On March 31, a very well attended forum was held in Eltham.
Below is the flyer that alerted people to the event.
There were several highly experienced speakers including traffic and road safety engineers, a lawyer, and a lady campaigning on the Western Hwy development near Ararat. Several Community Groups were represented, a Nillumbik Councillor turned up, as did a representative of the Liberal Party.
Some key information revealed on the night:
Traffic forecasting for this project appears to be flawed, raising questions about the business case for the project
Significant questions regarding the safety of MRPV’s proposed intersection remain unanswered
Viable alternatives drafted by experienced engineers have been dismissed and analysis of those alternatives not released
Community consultation was poorly managed, as was the appropriate dissemination of accurate information
Questions regarding the Environmental Management Strategy and relevant EPBC referrals remain unanswered
Various documents and related information are being withheld from the community and requests for such information are being impeded.
Another key outcome of the Forum was that people shared their thoughts, feelings, knowledge and questions. We understand that, like us, many of you feel misled, misinformed, and/or dismissed. We also understand that countless people want this project stopped until rigorous analysis of the project occurs, and the functions of State and Federal legislation is examined.
More details coming soon.
