget papers. This government is investing more in public transport than
any previous Labor government did. That is one thing I can guarantee. There is
no greater friend in public transport than the Liberal–National
government. We have seen the largest bus network expansion of any previous
government.
Ms
J.M. Freeman interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Mirrabooka, I do not want to hear you beating your tom-tom here. I call you to
order for the second time.
Mr
D.C. NALDER : Very funny, Mr Speaker.
We have seen the largest investment
by any government in the expansion of our bus network—an increase of
13.5 million kilometres. Not only that, we have seen a bus renewal program
costing nearly half a billion dollars when we combine the two sums. We have
seen the expansion of our rail network through to Butler and we will start the
construction of the Forrestfield–Airport Link by the end of this year.
We have seen a 30 per cent increase in our rail fleet and we have seen the
start of construction of the Aubin Grove train station. If anyone tries to tell
me that this government is not investing in public transport and improving our
amenities in this city, they must be on another planet.
Mr
D.A. Templeman interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Mandurah, sorry to disturb you. I call you to order for the first time.
Minister for Transport, this question was about TomTom, so come back to it,
please.
Mr
D.C. NALDER : It is about TomTom and what we are doing for congestion. I just
heard the interjection from the member for Mandurah. I am sure that everybody
who lives down —
Mr
D.A. Templeman interjected.
Mr
D.C. NALDER : My mum lives down there.
Mr
D.A. Templeman interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Mandurah, I call you to order for the second time.
Mr
D.C. NALDER : Everybody tells me how good the Mandjoogoordap Road in
Mandurah is and how appreciative they are of this government getting on and
building a connection like that. My mum, who lives down there, loves me for it.
We also talk about the need —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Thank you. We
are bogging down again.
Mr
D.C. NALDER : What is more important is that as our city continues to grow
and transform, we want this city to remain one of the best cities in the world
to live in. I reckon that everybody should wake up in the morning and remind
themselves that we are pretty lucky to live in this fantastic city. The key is
an integrated, multimodal approach to transport. We cannot focus on one mode as
occurred decades ago. It needs to be multimodal, so it needs a focus on roads,
on our rail network, on our bus network and on our cycle network. We have seen
record investments in our cycle network over recent years in Western Australia
and it is fantastic to see the number of people who have taken to that, which
is easing congestion on our roads. That is a strategy; that is a plan by a government
that is committed to the future of Western Australia.
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