East West Link plans hit another roadblock

Plans for the cross-city motorway have been dumped as an election transport priority — and these two reasons are to blame.

An artist impression of the East West Link, which has been shelved from the Coalition’s list of priorities. Picture: Supplied

An East West Link road under Melbourne’s CBD would not be built next term by a Victorian coalition government due to a federal funding roadblock and the state’s growing debt bomb.

The Sunday Herald Sun can reveal that the state opposition is set to ditch the cross-city motorway from its immediate transport priorities, after the Albanese government refused to entertain a funding partnership.
It means for the first time in almost a decade, a plan to create a toll road under the CBD and connect the Eastern Freeway to CityLink won’t be on the short-term political agenda.

Opposition transport infrastructure spokesman Matt Bach said the coalition still believed the project – dumped by Premier Daniel Andrews in 2015 despite contracts being signed – should be built, but it would require a federal partnership due to the state’s abysmal finances.

The East West Link has been dumped from the Coalition’s list of first-term priorities, if elected. Picture: Supplied

“We are facing $167bn in debt, we have got a cost of living crisis,” Mr Bach said.

“We need to build this road but it can only be built in a partnership approach with the federal government.

“(Federal Infrastructure Minister) Catherine King has made it clear that an Albanese government won’t provide a cent for a cross city motorway.”

The Sunday Herald Sunhas confirmed this means the East West Link would not be built next term if the Liberals and Nationals form government.

Victoria’s State Budget, released by Treasurer Tim Pallas in May, shows net debt is expected to be $102bn this year, before hitting $167.5bn within four years.

Mr Bach said a cross-city road tunnel remained on Infrastructure Australia’s priority list to address Melbourne’s growing population.

He said experts at groups such as Infrastructure Australia and Infrastructure Victoria believed about $6-7bn of public funding would be needed to secure the motorway.
The private sector would need to stump up the rest of the cash needed for the $9.1-13bn project, to be paid back over time.

The East West Link was recommended in 2008 to connect the Eastern Freeway to the Western Ring Rd, and was backed by the Baillieu Government in 2011.

In 2013 it revealed it would build the eastern section first, between the Eastern Fwy and CityLink, and signed contracts worth $6.8bn in 2014, shortly before the state election.

Daniel Andrews promised to tear up those contracts if he won government, and promptly dumped the project in 2015 – wasting about $1.2bn already spent – as premier.

Mr Andrews has steadfastly refused to consider resurrecting it as part of the state’s transport plans, focusing instead on a $16bn North East Link between the Eastern Freeway and M80 in Greensborough.

But the East West Link has been backed by the Liberals and Nationals at four successive federal elections, as well as the past two state elections.